Swimming spots that could become designated dips

The first official bathing spot on the River Thames in London and the filming location for TV drama Broadchurch are among 13 new designated swimming sites proposed by the government.

Others include a meadow and river site in the area that inspired The Wind In The Willows and a spot in Yorkshire where the River Swale flows in waterfalls over limestone steps.

Designation would mean sites were subject to regular water quality testing - campaigners in some areas have said they hoped it would increase the pressure to clean up rivers and coasts.

The government said the plans would increase the number of England's official bathing sites to 464.

An official bathing spot on the Thames in London would mark a "vast transformation" in water quality in the river which was declared biologically dead in the 1950s due to pollution, officials said.

Water minister Emma Hardy said rivers and beaches were "at the heart of so many communities, where people come together, families make memories and swimmers of all ages feel the benefits of being outdoors safely".

In 2025, 87% of the country's designated bathing sites were rated excellent or good, and 93% met at least the minimum grade, but 7% - 32 sites - around England failed to meet minimum standards for water quality.

Little Shore, Amble, Northumberland

Set in the little Northumberland town of Amble, at the mouth of the River Coquet, is Amble Little Shore.

It is known as the "friendliest port", which stems from an occasion on Wednesday 6 July 1935, when RMS Mauretania sailed past Amble on her final voyage, en route to the docks at Rosyth to be broken up.

The clerk to Amble Urban Council sent the captain of the Mauretania a message of greeting:

"Amble to Mauretania. Greetings from Amble, last port in England, to still the finest ship on the seas".

Back came the reply:

"Mauretania to Urban Council, Amble, to the last and kindliest port in England, greetings and thanks. Mauretania."

Decades of retelling this story means "kindliest" has now turned into "friendliest".

Newton and Noss Creeks, Devon – a narrow tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The villages of Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo date back to Saxon England and Newton Creek is the last, and largest, creek off the River Yealm before the mouth of the river joins the English Channel.

Notorious pirate Henry "Long Ben" Avery was born near by.

Canvey Island Foreshore, Essex - a family-favourite sandy beach, the island has only been populated since the 17th Century when the Dutch made the marshlands habitable.

There are local legends of a ghostly Dutchman carrying a sack wandering the northern parts of the island.

He's unlikely to interfere with the swimming spot though.

Sandgate Granville Parade Beach, Kent – a shingle beach used by swimmers and kayakers.

One of Sandgate's famous late residents was the actress Hattie Jacques, known for her role in the classic Carry On films.

Another famous one-time resident was the author H.G. Wells, described as "the father of science fiction".

Queen Elizabeth Gardens Salisbury, Wiltshire

The River Avon flows through a green space which was opened in the early 1960s to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Described as "tranquil", the park combines formal planting with a relaxed atmosphere to offer something for everyone.

East Beach at West Bay, Bridport, Dorset

Famously the filming location for the ITV drama Broadchurch, writer Chris Chibnall described the series "a love letter to the scenery of the Jurassic Coast".

"The landscape informs the drama: the cliffs, the sea, the beach were all key elements of the story."

Perfect for swimming and solving murders.

Pangbourne Meadow, Berkshire

The meadow and river were the inspiration for The Wind In The Willows. Edwardian author Kenneth Grahame's story of boating, caravanning and picnicking and the hi-jinks of a cross-dressing amphibian is also an ode to the English landscape.

Swimmers can appreciate the "treasures of hedge and ditch; the rapt surprise of the first lords-and-ladies, the rustle of a field-mouse, the splash of a frog" as Grahame's biographer said, while keeping an eye out for gentleman moles wearing smoking jackets.

River Fowey in Lostwithiel, Cornwall

A tidal river flowing through the heart of the town, swimmers could royally relax - King Charles III, when the Duke of Cornwall, stayed in the area.

Lostwithiel was once an important port, exporting tin to the Mediterranean.

River Swale in Richmond, North Yorkshire

Dramatic waterfalls cascade over limestone steps in the Swale making this swimming spot especially picturesque.

In the 7th Century, St Paulinus supposedly immersed thousands of people in a baptismal rites - leading 19th-Century writers to label the Swale "England's River Jordan".

Falcon Meadow, Bungay, Suffolk

One of the oldest public footpaths in the country is through the Falcon Meadow, perfect for a stroll and a quick dip.

Falcon Meadow was sold at auction in 2012. With not enough time to fundraise to buy it for the town, a local businessman stepped in and bought it.

When he decided to sell it on in 2015, he agreed to sell to the town for the same price that he had paid for it.

River Thames at Ham and Kingston, Greater London

This could become London's first river bathing site on the Thames.

William Wordsworth, in 1790, in Lines written near Richmond, wrote:

Glide gently, thus for ever glide,

O Thames! that other bards may see,

As lovely visions by thy side

As now, fair river! come to me.

Although some swimmers might be described as "lovely visions", others might not.

New Brighton Beach (East), Merseyside

A sandy seaside resort at the mouth of the Mersey Estuary, the beach offers striking views over the Liverpool city skyline.

The beach is a good place to watch ships sailing out from the mouth of the Mersey estuary into the Irish Sea.

River Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, Cheshire

Already a popular spot for families and water sports, campaigners described the Dee as "at the heart of our city – a source of pride, a home to wildlife, and a place where people come together".

They added: "Securing bathing water status is about more than just swimming; it's about protecting our river for generations to come."

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