Wild Swimming in the West Highlands
Camas Tòrsa on Loch Sunart, in July
Our Guide from the Door
Published by Borradill | Glenborrodale, Ardnamurchan Peninsula
The Norse settlers who lived on this coastline a thousand years ago didn't call it wild swimming. It was their everyday. Cold water, fire, breath – these were not wellness practices but daily facts of life on the Atlantic edge of Scotland. The ritual of plunging into frigid water, then warming by a fire lit on the shore, was simply how you lived here.
We think about this often at Borradill. The sea loch below the cabins is the same water. The beaches are the same beaches. The only thing that has changed is that the rest of the world has started to catch up with what the Norse already knew.
This is our guide to wild swimming on and around the Ardnamurchan Peninsula – the spots, the conditions, the seasons, and what to do afterwards. Wild swimming is not without risks which need to be understood and mitigated for – and we point these out below.
What Makes the West Highlands Different for Wild Swimming
Wild swimming happens all over Scotland, but the west coast is its own category. The waters here are not lake water or river water – they are sea water, sea loch water, and the meeting points between them. The Ardnamurchan Peninsula sits where the Scottish Highlands become the Hebrides: the landscape shifts from mountain to island, from loch to open Atlantic, within a few miles.
What this means practically:
Sea lochs are sheltered, warmer than open sea, and often ringed with ancient oak woodland – the effect of slipping into one is dramatically different from swimming in a reservoir or urban lido
Inland lochs are often peaty, and these still and dark pools of water are quite mysterious and intriguing
Atlantic beaches like Sanna are exposed and exhilarating —–white sand, turquoise water, and a horizon that ends at the Outer Hebrides
Tidal pools and headlands offer a third kind of swim – shallow, sun-warmed in summer, rich with marine life, accessible for children and nervous first-timers
The Marine Protected Zone below Borradill means the waters are among the least disturbed and most ecologically rich in the UK – what's underneath you when you swim here is extraordinary
Water Temperatures: What to Expect by Season
West coast sea temperatures are warmer than people expect, thanks to the residual effects of the Gulf Stream – but still require respect.
Approximate Sea Loch temperatures
January–March: 6–8°C
Cold water swimming territory; wetsuits strongly advised for anything beyond a quick plunge
April–May: 8–11°C
Still cold but often the most beautiful time — clear water, fewer midges
June–August: 12–15°C
Most accessible for all abilities; comfortable with or without wetsuit depending on tolerance
September–October: 14–16°C
Often the warmest months; autumn light is exceptional
November–December: 9–11°C
Cooling fast; the hardiest season
Note on midges: June to August brings midges to the Highlands, particularly in still, sheltered spots in early morning and evening. On a breezy beach or loch shore they are rarely a problem. Carry repellent. Swim at midday if you're midge-averse.
Wild Swimming Spots from Borradill
1. Loch Sunart — directly below the cabins
Loch Sunart is the sea loch that Borradill looks out over. It is a Marine Protected Zone – one of the most ecologically significant sea lochs in Scotland, home to minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, otters, seals, flame shells and northern feather stars.
Entry is from the road side all along the coastal road. There are small beaches and smooth rocks which can offer fairly easy entry and exit from the water. In the evenings, the light across the water to Morvern is something you won't forget.
Distance from Borradill: Short walk along the road
Character: Sheltered sea loch, deep, calm, surrounded by woodland
Best for: Morning swims, sunset swims, confident swimmers
2. Sanna Beach
Sanna is at the far western tip of the Ardnamurchan Peninsula – as far west as you can go on mainland Britain. The beach is wide, white-sanded, and backed by machair and dunes. The water is clear and turquoise in good light, with an Atlantic chill that makes you feel properly alive.
The setting is open and elemental. There are no facilities, no café, no car park attendant. On most days you will share it with very few people. On some days, you will have it to yourself.
Distance from Borradill: 40 minutes by car
Character: Atlantic-facing, open beach, moderate waves, white sand
Best for: Summer swimming, families, the full west coast experience
Note: Can be choppy in westerly winds – check conditions before you go
3. CAMAS TÒRSA, Loch sunart
A sheltered bay on the north shore of Loch Sunart looking into Morvern and inland towards Ben Resipole.
