Best Wild Swimming in Dartmoor

The 10 Best Spots to Wild Swim in Dartmoor

Within the wild landscapes and rugged moors of Dartmoor you’ll find hidden wild swimming locations…

… But only if you know where to look!

As a Cornish local (and with my partner’s work based near Chagford), Dartmoor feels like a second home to me. I love the beautiful mixture of the rolling moors and lush green valleys, but mainly the rivers and wild swimming are what always draws me for adventures there.

Where to stay in Dartmoor

If you’re after a wild swimming weekend or getaway, the best place to stay in Dartmoor would definitely be Mill End Hotel. This luxury country hotel is located on the edge of Chagford but literally sits ON one of Dartmoor’s most beautiful walks – the Teign Gorge walk to Fingle Bridge & Castle Drogo – and some gorgeous wild swimming spots (number 1 on the list below!).

Mill End Hotel in Dartmoor

Not only does this gorgeous old water mill hotel boast a 2 AA Rosette restaurant, it’s also very dog friendly as well if you’re bringing your pooch on your Dartmoor hikes too.

Mill End Hotel restaurant in Dartmoor

 

So without further ado, let’s get into the list of best wild swim spots on Dartmoor below…

1. Salmon Leaps & Drewe’s Pool

Drewe’s Pool is a long pool along the River Teign within the Teign Gorge Valley walk that is deep enough to swim in, and also has a series of ‘salmon leap’ pools that you can bathe in! This is one of my favourite Dartmoor walks, and when there’s been enough rain, there are also lots of other deep pools you can swim in all along this route.

Where to park: You can park at the National Trust’s Castle Drogo and walk down into the valley from there, or stop off at Mill End Hotel (situated ON the start of the walk!) for a lunch or afternoon tea and walk from there.

Salmon Leaps wild swimming in Dartmoor

Wild swim on Dartmoor

2. Spitchwick Common (aka Deeper Marsh)

Spitchwick is one of the most popular wild swimming spots in Dartmoor, thanks to how easily accessible it is next to a large car park. There’s a lovely grassy bank and picnic area here, and plenty of room to swim, but it does get busy in the summer months.

Where to park: New Bridge car park (postcode TQ13 7NT)

Spitchwick wild swimming in Dartmoor

3. Sharrah Pool

This is another well-known popular wild swim spot on Dartmoor, as again it’s walkable from a large-ish car park! I have attempted to visit this pool once before, but actually ended up getting lost and stumbled upon Bel pool instead (see below, no. 4).

Sharrah Pool is a good-sized deep pool with plenty of space to picnic around it. You can find it by crossing the bridge and walking along the River Dart up through Holne woods – however I’d recommend checking out Sian from The Girl Outdoors’ blog post about the actual directions, because clearly we didn’t do very well on this!

Where to park: New Bridge car park (postcode TQ13 7NT)

Sharrah Pool swim spot on Dartmoor
Image by Derek Harper 

4. Bel Pool / Ladder Pool

Whilst walking to try and find Sharrah Pool (mentioned above), Alex and I got a bit lost with the dogs, and ended up stumbling upon this pool by accident! We nicknamed it ‘Ladder Pool’ (because of the ladder you can climb down to a jumping-in platform!), although we later found out it’s actually called Bel Pool.

This pool is much quieter and secluded as it’s harder to find, but really worth it for a proper swim in the deep waters here! It’s in the same direction as Sharrah Pool but on the other side of the river… although because we were quite lost when we found it, I don’t know the exactly directions.

Where to park: New Bridge car park (postcode: TQ13 7NT)

Bel Pool wild swim spot in Dartmoor

5. Tavy Cleave (aka Devil’s Kitchen)

This west Dartmoor wild swim spot is high up on my list to visit! With a mini waterfall and picturesque moorland backdrop, it looks truly idyllic from the photos I’ve seen. It’s also a little harder to get to some other wild swimming spots, so you’re more likely to have some peace and quiet.

Where to park: Start at Land End car park in Willsworthy and follow along to Tavy Cleave for about 30 minutes. There are some great directions on Visit Dartmoor!

Tavy Cleave in Dartmoor
Image by Richard Knights

6. Foggintor Quarry

This swimmable quarry is a beautiful spot for a picnic and a dip, walkable along scenic farmland and moorlands from a few parking spots. Apparently the pool is extremely deep in some parts, with towering cliffs along the edges. I’ve seen a few people wild camping here too!

Where to park: If you park in Princetown’s main car park, Foggintor is a 2 mile walk, or you can park in Yellowmeade car park which is a 15 minute walk.

Foggintor Quarry swimming in Dartmoor
Image by Jeff Collins

7. Cullever Steps Pool, Belstone

We’ve visited Belstone a few times and there are some really beautiful moors and wooded valleys to walk around here (especially with the dogs!) but never managed to find Cullever Steps Pool (although admittedly we weren’t looking that hard). I’d love to go back and find this smaller pool for a shallow dip though!

Where to park: Belstone village or Okehampton Camp Army Base (directions here!)

Cullever steps pool in Dartmoor
Image via Nymetwood Treehouses Devon

8. Crazywell Pool

Originally dug out by medieval tinners, this shallow pool near Burrator has a lot of weird local myths and stories associated with it… including that it’s feared to be bottomless apparently! I haven’t been, but if you dare for a swim it looks like a very pretty spot.

