Wild Swimming Spots on the Isle of Man with Andy North

You may have already come across Andy North’s Wild Guide Isle of Man, but if you haven’t, we can’t recommend it enough! It pulls together the most stunning places scattered around the Isle of Man, featuring hidden beaches, sea caves, wild swimming spots, incredible ruins, ancient sites, wildlife recommendations and more, not to mention hospitality recommendations.

We’ve put together some wild swimming spots to feature on the Visit Isle of Man blog, giving you a look into the content you can find in the Wild Guide.*

Ballaglass Glen’s Fairy Pool

This crystal-clear pool is known as Fairy Pool for a reason, it really does feel magical. Sitting halfway down Ballaglass Glen in the middle of a series of waterfalls, it features a naturally sculpted slide and a flat rock slab for sitting or picnicking. Reach it by taking the top right-hand path into the glen from Ballaglass Glen car park and following the river without crossing any bridges. At the base of some steps you’ll see a wooden fence and gate which mark the point to scramble down to the pool.

Spooyt Vane Waterfall

Spooyt Vane, meaning White Spout in Manx, is a beautiful waterfall surrounded by tranquil forest just outside of the boundary of Glen Mooar, featuring a lovely pool below the fall that makes a great spot for a dip. To reach the pool, park at Glen Mooar Beach car park and walk back on yourself up the lane to cross the main road before following the footpath through the glen for 20 minutes until you see steps leading down to the waterfall.

Old Mine Pools

This series of deep, refreshing pools can be found up from an old packhorse bridge, lying near an old mine in the headwaters of the Sulby River. To reach the pools, park at the cattle grid on Sulby Glen Road, between Snaefell and Beinn-y-Phott, then walk south along the road until you come across the Millennium Way footpath. Take the footpath south until you reach the river and cross the bridge before heading upstream for around 200m where you’ll find the pools.

Glen Helen Waterfall

Glen Helen has a scenic waterfall at the top of its valley, featuring an enticing pool. Park at the Glen Helen car park and head through the glen by following the footpath on the left-hand side of the river until you come to a large platform with pools in front of the pretty falls.

The Blue Lagoon Salmon Pool

This large pool is located in the Cornaa Valley, about a km from Port Cornaa Beach. It’s a known spot for jumping into the pool from the rocks and sometimes has a rope swing. However, please be very careful if jumping. To reach the pool, park at Port Cornaa Beach and head up the riverside path, crossing a footbridge before continuing to follow the river on the other side. You’ll come across the pool on the left side of the path after a gate.

*The more remote parts of the Isle of Man require common sense and awareness of the risks that visiting some of these areas entails. For example, it can take practice to walk on slippery rocks or climb down steep banks so use your intuition and stay safe.