Best Wild Swimming Spots in Devon
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best wild swimming spots in Devon are Fluxton Weir, Shilley Pool, Cullever Steps Pool, Tavy Cleave, Cadover Bridge, Crazywell Pool, Cowsic Waterfall Pool and Westward Ho! Sea Pool.
Devon's wild swimming is mostly Dartmoor's, where clear, cold rivers run off the high moor into pools, cleaves and old workings. The dramatic Tavy Cleave cuts its rocky gorge below a line of tors, Cadover Bridge spreads shallow and family-friendly where moor meets wood on the Plym, and the Cowsic slips over rock into little falls near Two Bridges.
Old workings and moorland hollows hold darker water at Crazywell Pool, ringed by legend, and gentle spots wait at Shilley Pool near Throwleigh and Cullever Steps below Belstone. Off the moor, Fluxton Weir gathers a calmer stretch of the River Otter with a rope swing near Ottery St Mary.
On the north coast, the Victorian sea pool at Westward Ho! fills with each high tide below the promenade.
Some are easy paddles for children; others need a moorland walk over boggy ground, and the Tavy's cleave even lies within a firing range. Here are eight wild swimming spots to seek out across Devon.
Fluxton Weir
Photo: David Smith via Geograph.org.uk
Fluxton Weir is a wild-swimming spot on the River Otter near the hamlet of Fluxton, just downstream of Ottery St Mary in Devon. A calmer, deeper stretch of the river sits above the weir, with churning water below and a rope swing over the pool.
A riverside field gives access, used for picnicking in summer. It is an informal spot with no facilities.
Shilley Pool
Photo: Guy Wareham via Geograph.org.uk
Shilley Pool is a small, shallow moorland pool on the Blackaton Brook near the village of Throwleigh, on the north-eastern edge of Dartmoor. Set among the open moor, it is a gentle spot for a paddle or a dip, shallow enough to suit children, with a natural rock slide worn into the stream and small cascades a little way upstream.
It is reached on a short walk of about a mile from the road, mostly uphill on the way out, over ground that can be boggy. It is a quiet, peaceful place with no facilities.
Cullever Steps Pool
Photo: Guy Wareham via Geograph.org.uk
Cullever Steps is a river crossing on northern Dartmoor, near Belstone, where the East Okement River meets the Blackaven Brook. The old stepping-stone ford is now flanked by a couple of small army bridges over the two streams.
Just downstream a small pool with a low cascade and a flat slab of rock beside it draws wild swimmers. It is an informal spot on the open moor, with no facilities.
Tavy Cleave
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Tavy Cleave is a dramatic rocky gorge on the western edge of Dartmoor, where the River Tavy cuts a steep valley below a line of tors. Heather-clad slopes and granite outcrops rise on either side, with the river running over cascades into shallow pools used for a wild dip.
It is reached on a moorland walk of a few miles from a car park near Willsworthy, over ground that grows rough and boggy toward the cleave. The valley lies within a military firing range, so the way in can be closed when the red flags are flying, and there are no facilities.
Cadover Bridge
Photo: Derek Harper via Geograph.org.uk
Cadover Bridge is a spot on the River Plym, on the south-western edge of Dartmoor, where the open moor gives way to a wooded valley and the river runs shallow over gravel and granite. By the old road bridge the banks are grassy and gentle, with shallow pools that make it a favourite place for families to paddle, picnic and swim on a warm day.
Below the bridge the Plym runs down through an ancient oak wood toward the dramatic crag of the Dewerstone, popular with climbers. There is a car park by the bridge and rough walks in every direction, an easy, well-loved bit of Dartmoor where moor, river and wood all meet.
Crazywell Pool
Photo: Guy Wareham via Geograph.org.uk
Crazywell Pool is a steep-sided pool of dark water out on the open moor of Dartmoor, near Burrator and the Devonport Leat. It fills a hollow left by old tin working, ringed by grass and rush, and is used today by wild swimmers.
Local legend once held it bottomless, until it was pumped low one dry summer in the 1840s and found to be only around fifteen feet deep. Older tales tell of a voice from the pool naming those who would die in the year to come.
Cowsic Waterfall Pool
Photo: Derek Harper via Geograph.org.uk
The Cowsic Waterfall Pool sits on the Cowsic, a small moorland river on Dartmoor running down through the open moor to meet the West Dart near Two Bridges. Along its course the river slips over rock into little falls and pools that wild swimmers seek out, and this is one of them, an informal spot rather than a marked place, set among the tussock and granite of the moor.
The river runs cold and clear off the high ground.
Westward Ho! Sea Pool
Photo: Shaun Ferguson via Geograph.org.uk
The sea pool at Westward Ho! is a man-made tidal swimming pool built into the rock shelf below the promenade in this north Devon resort.
It dates from the town's Victorian years and fills with fresh seawater at every high tide, disappearing under the water at high tide and emerging as a bathing pool as the sea drops. A concrete surround with steps and painted depth markings rings a natural rocky floor.
Torridge District Council maintains it, refurbishing it each spring, and it is free to use. The town takes its name from Charles Kingsley's 1855 novel.
FAQs
Which Devon wild swimming spots are best for families?
Cadover Bridge on the River Plym, with grassy banks and shallow pools by the old road bridge, is a favourite for families to paddle and picnic, and Shilley Pool near Throwleigh is shallow enough to suit children, with a natural rock slide worn into the stream. Both are easy Dartmoor spots.
Is it safe to swim at Tavy Cleave on Dartmoor?
Tavy Cleave, on the western edge of Dartmoor, lies within a military firing range, so the way in can be closed when the red flags are flying. Many Dartmoor spots are also reached over boggy, open moor with no facilities, and the water runs cold off the high ground year round.
Where can you swim in the sea in Devon?
The sea pool at Westward Ho! on the north Devon coast is a Victorian man-made tidal pool below the promenade that fills with fresh seawater at every high tide and emerges as a bathing pool as the sea drops. It is council-maintained, refurbished each spring, and free to use.
Conclusion
Devon's wild swimming belongs mostly to Dartmoor, where the cold rivers run off the high ground into pool and cleave. Tavy Cleave cuts its dramatic gorge below the tors, Cadover Bridge spreads gentle where moor meets wood on the Plym, and the Cowsic slips over rock near Two Bridges.
Old workings and moorland hollows hold darker water at Crazywell Pool, while Shilley Pool and Cullever Steps make gentler dips in the open moor. Off the moor, Fluxton Weir gathers the River Otter near Ottery St Mary, and on the north coast the Victorian sea pool at Westward Ho!
fills below the promenade. Some are easy paddles, others a boggy moorland walk, and Tavy Cleave even lies in a firing range, so check the going.
These are the wild swimming spots to seek out across Devon.
