5 Walks with Wild Swims in South Devon

More and more of you are experiencing the natural wonder of wild swimming. Discovering the quiet creeks, gleaming bays and plunge pools of South Devon on foot is a real joy, particularly during those hazy days of summer. A cooling dip to accompany your stroll is a dreamy combination. Here are five enchanting waterside walks in the South Hams, all with wild swimming spots included…

1. Soar Mill Cove

Enjoy a hearty coastal stroll from the seaside town of Salcombe, picking up the world-famous South West Coast Path as it weaves its way around Bolt Tail. Sparkling clifftop views await all those who reach the grassy tufts of Bolberry Down and traverse the magnificent Cathole Cliff. Follow the rolling pastures to the secret smugglers’ cove known as Soar Mill, loved for its dreamy sunsets and rocky amphitheatre adorned by sea beat, samphire, and rare sea-lavender, also home to precious Cirl Buntings and Dartford Warblers.

This idyllic and lesser-known spot, with its gently shelving shore, invites wild swimmers to bask in its sheltered turquoise waters. While you sink into the cool of the ocean you can gaze out towards the horizon and the distant sailing boats that trim the channel. A brisk ramble back up the hillside, and you’ll arrive at the grounds of the Soar Mill Cove Hotel where you can indulge yourself in one of Devon’s most popular pastimes and treats – a delicious cream tea on a sun-kissed daisy lawn.

2. Sugary Cove

A mile outside the historic port town of Dartmouth, at the mouth of the River Dart, Sugary Cove is best described as a “hidden gem” in wild swimming circles. This charming pebble beach is encompassed by rocky cliffs and low-slung boughs, shouldered by the majestic Start Bay peninsula, and discovered by way of the steep steps leading off from the coastal footpath. The beach lies close to the ancient ramparts of Dartmouth Castle, described as “one of the most beautiful castles in England”, an iconic sight at the head of the estuary steeped in buccaneering tales and enthralling folklore.

After you’ve bathed in these gin-clear waters, you can dry off and head back to Dartmouth and walk the ancient, cobbled streets lined by Elizabethan shops and taverns, never far from a boot-worn slipway or mast-chiming wharf. Why not combine your trip to one of the South Ham’s most celebrated harbour towns with a wild swim along this rugged shoreline.

3. Thurlestone Bay

The sun setting behind Thurlestone Rock is a scene that continues to mesmerise all those who walk these precious shores. This coastal corridor is one of the most picturesque in the region, a tapestry of sparkling bays and captivating headland combined with smugglers’ tales and ancient landmarks. Wild swimmers really love this beach at high tide, when the giant rocky arch of the “thirled” stone is at its most spectacular and the soft shingle can be felt underfoot as you ease into the inviting water. Competent swimmers like to swim through this spectacular rocky vault and glide on the gentle surf back to the shoreline.

Follow the coastal path from the neighbouring village of Bantham or pick up the green lanes from the harbour town of Kingsbridge, only a couple of miles inland. Whatever your direction, there are some gorgeous circular walks to be enjoyed and a cooling dip to savour. The beach is also known as South Milton Sands and is backed by a ley and nature reserve, a sixteen-hectare refuge for some extraordinary wildlife and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Whilst you’re here you can also explore the neighbouring coves and bask in the plunge pools revealed by the ebbing tide.

4. River Avon

The wending tidal estuary between the village of Aveton Gifford and Bantham beach continues to attract capable dippers. Known as “The Swoosh”, this popular stretch of backwater is also a world-class wild swimming event, an exhilarating 6km meander on the ebbing tide above clear, sandy beds, scuttling crabs and between the wooded hills of an enchanting valley. Expect to reach speeds of 8 knots as you float on the current towards Bigbury Bay, passing the old boat house, towards the famous tidal outcrop known as Burgh Island.

There are some beautiful walks to be enjoyed along this lower section of the Avon Valley, a tapestry of green lanes and holloways, sleepy pastures and wooded trails full of wildflowers. Set off from Bantham Sands, through this charming, thatched village with its historic smugglers’ tavern, to fringe the eastern banks of the estuary and the tranquil lapping shores of Stiddicombe Creek. It’s little wonder wild swimmers return to this characterful wend to go with the flow.

5. Bowcombe Creek

The sleepy backwaters of Bowcombe can be found a mile out of Kingsbridge, a tidal creek that ebbs and flows through the arches of an old stone bridge. During the summer months children love to jump from the parapets into the glimmering water below, which on a flood current can be clear enough to see the silver mullet gliding along the estuary bed. Wild swimmers cast themselves off from High House Point to float with the tide all the way to the old causeway at the head of the creek, passing the treelined banks and reedbed. There are lots of water birds to be seen in these secret, shady inlets and be on the lookout for kingfishers which nest in the banks. If you’ve come for an evening swim, keep your eyes peeled for Greater Horseshoe bats that hunt along the verges at dimpsy.

Walkers can discover the historic passageways of Kingsbridge before picking up the hill path to Bowcombe to follow the foreshore home. The Crabshell Inn is a lovely waterside bar and restaurant, the ideal meeting place to share your day’s adventures.