28 Yorkshire Swims

With its incredible variety of landscapes, Yorkshire is a swim-walker’s delight, sprinkled with some of the UK’s best wild swimming spots – and a network of spectacular walks to connect them. As a native of ‘God’s own Country’, you could say I’m biased, but having spent a year exploring way beyond the confines of my own small corner of Yorkshire, I’ve been amazed by the diversity of swim spots I’ve found while researching Wild Swimming Walks Yorkshire. 

Yorkshire is vast, encompassing 2.9 million acres – an area bigger than Greater London – and 5.5 million people – almost double that of Wales. It stretches from the Yorkshire Dales to the North York Moors, taking in miles of magnificent coastline as it continues through East Yorkshire to the Humber and South Yorkshire. Down its north-south length, cutting through the old industrial heartlands of West Yorkshire, the Pennine Hills form a wild, rugged contrast to the bustling towns and cities in their valleys.

With so many meandering rivers, tumbling waterfalls, shimmering tarns, and a coastline dotted with secret coves and dune-topped sandy beaches, Yorkshire has somewhere to suit everyone’s tastes, from hardy year-round swimmers to casual summer dippers. Community is at the heart of wild swimming and this book was created with the help of swimmers who joined me to ‘test-swim’ several of the walks, sharing their invaluable local knowledge. 

RIVERS

Each of Yorkshire’s major rivers has its own charm and character – and swim potential. The River Wharfe is probably the county’s best known swimming river, winding through spectacular Dales scenery, offering up languid pools, chutes and cascades. There’s plenty of fun to be had along the stretch from Grassington to Bolton Abbey. However, for a more tranquil experience, head for the River Ure at West Witton. Start with an exhilarating plunge in Redmire Force (much quieter than nearby Aysgarth Falls) which tumbles over shelved steps, sheltered by ancient oaks. Afterwards, stroll downstream to a series of meadow-fringed river pools with pebble beaches. The peat-stained Ure is known for its fast flow so be mindful of swimming here after heavy rainfall. It’s fun to swim against a gentle current and swoosh downstream to the shallow rapids. For a longer swim, look no further than my local, the River Derwent, which has its source in the North York Moors. The stretch flowing through Kirkham Gorge, past the romantic ruins of Kirkham Abbey, is particularly scenic. It’s a steep entry, using gnarled tree roots as handles and foot holds, so definitely one for the more sure-footed.

WATERFALS

Yorkshire’s glacial valleys yield an abundance of waterfalls as moorland burns tumble through rocky ravines. From cascades in picturesque, fern-filled gorges, such as Thomason Foss, near Goathland, in the North York Moors, to wide, graceful falls like Wain Wath in the Yorkshire Dales, Yorkshire’s waterfalls come in all shapes and sizes. Here you can choose your cascade by type: plunge, punchbowl, fan, tiered or wedding cake. If chasing waterfalls is your thing, then head to the hamlet of Keld in the Yorkshire Dales, said to have the highest concentration of waterfalls in England. I divided these into two walks but you could easily combine them to bag more waterfalls than miles. My favourite is the double waterfall of Kisdon Force. Hidden in a deep gorge, the top falls pour into a wide plunge pool with views down the valley, whilst a deeper, darker pool swirls below. Surrounded by rowan, wych elm and ash, a carpet of yellow primroses adorns the woodland floor in spring. There are two routes down, a quick slither using a rope, or a zig-zag trail along a narrow path. I recommend the path, but, of course, the choice is yours.

TARNS

Unlike its Lake District neighbour, Yorkshire has few natural lakes due to all the porous limestone beneath its surface, particularly in the Yorkshire Dales. However, legend-sprinkled Semer Water (it is said that a drowned town lies beneath its silvery surface) near Hawes is a naturally-formed lake and offers an accessible swim as you can park on the shoreline. Scattered across Yorkshire’s uplands, you will find a small number of tarns. A short walk from the North York Moors village of Goathland, best known for its bounty of waterfalls, brings you to a delightful tarn, nestled in a bowl of upland hills. In August, the water glistens mauve from the purple flowers of the surrounding heather moorland, reflected in the oval pool. The tarn is spring-fed with a spongy, grassy shore and not terribly deep. There is a gradual slope into the water to the south-west corner. Gliding through the water here makes for a blissful swim, with tiny damselflies and dragonflies flitting above the surface, enjoying the panoramic views.

COAST

Sandy shores, surfing beaches, smugglers’ coves and sea cliffs all feature along the 100-mile stretch of Yorkshire’s coastline, with some thrilling aquatic adventures to be enjoyed at Flamborough Head in East Yorkshire. The tiny coves of Thornwick Bay and North Landing huddle beneath magnificent chalk cliffs, some of the highest in England, with fascinating caves that you can spend hours exploring. If conditions are calm, you can snorkel around these incredible caverns. On the south side of North Landing is Robin Lythe’s Cave, a cathedral-like cavern with a domed ceiling and a seaward entrance where you can step out to watch the waves break at low tide. At slack tide, it’s possible to swim back to shore from the seaward entrance but beware strong currents and do check the tides and weather. This is a breathtaking stretch of coastline, with the UK’s largest mainland seabird colony at nearby Bempton. Fulmars, kittiwakes and razorbills flock here, but the highlight are the nesting puffins, who return here from mid-May to July. This is also a great place for spotting marine mammals, so if you’re lucky, you might catch sight of dolphins or seals in the water, particularly at Thornwick Bay.