We are staying at eskdale YHA over the weekend and have seen there is quite a bit of wild swimming in the area my kids are 7 and 9 and reasonable in the water, anyone got any recommendations as to the best and safest places within walking distance of the hostel. I’m not up to speed with this area as its a bit isolated. ta.

All the answers are here: http://www.wildswimming.co.uk/northern-england/lake-district-and-cumbria/?multi_city=lake-district-and-cumbria

Can I come too?

There’s some great little pools up the river Esk near Throstle Garth. Its a lovely, quiet valley.

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=322602&y=503799&z=120&sv=322602,503799&st=4&ar=y&mapp=idld.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=714&ax=322602&ay=503799&lm=0

Cheers fellas we are looking forward to it as they have never really done any river swimming and the weather looks pretty good for the weekend.

I’m sure the guys at the hostel will advise, but i’m pretty certain people go in from jsut near the car parks on the way down to the hostel.

Do they have a wet suit? Cos if they don’t they may never go in a river again, the eskdale wild swimming spots are very cold even my eldest who will happily swim in the north Sea off northumberland without a wetsuit came straight out

Nip over Hardknott and swim in the lovely gorge at Birks Bridge and in the narrow channels and pools about 1 mile down the Duddon Valley from there

+1 on the wetsuits if you want and extended swim!!

We stayed there loads as kids. AlwAys used to use the bridge just down the road to jump /be thrown off.

Walk down to Boot, turn left and walk to the church a nice spot by the church and a little up stream. 🙂

Yes it’ll bloody parky!
The current downstream near eskdale green can be surprisingly strong.
Nearly drowned me when I fell out of a canoe there!!

I don’t think we will be doing more than a bit of splashing about so I’m not too bothered about the temperature and I don’t want to put them off!!

Don’t really know the river up by the youth hostel, but Eskdale is beautiful. There are some great spots for swimming on the river between Boot and the bridge near the Woolpack Inn. As badllama said one/some of the nicest pools is just up the river from the church at Boot.