Wild Swimming
One of the most common questions we’ve been asked recently is where can we recommend to swim locally. We are located in the Rawthey Valley, and the River Rawthey runs through the hamlet of Cautley just 200m from the door. (Yes we named our second child after this river!)
For a very shallow paddle (or to wash your dog!!) you can pop over the way down a little lane signposted to Step’s End and there is a ford where you can cross the river when it’s low enough.
This is our favourite doggy paddle spot as it’s shallow enough for dogs to jump in and out easily without getting stuck or swept away! Do be mindful though in very wet weather the river can rise very quickly, cutting off the ford and our neighbours on the other side of it. In the summer this is a lovely safe spot for toddlers to paddle in too, and we once took our kayak down there to give our 3 year old a taste of boating!
At the other end of the spectrum, Uldale Force is one of my personal favourites. There is an excellent blog post explaining how to get there, where to park, and the route into the waterfall, so I won't go over all that again here. However, this is not one for the feint hearted. The walk in turns into a scramble in places, and when we’ve been our children were young enough to be carried safely, I think it could be tricky for slightly older children (or adults!) who aren’t sure-footed and used to scrabbling around on the side of a fell!
If you are up for an adventure though, it is well worth it. When you get to the waterfall itself it honestly takes your breath away (and that’s before you’ve jumped into the icy cold water!!) The pool is deep enough for jumping in and you can pretty much guarantee you’ll be the only people there so don’t worry if you’ve forgotten your cossie! The walk in on a hot day is the perfect way to work up the courage (or sweat) to tempt you into the water to cool off.
Another spot we love is Cautley Spout. Cautley Spout is the highest cascade in England (our claim to fame!) and if you’re fairly fit you can walk all the way up to the top of it alongside the waterfall. However it is fairly steep so I’d probably only recommend it if you are a confident hiker and not scared of heights. In winter we have known the waterfall to freeze over and Jonny has ice-climbed it which is pretty epic. Obviously something to attempt only if you are an extremely experienced winter climber!
But the nice thing about Cautley Spout is that its accessible to all - you don’t have to be an expert climber or hiker and get to the top to appreciate it. If you drive about a mile up the road from Ridge House you’ll come to the Cross Keys pub where you can park. There is a bridge across the river here and you can walk towards Cautley Spout along a very easy flat wide path. There are a number of spots to have a dip in here and its a beautiful open part of the valley where you can appreciate the views up to Yarlside, Cautley Spout and the surrounding fells. There are sheep roaming here (as they do everywhere round us) so be sure to keep your dog under close supervision if you have one.
Another lovely spot for a dip which I spent a lot of sunny days with the kids at is Millthrop Bridge. You do need to drive there (or cycle if you’ve brought bikes), but it’s not far. Head towards Sedbergh (3 miles south) and left at the roundabout signposted towards Dent. You’ll cross Millthrop Bridge (the hamlet of Millthrop is just beyond this) and you can park in the lay-by on the other side. Then you just need to squeeze through the tiny gate onto the public footpath and you’ll see a large stoney beach which is perfect for picnics. It gets the afternoon sun too which is lovely, and the river is a good enough depth here for swimming.
There are loads more swim spots locally - too many to write about! But I hope that gives you a flavour. Wild swimming is one of our favourite things to do in the summer here. I’m not one of these year-round swimmers, the earliest I’ve managed is March when the water felt absolutely freezing! So hats off to anyone who does it through the winter!