The moment you enter one of Devon’s coastal coves cold water, salt air, cliffs closing in on either side no one around you are struck by a certain kind of silence. You can’t prepare for this kind of quiet. Either you discover it or you don’t. Devon’s coast path, however, has a way of giving it to you if you’re prepared to walk for it.
Over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in open water swimming along Devon’s coastline. People who wear wetsuits and have an unexplained tolerance for discomfort used to engage in this somewhat eccentric niche activity, but it has evolved into something more akin to a movement. It might have been related to the pandemic. Or perhaps people just became aware of the water once more. In any case, the swimsuits have reached Devon, which is one of the best locations in Britain to comprehend the appeal due to its two radically different coastlines.
The coast of South Devon, which stretches from the Dart estuary to Prawle Point and beyond, is breathtaking. Nestled between the headlands are coves that don’t show up on tourist maps, such as Moor Sand, Elender Cove the small sandy area beneath Gammon Head that can only be reached on foot via the South West Coast Path.
At high tide, the water pushes up against the cliff face with enough force to draw your attention to the towering rocks on either side of these locations. The entire geometry shifts when the sand appears during low tide. Swimming here feels very different from swimming in a pool because of this unpredictability. Instead of working around the sea, you are working with it.
The Exmoor coastline in North Devon is a completely different animal. The distance between Lynton and Combe Martin is challenging and sometimes breathtaking in a way that is almost hostile. Beginning in the Valley of the Rocks, a bare limestone landscape that resembles Cornish rather than English, the coast path winds in and out of secret bays like Woody Bay and Wringcliff, where a stunning tidal pool conceals itself behind a large rock about halfway across the beach. There are areas where the walking is somewhat difficult because it is undulating rather than level the distances between swimmable areas require careful planning.
If you’re planning a cove-hopping route, there are a few things you should be aware of. First, everything is governed by the tide. Venerick’s Cove is a prime example of one of the most productive coves on the South Devon coast that only reveals sand at low tide. While it doesn’t completely ruin the day, improper timing significantly alters it. Second, appropriate footwear is required for the coast path itself.
The areas between some of these coves are not suitable for a leisurely stroll because the water’s descent can be exposed and steep. The seasoned crowd carries OS maps instead of depending solely on a potentially nonexistent phone signal for a reason. Third, it’s simple to underestimate the impact of a cold. Devon’s coastal waters remain cooler than most people realize, even in the summer. After a swim, it’s important to have something warm at your fingertips when venturing out into the wind on a distant headland.
It’s difficult to ignore the fact that the social aspect of wild swimming has grown to be just as significant as the physical. There is a warmth that feels real rather than staged in Devon’s swimming communities, whether they congregate at the Prawle Point parking lot before a stroll along the coast or at the Shoalstone Pool in Brixham. Perhaps it’s the common vulnerability of submerging oneself in cold water. Perhaps it’s because you can’t really pretend to be excited about a chilly sea at eight in the morning. For whatever reason, the community tends to take care of itself.
Prawle Point is an intriguing destination for anyone planning a longer coastal swimming route. With views spanning 240 degrees across open water, it is the southernmost tip of Devon, situated 60 meters above sea level. It feels worthwhile to walk up to the National Coastwatch lookout and then on to the village of East Prawle after swimming in the protected cove beneath Gammon Head. At the end of that walk is the Pig’s Nose Inn, which has the unique coziness of a place that fully anticipates the end of a long day outside. Devon’s best swimming locations are difficult to get to. I think that’s the point.
i) https://osmaps.com/discover/guides/cove-hopping-wild-swimming-in-devon/
ii) https://dinnerswithfriends.co.uk/blog/best-swimming-spots-wild-swimming-devon-guide