Wild swimming near Edinburgh
Edinburgh is a surprisingly good place for wild swimming, with sections of the Water of Leith, Portobello Beach, Pentland Hills streams, ponds and select reservoirs all beckoning the intrepid dipper.
Below we present some of the very best, all within easy reach of us at Seton Sands. Given Scottish water temperatures at the best of times, remember to bring a lot of dry clothing to put on after you emerge!
Staying safe
Take a look at our guide to staying safe before enjoying any of the wild swimming spots featured in this article!
The waters off Portobello Beach
8 miles from Seton Sands
A mile or more of sandy beach flanks the Firth of Forth just southeast of Leith, and on a summer’s day, it’s a lovely spot for a salty sea dip. It’s a popular spot, so you’ll not be alone in the water and the RNLI run swim safe lessons here for the nervous.
After your dip, there are plenty of inviting pubs and cafes for a restorative hot drink or meal, and dogs are welcome on the sand too.
Thriepmuir Reservoir
20 miles from Seton Sands
What could be more inviting than a dip in a reservoir at the foot of the gently rolling Pentland Hills? Thriepmuir is a long-established dipper’s paradise, with several spots to enter from and gently sloping banks. You can hide your clothes under the trees and enjoy the purple heather-covered hills and pine trees swaying in the breeze.
The slopes nearby are well worth a wander. if you’re feeling energetic, walk around the side of Black Hill and you’ll reach Loganlea Reservoir and Glencorse after three miles.
Cramond's waters
16 miles from Seton Sands
Edinburgh’s other less well-known beach is at Cramond, to the west of the city at the mouth of the River Almond. There’s a promenade and sandy beach here, with plenty of places to take a dip.
At low tide, intrepid explorers can walk along the usually submerged causeway to reach Cramond Island, which still contains the abandoned pillboxes that once constituted wartime defences. Make sure you don’t get cut off, however, or you may be spending the night in one!
Bonaly Reservoir
18 miles from Seton Sands
This pocket-sized reservoir is a perfect spot for a dip. Park at the Bonaly Park car park and walk directly up the hill through the trees. After enjoying the astonishing views, after around a mile and a half of climbing, you’ll see the reservoir’s bank on your right.
Make sure you enter the water away from the sluice gate – there are plenty of places to do so. On a summer’s day the trees and surrounding hills provide protection from the breeze, and it can even become a bit of a suntrap so don’t be surprised if you see the odd picnic.
Yellowcraigs and Gullane's waters
7-10 miles from Seton Sands
If you don’t fancy a drive into Edinburgh and you want a more secluded beach to explore, both Gullane and Yellowcraigs, to the east of Seton Sands, are great choices. Gullane has sweeping dunes to jump off and lots of fine, golden sand. There’s a wide, curving bay and rocky inlets with rockpools in which to look for crabs.
Yellowcraigs, three miles further east, is even quieter, so if it’s solitude you’re seeking you may find it there. You’ll be able to see the conical protrusion of Berwick Law, and the pretty seaside town of North Berwick is yet another possible spot for a sea dip, and has its own sandy beach.
Wardie Bay, Newhaven
13 miles from Seton Sands
Just west of the Port of Leith lie Newhaven and Granton Harbour. Between those two nestles Wardie Bay, a popular wild swimming spot, which even has its own local club, the Wild Ones, who swim on Sunday afternoons.
The neighbouring breakwater makes the sea comparatively calm here, so it is good for first timers. Do, however, look out for fishing boats or yachts.
Gladhouse Reservoir
19 miles from Seton Sands
Possibly the most popular Edinburgh Reservoir for wild swimming is Gladhouse. There’s no public transport here, so travel by car. It can be found off the B6372 near Gorebridge.
The eastern side of this large reservoir offers the easiest and safest entry points. There are trees under which to place your belongings, especially those all-important towels and warm layers!
Glencorse Reservoir
17 miles from Seton Sands
One of the prettiest of the Pentland reservoirs, Glencorse is surrounded by some of the biggest Pentland peaks, including Scald Law at 579 metres. There’s a very accessible path up the latter if you’re feeling energetic.
To access the water park up on the road that runs alongside, and make sure you keep away from the plentiful fishermen (unless you’re scaring the fish in their direction!) Access can be found at Flotterstone, where there’s an excellent pub and restaurant - The Flotterstone Inn.
Start planning your Great British break
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Important information
Brand new holiday homes from £34,995
Holiday home price is for a new 3-bedroom ABI New Horizon holiday home and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 19 July 2024, price is available at all parks, excluding Church Farm, Cala Gran, Kiln Park, Littlesea, Lydstep Beach, Penally Court, Perran Sands, Rockley Park, Seashore, Seaview and Thornwick Bay.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
New holiday homes from £33,995
Holiday home price is for a new 3-bedroom Willerby Ellerton Extra holiday and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
From 12 July 2024 the holiday home price is reduced from £37,995 to £33,995 and will remain at this price until all available stock is sold.
