Wild Swimming in Cornwall

Wild swimming in Cornwall

Although wild swimming has been a pastime enjoyed by many, for many years, the country has definitely seen a huge uptake since the sores of the pandemic began, becoming a favourite choice of exercise that promotes mental & physical wellbeing!

Although there are so many destinations to choose from around the country, naturally Cornwall is a firm favourite as the country's national treasure! Not only are we huge fans of this positive and fun activity, we’re also avid Cornwall fans… as you might expect! We want to share with you all, some of the benefits of this wonderful outdoor activity, along with a few of the most stunning (and our personal favourites), spots around mid-Cornwall to do it in.

What is wild swimming and why is it good for you I hear you say? It’s one thing to go for a swim in the height of summer whilst we're having a sunny day at the beach, but it’s another to brave the chilly English Channel in the cooler months! So why brave it? There are many benefits to wild swimming and there are lots of ‘in depth’ articles from wild swimming advocates and groups if you really want to delve in deeper… excuse the pun. Some of the benefits most referenced are relief of stress and anxiety and promotes relaxation as it releases dopamine. It has been said that the cool water can help soothe muscle aches and pains and aid with skin conditions due to the minerals that are in the water.

Wild swimming has been attributed to generally improving mental health and wellbeing, and we are yet to meet someone who disagrees! Along with all of the health benefits it promotes, it can also give people a sense of community, creating a self made opportunity to be a part of a group and make new friends, and we can all appreciate having a few more friends after the year that has just passed!

Below are 5 of our favourite spots to take a dip, be it in hot or cold weather!

Charlestown

Home to our headquarters, Charlestown is a beautiful harbour town, grown out of the small fishing village - West Polmear. Although this popular destination welcomes thousands of visitors each year, the pebbled beach that stretches out either side of the harbour still offers a quieter option for wild swimming, with most heading down to the water in the early hours of the morning.

Poldridmouth Cove

Much of this beautiful south-facing beach is reclaimed by the sea at high tide, which divides the beach into two, small beaches. You can access the cove via a natural pathway from the car park in about 10 minutes. Nearby, home to the inspiration of Daphne du Maurier's ‘Rebecca’ -Polridmouth Cove is passed on the South West Coast Path with stunning views from Fowey through to St Austell. This intimate cove is a gorgeous place to pop for a swim any time of day!

Porthpean

Porthpean Beach is a pretty, sandy bay that is popular amongst the water sport communities. You can often find swimmers, paddle boarders and more here. With it being one of our smaller bays, and plenty of rock-pools to discover - it is perfect for families too! The surrounding cliff tops and trees are home to local wildlife, so there could be an opportunity to do a bit of bird watching while you are there as well.

Carne Beach

This stretch of sweeping golden sands is found on the Roseland Peninsula, forming a part of the stunning Cornish Riviera. You are most certainly not short of space on this gorgeous beach, but at low tide you can easily walk to Pendower beach - and there is car parking nearby. For any dog owners out there you will be pleased to know that this bay is one of the few that allow dogs all year round! So if Scruffy fancies a swim too, feel free to take him for a dip!

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Spit beach

Known as a bit more of a local's beach, this curve of bay is one of our favourite spots for an evening's beach BBQ and gentle swim! After a somewhat industrial looking walk from the car park to the beach, you come out the walkway to be greeted by glorious views of the bay set up from a natural view point. This is another rare beach where dogs are allowed all year round, so you can expect to see Cornish family folk most evenings in the summer - and that bit quieter through winter months!

To find out more about our tours that feature this fun pastime you can contact us here.

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