16 reasons for swimming access in reservoirs

Since The Outdoor Swimming Society began in 2006, an enhanced Right to Swim in the UK has been part of the dream: to see ‘No Swimming’ signs turned into open invitations.

For years, this vision steadily grew. Then in 2020, as lockdown sent the number of swimmers soaring and water companies came under fire for sewage and pollution, public appetite boiled over: too few places for so many swimmers, and a growing sense that our waters weren’t being properly cared for and shared with local communities. 

It was in this moment that ‘16 Reasons for Swimming Access in Reservoirs,’ first written by Sheffield-based campaigner Owen Hayman, took on a new life. It has become one of the keystones of the movement – and it will stay relevant until the law changes.

We are campaigning for a greater Right to Swim in all waterbodies – and in both legal and practical terms, reservoirs make a great place to start. Here’s the full case for opening them up in England and Wales – and why the time for change is long overdue.

1. Scottish swimmers have been able to swim in reservoirs since 2003

Across Scotland, almost 800 reservoirs have been open to swimmers since the 2003 Land Reform Act gave the public rights to most inland waters. In Scotland, and many parts of Europe, swimming in reservoirs is completely normal. Why not here?

2. Reservoirs can meet rising demand for swim spots

Outdoor swimming is booming, but with too few places to swim, some sites are suffering from overuse and overcrowding. England and Wales have over 2,000 reservoirs that could solve this demand-supply problem overnight. Opening reservoirs would spread visitors across more sites, easing pressure on small or ecologically sensitive rivers and lakes – especially in regions like Yorkshire and the North West, where millions live near dozens of reservoirs but have almost no free swim access. We have the blue spaces, we just need the green light.

3. Reservoirs can improve public health

Outdoor swimming is free, low-impact and brings huge physical and mental health benefits. Why restrict this to people near the coast or the Lake District, when so many reservoirs already have paths, parking and visitor facilities, and are close by to inland urban populations? Opening them cost very little.

4. People who are there care

We protect what we know and care for what we love. Restricting access to reservoirs severs our connection to water and allows neglect to go unnoticed. Access builds guardianship: keep us close to our waters.

6. Water companies have a responsibility to provide recreational access

The Water Industry Act 1991 Section 3(5) states that water companies must ‘ensure that the water or land is made available for recreational purposes and is so made available in the best manner’. Many reservoirs have sailing and fishing clubs. It’s time to give swimmers equal rights and let us slip quietly in.

7. Landowner responsibility is widely misunderstood

The law already makes space for swimming. The law is clear: landowners aren’t liable for obvious risks. Signs are only needed for hazards people can’t anticipate. Choosing to swim means accepting ordinary risks, just as we do when hiking, cycling or climbing.

Under the current law:

• Landowners have a duty of care to protect visitors against unusual or hidden risks they wouldn’t expect.
• They do not have to protect against obvious risks – courts assume adults understand risks like deep water, cold water, diving into shallow water and the risk of falling on slippery banks
• Signs are only needed for unusual risks that people can’t anticipate. Generic ‘No Swimming’ signs do not protect swimmers or landowners. 

Obvious risks are ours to take. It’s time to take down the signs and open the gates.

8. Swimming isn’t the most risky activity

According to the National Water Safety Forum’s data, most inland water drownings in the UK aren’t swimmers. The majority involve people who never intended to enter the water – walkers, motorists or children playing near the edge. Fishing and boating carry a higher risk of drowning than swimming, yet these activities are widely allowed on reservoirs.

9. Risks can be managed

Some operators invoke ‘hidden dangers’ to justify bans. In reality, most hazards are visible and easy to manage with basic judgement: 

• Reservoirs behave like other lakes: there’s no surf, swell, rips or tides – think big cold pool.
• Ordinary temperatures: expect the usual lake pattern – warmer at the surface and colder at depth. Enter gradually to avoid cold shock.

Stay safe with simple precautions such as: 

• Check your entry and exit before you swim. Choose an easy-in, easy-out spot. Avoid steep, slippery banks.
• Give man-made structures a wide berth. Stay well clear of dam walls, towers, spillways, inflows and outflows: localised currents can form near these.
• If jumping: look, then go. Check water depth and for weeds or obstructions. Never jump from dam towers. If you jump anywhere else, first confirm depth and what’s below the surface.
• Share the water: keep an eye out for anglers and boats. A bright cap or tow float improves your visibility to others.

10. Access can make swimming safer

Access creates a culture of safety: where open access exists, swimmers can share knowledge, look out for one another and lower the risk.

Open access to swim in reservoirs could mean:

• Clear signs about real hazards
• Accurate safety information replaces scare tactics
• Experienced swimmers model safe behaviour

11. Reservoirs generally have high water quality

While run-off and summer algae blooms can affect some sites, most reservoirs sit upstream of pollution sources and often have cleaner water than many lowland rivers.

13. Reservoirs can become community assets

Sailing clubs, fishing permits and paddleboarding centres often exist because water companies see a way to charge for them. Swimming is different: it thrives on open, informal access. And its real value isn’t in ticket sales – it’s in the cafés, communities and outdoor culture that grow when people gather at the water’s edge. The real gain isn’t in charging swimmers; it’s in what free, welcoming reservoirs give back to local life, public health and regional economies.

14. Reservoir shores can provide sustainable entry points

The artificial and large rocky shores of many reservoirs can support swimming access better than soft riverbanks or small ponds, which are more easily damaged by heavy use.

16. Direct action has always driven access

As history shows, rights aren’t given – they’re taken. Britain’s access rights have always been won through public pressure. The 1932 Kinder Trespass led to the designation of Access Land. Mountain bikers gained trail centres on Forestry Commission land by riding where they weren’t meant to. Now swimmers are following the same path. Since 2021, swim trespasses at Kinder Scout and beyond have shown that to gain the right to swim, you have to go swimming.

Want to get involved?

• Join the Right to Swim (Inland) Group (OSS) on Facebook 
• Sign the Clear Access Clear Waters campaign petition
• Join the Right to Roam campaign
• Download The OSS Access Guide to establishing new inland bathing areas

Further reading

Understanding Reservoirs: an OSS Survive feature that helps educate swimmers on the real dangers in reservoirs and how to avoid them

“Almost everywhere we swim there are ‘No Swimming’ signs, and many of the places have almost no known history of swimming. One of our core aims is to normalise outdoor free swimming in places where it was once a very eccentric thing to do, if not illegal. Not only do we aim to normalise swimming in the eyes of onlookers and gain public support, but normalise it with ourselves too. Through sharing maps and information, and inviting strangers to swim, we break down social and personal barriers. We have a responsibility to proactively care for the places we swim, and try to instil this culture in newcomers. Swimming and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. We work towards a time when the invaluable benefits of swimming and dipping in open water, for people and for the environment, are recognised and valued. Come for a swim!” – Owen Hayman.