It’s a hot July day and we’re sitting with friends on the pebbly beach at Mouthmill, a stone’s throw from Clovelly. The sea is flat and turquoise, and we’re gazing in awe at Blackchurch Rock, a monumental stone arch which stands a short way out, which we’re about to swim through for the first time. This is something we’ve researched, planned and dreamt about, and now it’s happening for real. We’ve been very lucky, as the weather has come good; there’s no way we could do this if the sea was rough, but today conditions are flat and calm.
We change into our swim gear, laughing as we clamber over the stony beach and launch into the water. The dark archway beckons us like a siren. As we approach, our hearts lift. Swimming under this magnificent natural edifice feels otherworldly, a true adventure, passing through a portal into a magical aquatic world. There are involuntary yelps of delight as we gaze up at the rock towering above us, and then swim through to the other side.
It's transformative experiences like this that fuel our desire to share the joys of swimming outdoors. We’ve been friends for around 20 years, brought together by our love of exploring both on foot and in the water. We never set out to write books, they just grew out of our passion. Our latest, Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon, contains 28 walks with swims across a large area including Exeter, Tiverton, Bideford, Croyde, Appledore, Umberleigh, Torrington and Okehampton. We’ve also written guides to walks with swims in South Devon, Dartmoor, Torbay, East Devon, Dorset and Cornwall.
We have a little saying: “we do the research so you don’t have to” – which is a somewhat wry reflection on our adventures and mishaps over the years researching our walks.
Looking at the books, you might think that every expedition is a delightful day out with heavenly weather and calm, idyllic waters. If only this was the case! There was one research trip for example, where we arrived at the idyllically-named Cloud Farm campsite, deep on Exmoor. On the first evening the sun shone and we had a relaxed amble up Badgworthy Water, finding some wonderful swim spots and getting some great pictures. The next day however we woke up to torrential rain and howling winds; as you can imagine, testing out an eight-mile route on the moor in these conditions was somewhat challenging and not that much fun. However, we had no choice; we had to do it, even if we got absolutely soaked in the process, and at least at the end of the day we knew the route worked. Needless to say, we had to go back another time to get the pictures.
It’s an unfortunate fact, as we have discovered, that walks that look good in theory, may not work on the ground. Paths turn out to be blocked, rivers can be fenced off, and what looks like a lovely lake on the map often turns out to be a fetid pond. We’ve grappled with bogs, aggressive dogs, and terrible weather, but it is all worth it, as we are so passionate about sharing Devon’s beautiful places.
The highs definitely outweigh the lows. We have had such fun exploring all over Devon, in all its variety, from the pastoral peace of our great rivers like the Exe, the Taw and the Torridge, to the dramatic hogsback cliffs around Heddon’s Mouth and Combe Martin, and the famous hanging waterfalls near Hartland.
The other lovely thing is that we’ve met so many fellow swimmers who have been generous with their knowledge and time, accompanying us on research trips and sharing their expertise. In Appledore for example, we met a wonderful group who swim regularly off the lifeboat slip in the village, and in Braunton we had a memorable walk and swim with locals who introduced us to the delights of Velator Quay and Crow Point.
We urge you to get out this summer and discover the delights of Devon yourself.
Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon by Sophie Pierce and and Matt Newbury, Wild Things Publishing, £14.99
A MEMORABLE 3
Blackchurch Rock and Clovelly Circular
This is a magnificent walk through the picturesque village of Clovelly and a scenic stretch of the North Devon coast, with swims in a harbour and through a natural arch. It’s everything our books are all about – beautiful countryside, stunning views, social history, literary connections (Charles Kingsley, Rudyard Kipling and Charles Dickens) and two amazing swims. There are some steep climbs on this circular walk, but they are all rewarded with magnificent views across to Lundy Island, which is also featured in the book.
East Lyn Adventure
This walk through a wonderful rocky gorge feels like being in fairyland. The river is packed with cascades as well as some lovely pools. The route starts in the village of Brendon, and heads west along the northern bank, towards the sea at Lynmouth. You are surrounded by ancient oak trees and mossy boulders and pass several places you can stop and swim. At Watersmeet, there is a café where you can have a pitstop before heading back along the other side of the river. Here you pass the famous and rather eerie Long Pool which is a very atmospheric place for your final swim.
Hartland Quay and Speke’s Mill Mouth
Speke’s Mill Mouth is the most spectacular of North Devon’s famous hanging waterfalls; the wonderful thing about this walk is that you can have dips in both saltwater and fresh. The walk starts at Hartland Quay and it’s best to arrive at high water, so you can have a swim before setting off. The route takes you along the coast’s dramatic cliffs, before arriving at the waterfall with its stunning beach below. If you time it right there is a beautiful natural tidal pool where you can have a dip before rinsing off in the waterfall. The walk then heads inland through a quaint hamlet before arriving back at Hartland Quay.
