{"id":1482,"date":"2024-03-25T10:00:01","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T10:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/plunge\/?p=1482"},"modified":"2025-07-13T16:50:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-13T15:50:45","slug":"where-am-i-allowed-to-wild-swim-in-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/plunge\/where-am-i-allowed-to-wild-swim-in-wales\/","title":{"rendered":"Where am I allowed to wild swim in Wales?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Welsh landscape is home to many outdoor plunging options, from rivers and lakes to the sea. But it can be difficult to know where to look <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With 60% of the local population living or working near the coast, according to WWF Cymru, and lakes covering 130 square kilometres<\/a> of the country, Wales is arguably THE place to cold-water swim. A plunge in a mountain-lined lake or dip at a sandy beach makes the perfect Welsh adventure.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the wild swimming community in Scotland<\/a>, if you live in Wales, you do not have a \u2018right to roam\u2019 enshrined in law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people still use this phrase, but it\u2019s misleading and they\u2019re actually talking about the limited access laws that do exist in Wales. England shares these laws. There are action groups aiming to establish a right to roam for Welsh residents, but their struggle is ongoing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 came into effect in Wales on 28 May 2005. This law allows people to leave paths and explore the countryside. Around 8.5% of Welsh land is common land. However, while you can walk, climb and birdwatch in these areas, you\u2019re not able to swim or do water sports. So, we suggest you check the Natural Resources Wales<\/a> (NRW) website to be sure where you\u2019re planning to go public access and wild swimming is permitted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An even better way of finding water near you for wild swimming is to use the NRW\u2019s map detailing bathing water<\/a> around the country. Wales currently has 109 designated bathing water spots that are assessed for water quality between May and September each year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The particular spots are chosen because they already see a large number of wild swimmers each year. So you\u2019re bound to find accessible water and maybe some new friendly faces with this resource. That being said, only a couple of these spots are inland. So if you aren\u2019t able to travel to the coast you can always check the NRW\u2019s common land list or with the local authority\u2019s register of common land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get you started, we\u2019ve drawn up a couple of hotspot ideas for you\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Snowdonia, north Wales<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

One of the designated bathing water sites by the NRW is Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. Llyn Padarn is a glacial lake popular all year round for wild swimming. Not only does it have breathtaking views of the local landscape, but on its southern banks lies the village of Llanberis, the perfect place to get acquainted with after a cold dip.<\/p>\n\n\n

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