Little-known swimming spot in the UK that’s often compared to South East Asia
BRITS who can’t make it to South East Asia this year can head to a lesser-known wild swimming spot in the UK instead to get a similar experience.
Its mix of nature and ancient ruins make the region a popular destination for tourists, but expensive long-haul flights often prevent people from going.
However, a place in Wales has become an unlikely place for Brits to get a taste of life in South East Asia, according to those who have visited.
Dorothea Quarry in Caernarfon used to be a working slate mine, but has since become a scenic spot for a dip.
The disused quarry has since been flooded and has become something of an unofficial diving centre, with parts of the lake reaching 100m in depth in some places.
It has a small diving pontoon leading into the water and people are known to cool off there during the warmer summer months.
It’s not far from the abandoned Talysarn Hall, an ornate and impressive building that once housed the miners who worked on the site.
Its ruins remain today and have been consumed by the trees and woodland that surrounds it, which is the reason for one of the comparisons with South East Asia.
Wild Swimming likened it to the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, an ancient temple complex that has been reclaimed by the nature around it, including huge trees that are growing through and around some of the buildings.
They said: “It’s a vast, wild site with many fascinating overgrown ruins, like a Welsh Angkor Wat.
“Circumnavigate the lake to discover old railways and a beam pump house.
“Swimmers are welcome at the diving pontoon, at the end of a rough vehicle track.”
One of those who has made the most of the swimming there is Welsh instagram user Natalie Thomas, who uses her account to “showcase the beauty of wales and beyond.”
She visited the quarry for a dip on a rainy day earlier this summer, and also drew her own comparison with South East Asia.
In a video, she said that the swimming pool gave her “Thailand vibes” due to its greeny blue waters and its towering cliffs that looked not too dissimilar to places like Koh Phi Phi.
For anyone who wants to visit the swimming spot, but isn’t comfortable heading out there on their own, there are special arranged days with group tours visiting for a special swimming experience.
Swimming safety advice
Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer:
How to stay safe at the beach
Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: “If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety.
“If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.”
How to stay safe at the swimming pool
Tiny Hearts Education, former paramedic and CEO Nikki Jurcutz said: “Always put your little one in bright or contrasting colours that would be easy to find in an emergency.
“It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life”.
An Auqabliss spokesperson added: “Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool.
“Children may try to grab these from the pool’s edge and fall in.”
How to stay safe at a waterpark
Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, said: “Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult.
“And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently.
“Waterparks are often very busy places and it’s easy to lose sight of a child in a split second.”
Arranged by Active Cymru, the trips offer “an unforgettable half-day adventure”, with wild swimming, climbing, and jumping all included in the day’s activities.
Participants are encouraged to “dive into the clear, refreshing waters of the quarry’s lakes for a thrilling wild swimming experience”.
They can also challenge themselves with a climb up the quarry’s rock faces, and try out “exhilarating jumps from various heights into the pristine waters below”.
The trips can be booked from £22.50 per person, depending on how many people attend as a group.
Meanwhile, this is a list of some of the best places in the South East to go wild swimming.
And you can have this wild swimming spot all to yourself if you know where to find it.