Wild Swimming in Dartmoor: Pools, Tors and Hidden Rivers
Dartmoor is one of the last genuinely wild places in southern England. Covering around 368 square miles of upland moorland in Devon, it holds within its granite heart a network of rivers, pools and cascades that have drawn swimmers for generations. The water here is cold, clear and startlingly clean, draining directly off the high moor through peat and rock before gathering in the valleys below. If you are looking for a wild swim that feels properly remote, properly elemental and properly British, Dartmoor is hard to beat.
This guide covers the best swimming locations across the moor, the practical details you need to stay safe, and the local rules and landowner relationships that help keep these spots accessible for everyone.
Understanding Dartmoor’s Water
The rivers of Dartmoor rise from blanket bog and flow fast. The East and West Dart, the Teign, the Avon, the Erme and the Plym all begin their journeys on the high plateau and cut progressively deeper valleys as they descend toward the coast. The water temperature on Dartmoor rarely climbs above 15°C even in August, and in winter the upland streams run at around 4–6°C. That tannin-stained, amber colouring you see in moorland rivers is entirely natural — it comes from dissolved peat and is not a sign of pollution. In fact, Dartmoor’s rivers consistently score among the cleanest in England.
The character of the swimming changes dramatically with the season. Spring brings high, fast water and spectacular waterfalls but strong currents that make some pools unsafe. Summer drops the rivers to their most approachable levels, exposing sandy beaches, shallow runs and the deep, jade-green plunge pools that make Dartmoor famous. Autumn is arguably the finest season for wild swimming on the moor: the crowds thin, the bracken turns copper, the water is at its warmest after a full summer of solar heating, and the waterfalls begin to reassert themselves after the first autumn rains.
The Best Swimming Spots on Dartmoor
Spitchwick and the Lower East Dart
Spitchwick Common, near the village of Poundsgate, is the most famous wild swimming location on Dartmoor and arguably in the entire South West. The wide bend of the East Dart here creates a broad, slow pool with a sandy shelf on one bank and a deeper channel running along the far side. At its deepest point, the pool reaches around 2.5 metres. On a warm summer weekend it can attract hundreds of people, so if you want it to yourself, arrive before 9am or visit on a weekday in September.
The access path drops down from a small car park off the B3357 between Two Bridges and Ashburton. The walk to the river takes about ten minutes. There are no facilities, so bring everything you need. The National Trust manages the common and asks visitors to take all litter home and keep dogs under close control during ground-nesting bird season (March to July).
Sharrah Pool
A thirty-minute walk upriver from Spitchwick through oak woodland brings you to Sharrah Pool, a dramatically different kind of swim. Here the East Dart narrows between granite boulders and drops into a deep, contained pool enclosed on both sides by steep rock. The water is darker and colder here, the atmosphere more enclosed. A rope swing has appeared and disappeared from the large oak tree on the left bank over the years — do not rely on any rope or branch you find here, as they are not maintained and break without warning.
Sharrah is reached via the Two Moors Way footpath from Newbridge car park. The path is well-marked and passable in all weathers, though the rocks along the river can be extremely slippery when wet. Wear water shoes or old trainers rather than bare feet.
Becky Falls and the Bovey Valley
The Bovey Valley near Manaton offers a different style of swimming altogether. The valley is ancient oak woodland, designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and the river runs through a series of tumbling cascades and quieter pools. Becky Falls itself is on private land with an entrance fee, but the river below it is accessible via public footpaths and offers some lovely shallow swims in summer when the water level drops enough to expose the polished granite slabs.
Be aware that the Bovey can rise very rapidly after rain on the high moor. What is a calm paddling spot in the morning can become a churning torrent by afternoon if storms are moving across the plateau. Check the Met Office mountain forecast for Dartmoor before you set out, not just the lowland forecast for Exeter or Plymouth.
Cramber Pool and the Upper West Dart
For those prepared to walk into the high moor, the upper reaches of the West Dart offer some of the most remote swimming on Dartmoor. Cramber Pool, situated near Cramber Tor above Wistman’s Wood, is a natural upland pool that collects water from the surrounding bog. It is shallow — rarely more than a metre and a half deep — but the sense of exposure and isolation is extraordinary. You are genuinely alone up here, with only the wind, the curlew and the ancient clapper bridges for company.
