Wild Swimming Holiday Houses for Groups in the UK

The Lake District is the obvious starting point — Windermere, Ullswater, Buttermere and dozens of fell tarns offer swims for every ability. Devon has the River Dart and its tributaries, some of the best river swimming in England. Cornwall's north coast has tidal pools carved into the rock. The Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia in Wales combine waterfall pools with mountain lake swims, and Scotland's west coast has sea lochs where the water is startlingly clear.

The key to a good wild swimming group trip is matching the water to the group. A gentle river pool suits families with older children; a mountain tarn rewards a hiking group; tidal pools work for groups who want the sea without the surf. Check water quality and access before you go — the Outdoor Swimming Society and local swimming groups publish reliable guides. Book a property with somewhere to dry kit and warm up, and consider a house with a outdoor bath or sauna for the full contrast-therapy experience.

Cold-water swimming has become a centrepiece of wellbeing retreats — the combination of outdoor immersion, breath work and group support appeals to hen parties, birthday groups and eco-conscious groups alike. A property near open water with space for yoga and a communal kitchen for shared meals makes the house itself part of the retreat rather than just somewhere to sleep. Several properties in our collection sit in settings that lend themselves to this kind of trip.