The holiday home price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 12 July 2024 this price is available at Berwick, Burnham-on-Sea, Devon Cliffs, Doniford Bay, Hafan y Mor, Kent Coast, Lakeland, Marton Mere, Presthaven, Primrose Valley, Reighton Sands, Seton Sands and Weymouth Bay.
Haven reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time. Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Pre-owned holiday homes from £14,995 Holiday home price is based on a pre-owned holiday home and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 12 July 2024, price is available at Blue Dolphin, Combe Haven, Caister, Cleethorpes Beach, Craig Tara, Golden Sands, Greenacres, Haggerston Castle, Skegness, The Orchards, Quay West and Wild Duck only until the stock has been sold. Haven reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
New holiday homes from £29,995 – reduced from £33,995
Holiday home price is for a new 3-bedroom Willerby Ellerton Extra holiday and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
From 12 July 2024 the holiday home price is reduced from £37,995 to £29,995 until 31 August 2024 at which point it will revert to £33,995. At Far Grange the holiday home price point is reduced from £33,995 and will revert to this price on 31 August 2024.
The holiday home price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 12 July 2024 this price is available at – Blue Dolphin, Caister-on-Sea, Cleethorpes Beach, Combe Haven, Craig Tara, Far Grange, Greenacres, Haggerston Castle, The Orchards, Quay West, and Wild Duck
Haven reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time. Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Pre-owned holiday homes from £19,995
Holiday home price is based on a Bronze Grade pre-owned holiday home 6 years or older and includes siting, connections and standard accessories.
Price excludes 2024 site fees, running costs and add-ons requested at point of sale. Subject to status and availability.
As at 12 July 2024, price is available at all parks, excluding Cala Gran, Church Farm, Cardigan View, Cleethorpes Beach, Craig Tara, Far Grange, Golden Sands, Haggerston Castle, Kiln Park, Littlesea, Lydstep Beach, Orchards, Penally Court, Perran Sands, Rockley Park, Riviere Sands, Seashore, Seaview, Skegness and Thornwick Bay.
Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times. Park cannot be used as a permanent residence.
Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Free 2024 site fees when you buy a Haven holiday home
Offer is applicable to new customer purchases made through Haven from 19 April 2024, completing by 31 December 2024.
Offer excludes part-exchanges or private sales. Available on new & pre-owned holiday homes at the following selected parks only: Kent Coast, Burnham-on-Sea, Cleethorpes Beach, Craig Tara, Far Grange, Golden Sands, Haggerston Castle, Hopton, Orchards, Skegness and Wild Duck.
A credit equivalent to the value of your site fees due during the 2024 season will be applied to your account balance on completion of your purchase for use against your running costs e.g. utilities, after-sale add-ons e.g storage boxes or site fees. It cannot be applied to your purchase or refunded in cash.
Subject to availability and status. Deposit required. Access to your holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Offer cannot be combined with any other offer, discount, or promotion. Offer may be withdrawn or changed at any time without notice. Full site fees will be payable for subsequent years.
Images are shown for representational purposes.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.
Let2offset - make no site fee payments until 2031
Let2offset is a contractual lettings product that offers eligible owners a guaranteed letting income at a preferential rate (calculated each year) in exchange for a stipulated number of letting breaks. It also allows eligible owners to pay their site fees and receive their letting income in 12 equal monthly instalments; the monthly site fee amount charged by Haven will be after deduction of the letting income.
‘Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031’ is available at 33 Haven parks excluding Burnham, Cardigan View, Far Grange, Garreg Wen, Lydstep Beach, Riviere Sands and Seaview. The letting income received will vary by make, model and location. The monthly site fee payment does not include running costs e.g. utilities, rates & insurance.
“Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” is applicable to new and existing customer purchases of new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed or equivalent or superior grade holiday home purchases made through Haven where customers have also signed up to Haven’s Let2offset contract. It is not applicable to private sales and cannot be used in conjunction with our free Site Fee promotion. It is available across 40% of eligible Parks and applies when letting a new Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home (or equivalent or superior grade for 15 weeks.
An example of how “Make no site fee payments when using Let2offset until 2031” operates under Let2offset is the purchase of an Atlas Sahara 3 Bed holiday home at Primrose Valley with a monthly site fee of £585.00 (includes purchasing discount of £45) and monthly letting income of £803.67. The monthly difference equates to £218.67, which will be credited to the owner's account. Both letting income and site fees are subject to yearly pricing reviews and the monthly site fee costs and letting income shown in the example are based on 2024 figures.
Modelled assumptions on expected annual site fee and letting income charges over the 7-year lettable life of the Atlas Sahara 3 Bed indicate that under Let2offset it is anticipated that these customers will continue to receive a monthly credit during this period, however, this is not guaranteed. The modelled assumptions are based on the historical performance of Haven over the past 5 years of trading.
Images are shown for representational purposes. Access to holiday home is subject to park opening times.
Park cannot be used as a permanent residence. Haven Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 01968698) and is a FCA appointed representative of Bourne Leisure Limited (t/a Haven). Bourne Leisure Ltd is registered in England (No. 04011660) and is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Financial Services Register No. 312847) as a credit broker and insurance distributor. Registered office: One Park Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 4YL. We may receive commission from the finance provider if you enter into an agreement with them.