Distance from Borradill: 10 minutes by car
Character: Sheltered, stone beach, very calm and excellent pebble beach for kids to search for sea-glass and small creatures. Our favourite place for a lunchtime small beach fire. Accessible car park makes it very easy for all ages and abilities.
Best for: Calm water swims, children paddling or with wet suits, early season, fires on the beach
4. inland hill lochs above borradill
If you follow the burn (small river) upstream above Borradill you will eventually come to some pools which, when the bracken is down, there is good enough access for a quick dip.
Distance from Borradill: 20 min walk from Borradill
Character: Cold and dark and mysterious
Best for: A quick plunge at the end of a brisk walk up hill
Note: Access much easier when the bracken is down
The Viking Ritual: Cold Water and Fire
At Borradill, we think the Norse had the right idea. After a cold swim, you need fire.
Wood baskets are provided for beach fires after icy swims. The combination of cold immersion and heat from a fire, on a beach or loch shore, is one of those experiences that resets something in the nervous system in a way that nothing else quite does.
What to bring from the cabin:
Dry robe or wool blanket
Thermos of something hot
Dry clothes and wool socks
Wood from the basket for a beach fire
Kelp bath kit (available for guests) – returning to a warm kelp bath after a cold swim is the full Viking wellness arc
A Note on Safety
Wild swimming on the west coast is deeply rewarding and, with care, very safe. A few principles worth taking seriously:
Cold water shock is the primary risk – not hypothermia, which takes much longer to develop. Even in summer, a sudden cold immersion causes an involuntary gasp reflex and can briefly impair swimming ability. Enter the water slowly, especially if it's below 12°C.
Never swim alone in remote locations. Borradill is remote. Take a companion.
Tides matter at tidal beaches like Kentra and along any headland. Check before you go — Tides4Fishing covers the west coast well.
Wetsuits are recommended outside June–October, and for children at any time of year. A 3mm full wetsuit transforms a cold water experience into a genuinely comfortable one.
Marine traffic in Loch Sunart is light but present – be aware of your surroundings, particularly if swimming any distance from shore.
If you are new to cold water swimming, start with Sanna in July. It's the most forgiving entry point – relatively warm, shallow near the shore, and beautiful enough that you'll want to come back in February.
Snorkelling: What's Beneath the Surface
Wild swimming and snorkelling overlap significantly on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula, and the marine life in the sea lochs here is exceptional enough to justify calling it out separately.
Loch Sunart hosts some of the most biodiverse shallow coastal waters in Scotland. Seatrek Scotland, based locally, run guided snorkelling experiences – Huw and Lyndsay take small groups out to see flame shells, starfish, sea anemones, northern feather stars and the extraordinary range of species that live in the Marine Protected Zone. This is an experience genuinely unlike anything available in most of the UK.
For guests staying at Borradill, Seatrek can be booked directly. Ask us for current contact details and availability.
After the Swim: Where to Warm Up
The answer is almost always back at the cabin — but if you've driven to the far end of the peninsula, these are worth knowing:
Ardnamurchan Distillery (10 minutes from Borradill) – a dram by the fire after a cold swim is not a cliché, it is a sound plan. Award-winning Adelphi distillery with a tasting bar.
Mingary Castle (20 minutes) – fine dining in a 13th-century castle, if you want to do this properly
At Borradill – wood fire, kelp bath, dry robe, thermos. The full thing.
Staying at Borradill
Borradill offers two luxury self-catering cabins on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula — The House (sleeping 4–6, dog friendly) and The Cottage (sleeping 2–4, dog friendly) — on 25 acres of wild woodland above Loch Sunart.
Both cabins are set up for the wild swimming life: generous boot rooms and drying space, outdoor decks for cold-water recovery, wood fires, and kelp baths for guests. Dry robes and towels provided.
Featured in The Times, the Guardian, the Financial Times, and the Telegraph. Sawdays and Plum Guide listed.
Borradill, Glenborrodale, Acharacle PH36 4JP | hello@borradill.com | +44 7979 696265
All wild swimming is undertaken at your own risk. The information in this guide is provided in good faith; always check conditions, tides and weather before entering open water.