Where to park: Norsworthy Bridge car park (there are some great directions here!)

Crazywell pool on Dartmoor
Image by Nilfanion

9. Hembury Woods

Hembury Woods runs along the River Dart and is managed by the National Trust, making it a well maintained, fairly easy walk. This large pool within the river looks like a beautiful tranquil spot, and I definitely want to explore here soon!

Where to park: The free National Trust Hembury Woods car park

Hembury woods wild swimming in Dartmoor
Image by Derek Harper

10. Cadover Bridge

I have several memories of playing in the river at Cadover Bridge as a child when we used to visit my gran in Dartmoor, and it’s such a beautiful spot for families! The water is usually pretty shallow, and the banks are nice and grassy for picnics – plus there’s usually an ice cream van parked in the car park here in summer! It can get quite busy as it’s fairly close to Plymouth and such an easily accessible spot though.

Where to park: The National Trust Cadover Bridge Car Park.

Cadover bridge swimming on Dartmoor
Image by Derek Harper

Tips for Wild Swimming in Dartmoor

Before you head off on your wild swimming adventure, here are some of my top tips!

  • Pack rock shoes (like these*)! Honestly, you won’t regret this. It makes the whole experience SO much better when your feet aren’t being cut to shreds by stone in the rivers!
  • Explore the rivers for lesser known, quiet spots. The places I’ve shared here are just some of the top named places, but there are 100s (if not 1000s) of places that are deep enough and safe enough for swimming all along Dartmoors rivers, so just get walking and exploring!
  • Be safe before jumping in or swimming in flowing rivers. River currents can be super strong, especially after rainfall so please be careful as you’re swimming at your own risk! And always check the water is 100% deep enough before you jump in off anything.
  • Swim in non-flowing water at your own risk. The quarries look lovely but realistically they are stagnant so just be aware of critters and leeches!

 

Will you be doing any wild swimming this summer?

10 Best Wild Swimming Spots in Dartmoor

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79 Comments

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  2. I love the curated list of Dartmoor swim spots—places like Sharrah Pool, Spitchwick, and Crazywell Pool really show the variety on offer, from serene woodland pools to dramatic moorland quarries

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  7. Great guide to Dartmoor’s wild swimming spots! I especially appreciate the detailed parking info and tips on safer swimming practices—those really make planning easier. For anyone keen to explore more, the Teign Gorge walk near Mill End Hotel is a fantastic starting point for combining hiking and swimming adventures.

  8. Great overview of Dartmoor’s wild swims! I especially appreciate the detailed parking tips and the emphasis on safety—rock shoes really do make a difference. For anyone planning a trip, checking out the Teign Gorge walk near Mill End Hotel is a perfect way to combine scenic hiking with refreshing river dips.

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  18. What a beautiful guide! The variety of wild swim spots you’ve included—from serene moorland quarries to river pools—makes Dartmoor sound absolutely magical. I especially appreciate the practical tips on parking, footwear, and safety (rock shoes are such a good idea!). Thanks for sharing these hidden gems and making me want to pack my swimsuit and head straight into the wild.

  19. This sounds like an amazing guide to Dartmoor! I love the idea of exploring natural pools and the River Dart. It’s great to hear how much Dartmoor means to you – that ‘home from home’ feeling really comes through. Can’t wait to check out these 10 spots!

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  24. This sounds brilliant! I love that you’ve picked out the 10 best spots for wild swimming in Dartmoor. Knowing it includes natural pools and River Dart options is great. Your personal ‘home from home’ connection makes these recommendations feel truly authentic. Can’t wait to dive in!

  25. This list is so helpful for planning my next Dartmoor trip! I love that you included natural pools and River Dart spots—it makes me excited to explore these wild swimming areas. Thanks for the great recommendations!

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  32. Such a great guide! I’ve been to Sharrah Pool a couple of times, but your tips on parking and the approach really help clear up the confusion for first-timers. It’s funny, I actually found myself mapping out some of these remote spots recently using the multimodal features we’ve been building at https://ccapi.ai to streamline route analysis. Definitely bookmarking this for my next trip up to the moor!

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  41. The mention of Salmon Leaps and Drewe’s Pool being deep enough after rain is great practical advice. I’ve found many Dartmoor river spots can be quite shallow otherwise, making them more of a paddle than a swim. It makes me wonder if there are specific times of year or after particular weather patterns that are best for finding deeper pools along the Teign. If you’re also interested in planning outdoor activities and need a hand keeping track of possibilities, I’ve found Open Sora AI to be quite useful for visualizing different scenarios.

  42. The tip about Mill End Hotel being right on the Teign Gorge walk is excellent; I hadn’t considered proximity to accommodation as a primary factor for accessing specific swim spots. It makes me curious about how water levels at Salmon Leaps fluctuate throughout the seasons beyond just ‘after rain’. For anyone who also enjoys visualizing different landscapes and planning trips, I’ve found using Seedream Pro AI can be incredibly helpful for getting a feel for potential locations before setting out.

  43. The contrast between Dartmoor’s open moors and its greener river valleys is what makes a swimming guide especially helpful: a spot can feel wonderfully remote yet still need thoughtful planning. The local perspective around Chagford gives the suggestions useful context. It would also be valuable for readers to consider water levels, weather changes, and how they will leave each place as undisturbed as they found it. A little preparation lets the adventure stay enjoyable while respecting this rugged landscape.

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