SWIM SPOTS
Listed North to South
ROSEBUSH QUARRY
On our first day travelling up to the North coast we stopped inland at a little hamlet called Rosebush nestled in the sparsely populated Preseli Hills. After visiting its fantastic pub and cheese shop, we decided to seek out the old slate quarry.
The village took its name from the slate quarry after 26 terrace houses were built for the workers and their families in the early 19th century. You walk up behind this row of cottages to access the quarry, located to the north of the village. Following the dead-end lane you come to a collection of ruined buildings, outlines left in the landscape of neatly stacked flat stones. From here we scrambled up the hill and spotted bilberries growing on the way.
The quarry is vast with an arched underground tunnel cut into the hillside. Looking 200ft down into the first large basin and admiring natures conquest of it was remarkable; an unusual landscape of heath and grassland, with heaps of discarded slate sticking out from a carpet of ferns, and pine trees clinging to the ledges.
We continued along a track in search of a hidden pool. It was grey, breezy and kept trying to rain, so foolishly we hadn’t come equipped with our swimming gear. However when we came upon the lagoon the scene was too tempting and we couldn’t resist a swim, stripping off and jumping in almost immediately. Surrounded by rock and slate, the small freshwater lake is tucked neatly into the landscape. Translucent emerald green water fills what was originally dug as a pit, left to flood and then used as a reservoir to drive the quarry turbines. Now it is the perfect wild swimming spot. Such a serene place and one of my favourite swims to date. As we were leaving a naked local man appeared for his daily dip and told us that Peregrine Falcons can often be seen there!
ABEREIDDY BLUE LAGOON
The Blue Lagoon at Abereiddy is a renowned landmark in Pembrokeshire and another former slate quarry that was active up until 1910 before being abandoned. It was later breached and flooded by local fisherman to create shelter for their boats, now connected to the sea via a narrow channel. Ruined quarry buildings still sit on the surrounding cliff tops and the remains of the workmen’s cottages can be spotted on the short walk to the lagoon from the beach car park. It is a well known spot for coasteering and the tower ruins provide high ledges, popular for leaping from into the deep blue abyss below.
It was a grey drizzly day, which meant we had the lagoon pretty much to ourselves. Looking up at the towering craggy rock face, with the sea mist rolling across the distinct green bowl of water that surrounded me, made for a truly magical swim. Midway through I was surprised when two surfacing divers appeared who had been scanning the depths of the lagoon. They told us that it is around 25m deep and that all they could make out were eels swimming below! This didn’t put us off and after a long swim we walked the coastal path east to Porthgain.
THE BLUE CRATER LAGOON AT SADDLE POINT
The coastal path heading east from Broad Haven takes you around Saddle Point headland where the limestone cliffs are riddled with sea caves and blowholes. The most impressive we came across is about ¼ mile from the beach to the tip of the headland. Here a cavern has collapsed, forming a large blue crater that fills with water at high tide. It’s surprisingly easy to miss but rewards those who explore the untrodden path with outstanding views. The turquoise water enticed us in and we attempted to access the pool by scrambling down to the sea through a little rock arch and jumping in from a ledge beyond. Here a sea cave links the crater to the ocean but unfortunately the tide was too high for us to make it through.
Swimming on a little from here you can find many smaller caves, perfect for exploring. A curious seal even popped up to join us. You can also swim around the headland into Box Bay (also known as Saddle Bay), a steep-backed Robinson Crusoe beach that is only accessible from the water and perfect for those who seek solitude. This is a fascinating stretch of coast and I definitely plan on returning at a mid to low tide for a swim inside the crater.