This is not a swim for beginners or for solo swimmers. The high moor can disorient quickly in mist, the ground is boggy and ankle-turning, and the water temperature is unforgiving year-round. Bring a detailed OS map (Explorer OL28 covers this area), a compass, and let someone know your route. The Two Bridges Hotel car park makes a reasonable starting point, with the walk to the upper Dart taking around 45 minutes each way.
Meldon Reservoir and the West Okement
In the north of the moor, Meldon Reservoir sits beneath the dramatic arches of Meldon Viaduct near Okehampton. South West Water owns the reservoir, and swimming is not permitted in the reservoir itself. However, the West Okement River below the dam has several accessible swimming spots reached via the footpath through Meldon Quarry. The water here is particularly cold and the pools are smaller than those on the East Dart, but the gorge scenery is striking and the location far less visited than Spitchwick.
Safety on Dartmoor’s Rivers
Wild swimming carries real risks and Dartmoor’s rivers are not forgiving of careless decisions. The incidents that lead to tragedy on Dartmoor almost always involve a combination of underestimating the cold, overestimating one’s swimming ability, and misjudging the speed of a river after rainfall.
Cold Water Shock
Cold water shock is the most immediate danger. When you enter water below around 15°C, your body triggers an involuntary gasp reflex and rapid breathing that can cause you to inhale water before you have consciously processed what is happening. This reaction peaks in the first thirty seconds of immersion and is the reason why jumping straight into cold water from height — off a rock, a bridge or a rope swing — is particularly dangerous. Your best protection is to enter the water gradually, giving your body thirty to sixty seconds to adjust before you commit to swimming. Acclimatise to cold water swimming by starting in summer and continuing through the autumn rather than arriving in March and diving straight in.
Cold Water Incapacitation
Separate from cold water shock is the longer-term risk of cold water incapacitation. After swimming in cold water, your muscles — particularly in the arms — lose coordination and strength faster than you expect. Most unfit adults begin to lose effective swimming ability after around ten minutes in water at 10°C. On Dartmoor, even in August, you are unlikely to have more than fifteen to twenty minutes of effective swimming in you before your body prioritises core temperature over peripheral function. Keep your swims short and always maintain a distance from the bank or the exit point that you could comfortably cover immediately if you needed to.
River Levels and Flood Pulses
Dartmoor’s rivers respond to rainfall with alarming speed. The high moor acts as a vast sponge that releases water rapidly when it becomes saturated. A pool that is perfectly safe at 10am can become dangerous by 2pm if storms have passed over the catchment area upstream. Watch for the following warning signs: water colour changing from clear amber to opaque brown or grey; a low rumbling sound from upstream; floating debris such as sticks and leaves appearing suddenly; and any noticeable rise in water level even if the sky above you looks clear. If you see any of these signs, get out of the water and move away from the riverbank immediately.
The Environment Agency provides river level monitoring stations across Dartmoor. You can check live gauge readings for the East Dart at Bellever and the West Dart at Dunnabridge on the Gov.uk flood monitoring pages. These are genuinely useful tools and worth bookmarking on your phone before you visit.
Going Alone
Never swim alone on Dartmoor, particularly in remote locations. If you get into difficulty, the chances of another walker passing quickly enough to help are low, especially on weekdays and in autumn and winter. Swim with at least one other person who stays on the bank as a watcher, and agree in advance what they should do if you get into difficulty. In the high moor, mobile signal is unreliable — know the location of the nearest road and farm before you leave the car park.
What to Wear and Bring
Dartmoor wild swimming does not require expensive equipment, but a few items make a significant difference to both safety and enjoyment.
- A wetsuit or thermal swim skin: Not essential in summer at lower locations, but strongly recommended for anyone swimming above the valley floor or in spring and autumn. A 3mm shorty wetsuit extends your safe swimming time considerably and takes the edge off
