The beautiful English county of Kent offers a vast array of open water swimming locations. From lakes dotted across the county to the beautiful stretch of coast, finding the ideal location for your next open water swim won’t be difficult. But to make it even easier for you, here’s our roundup of the best wild swimming locations in Kent.
*Remember that it’s important to follow safety advice to minimise the risks associated with open water swimming.*
Lake Swimming
St Andrews Lakes
- Location: Halling
- Price: £7.50-£15
- Swim course length: 200m & 600m
- Supervised?: Yes
- Requirements: Tow float/bag, brightly coloured swim cap, & NOWCA wristband
- Induction required?: Yes
If you want to swim at a lifeguard supervised lake with ‘outstanding’ water quality, St Andrews Lakes is where you want to be. With a variety of swimming options for normal swimming sessions as well as cold water swimming, moon swimming, and coaching workshops, here you’ll be spoiled for choice.
Laybourne Lakes
- Location: Aylesford
- Price: £7
- Swim course length: 400m, 550m, 750m, & 1330m
- Supervised?: Yes
- Requirements: Tow float/bag & brightly coloured swim cap
- Induction required?: Yes
Laybourne Lakes has a good range of swimming distances so you can enjoy being in the water for however long you want. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to swim for fun or whether you’re wanting to train for an open water swimming race, you can do it all here (as long as you don’t mind sharing the water with the local ducks).
Haysden Lakes
- Location: Tonbridge
- Price: £12
- Swim course length: 600m & 1000m
- Supervised?: Yes
- Requirements: Brightly coloured swim cap
- Induction required?: Yes
Open in peak season from May to September, Haysden Lakes offers a beautiful swim location as well as facilities like changing rooms and toilets. Like many of the swim lakes on this list, an induction is required which involves an assessment and a 400m swim test. After this induction, you can freely swim along the 600m or 1000m swim circuits.
Chipstead Lake
- Location: Sevenoaks
- Price: £12
- Swim course length: 200m, 400m, & 750m
- Supervised?: Yes
- Requirements: Brightly coloured swim cap
- Induction required?: Yes
This swimming venue is great for those who are new to open water swimming or are not as confident in the water. These swimmers can stay in the shallow and shielded areas of the lake to practise and build their confidence. Whether a novice or experienced swimmer, the clear and good quality water makes this lake a popular swimming destination.
Bewl Water Reservoir
- Location: Lamberhurst
- Price: £12
- Swim course length: 400m & 750m
- Requirements: Bright coloured swim cap
Bewl Water Reservoir is set in 800 acres of nature which includes the reservoir lake and forest. Here you can take part in open water swimming sessions with Triswim and choose between the 400m or 750m swim circuits (or have a go at both).
Sea Swimming
Minnis Bay
- Location: Birchington
- Supervised?: In peak season
- Beach type: Sandy
- Blue flag?: Yes
Located on the north-east coast of Kent is Minnis Bay. With a beautiful sandy beach and the (occasional) English sunshine, Minnis Bay is a popular spot for swimming in the sea. This is especially the case in the peak summer season when the waters here are supervised by lifeguards.
Botany Bay
- Location: Broadstairs
- Supervised?: In peak season
- Beach type: Sandy
- Blue flag?: Yes
Just along the coast from Minnis Bay is Botany Bay, located halfway between Margate and Broadstairs. This bay has a 200m long blue flag sandy beach, facilities like a cafe and toilets, and is supervised by lifeguards in summer.
St Margarets Bay
- Location: Near Dover
- Supervised?: No
- Beach type: Shingle
- Blue flag?: No
Near Dover is St Margarets Bay (also known as Hellfire Corner). This shingle beach is accessible down a narrow windy road, but the treacherous drive is well worth it for the experience of swimming here. Once you’ve swum out into the English channel, make sure you take a moment to look back at the beauty of the huge chalk cliffs. And if you’re lucky, you might be able to see all the way to France.
Tankerton Beach
- Location: Near Whitstable
- Supervised?: In peak season
- Beach type: Shingle
- Blue flag?: Yes
Tankerton Beach is a blue flag shingle beach that is popular, especially in high season, with open water swimmers. During the summer high season, part of Tankerton Beach is supervised by a lifeguard, making this area the safest to swim in.
Walpole Bay Tidal Pool
- Location: Margate
- Supervised?: No
- Beach type: Sandy
- Blue flag?: No
Take a dip in the largest tidal pool in the UK. Walpole Bay Tidal Pool covers 4 acres and has a depth of 6ft in some places. This is ideal for swimming in the sea but with the shielded protection a tidal pool offers.
Mermaid Beach
- Location: Folkestone
- Supervised?: No
- Beach type: Shingle
- Blue flag?: No
Follow the coast west of Dover and you’ll reach Mermaid Beach in Folkestone. On a clear day, this stretch of shingle beach has a beautiful view over the English Channel towards France. However, this beach doesn’t have a lifeguard so you need to be extra careful.