Places to Swim, Soak and Stay

The River Wye gets all the attention, and fair enough. But it's far from the only way to get in the water here. Spend a little time in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley and you'll find an outdoor pool that generations of local families have grown up swimming in, a natural pool so new the plants around it are still settling, and enough hot tubs, outdoor baths and cold plunges to build a whole weekend around doing very little at all.

Cooling off on a warm afternoon, fitting in lengths before breakfast, or watching the stars from a steaming tub after a long walk. Whatever draws you to the water, here are our favourite places to swim, soak and stay across the destination.

At a glance

Looking for...

• Swimming? Try Freedom Leisure (Cinderford, Lydney and Newent) or Bathurst Pool.
• A stay with a natural swimming pool? The Roost Retreats opened theirs in summer 2026.
• Hot tubs, outdoor baths and wellness? Discover Mill End, Nuthatch Retreat and more.
• Group accommodation with pools and hot tubs? Big House Holiday Lets has plenty of options.

Go for a swim

Nothing says summer quite like jumping into a pool after a day exploring, and you don't have to look far to find one.

For many local families, the season doesn't properly start until Bathurst Pool opens its gates. The Bathurst family gave this outdoor pool to the people of Lydney and Aylburton back in 1920, and it has been run by volunteers ever since, open through the summer months and still one of the best-value days out in the area. At 38 metres it's longer than most modern pools, with grass to sprawl on between swims and a little shop selling ice creams and hot snacks. It's the kind of place that hasn't changed much in decades, which is exactly why people love it.

If the British weather has other ideas, Freedom Leisure has you covered. With pools at Cinderford, Lydney and Newent, there's always somewhere warm for family splash sessions, lane swimming or an hour of letting the children burn off energy before you head back out into the forest.

Local tip: Forgotten your costume or goggles? Gooch Sports in Newent has been kitting out local swimmers since 1986 and stocks everything you need before you dive in. They're also offering 15% off swimming products, see the full offer details here.

Planning a longer stay? Explore our collection of places to stay in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, from woodland cabins and cosy cottages to hotels and family-friendly holiday parks.

Stay somewhere with a pool

Sometimes the best pool is the one a few steps from your front door, waiting for you before anyone else is awake.

The Roost Retreats

Two years in the making, the natural swimming pool at The Roost Retreats in Mitcheldean finally welcomed its first swimmers in July 2026. Forget tiled edges and the smell of chlorine. The water here is filtered by plants, and a morning swim feels closer to slipping into a wild pond than doing lengths at a hotel. Cleverly, the pool is reserved for one retreat at a time, so you'll always have it entirely to yourselves.

The site itself is adults only and dog friendly, with a handful of hand-built cabins and cottages for two, each with its own spa area with private sauna and Japanese soaking tub. Swim before breakfast, walk the forest trails from the door, then soak as the light fades. If slowing down is the whole point of your break, this is the place.

Big House Holiday Lets

At the other end of the scale, Big House Holiday Lets specialises in houses where the whole family fits under one roof. Their collection spans the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley, and water runs right through it. Brookside is a stunning Georgian manor in its own grounds that can accommodate up to 24, has a heated outdoor pool, and so does High Cloud Farm, where you can swim while looking out over Raglan Castle. The outdoor pools start in May and run until the end of October.

Most of the other houses trade pools for hot tubs, and there are some real characters among them. The Anchor in Lydbrook poured pints as the village pub for over 300 years and still has its original bar, now serving a hot tub and games room instead. Pencraig Court is an 18th-century country house gazing down over the River Wye. And across the border in Monmouth, The Manor on the Monnow sits right on the riverbank, close enough that a wild swim is a short barefoot walk from the back door.

There's something special about having the water to yourselves. Early swims before the house stirs, long afternoons in the tub while the barbecue gets going. Those are the moments everyone still talks about long after the holiday ends.

Whitemead Forest Park

Set among the trees at Parkend, Whitemead Forest Park keeps things simple: comfortable accommodation and a heated indoor pool, toddler pool, sauna, steam room and spa pools, all included in your stay. Families love having everything in one place, and a rainy morning never derails the plan when the pool is a short stroll from your lodge.

Local tip: Accommodation with pools and hot tubs books up fast for school holidays and bank holiday weekends. If your dates are fixed, book early.

Looking for more inspiration? Many of these places sit within easy reach of walking trails, castles, viewpoints and independent cafés. Browse our itineraries to plan a few memorable days.

Relax with hot tubs, outdoor baths and cold plunges

Not every water experience involves swimming. Sometimes the greatest luxury is sinking into hot water with a view, and giving yourself permission to stay there.

Mill End

Mill End in Mitcheldean refuses to make you choose. This rambling medieval house, big enough for a milestone birthday with everyone invited, has a hot tub, a wood-fired sauna cabin, an indoor steam room, infrared saunas and a cold plunge pool for the brave. Spend the morning walking nearby May Hill, then pass the afternoon moving from hot to cold and back again until your shoulders finally drop.

With in-house catering and a dining table that seats the whole party, it has become a favour site for wellness weekends and group getaways where nobody wants to cook. Dogs are welcome too.

Nuthatch Retreat

Few things beat a warm outdoor bath with an uninterrupted valley view, and that's exactly what makes Nuthatch Retreat so memorable. This architect-designed eco lodge near Blakeney picked up awards in three categories at the most recent regional tourism awards, but the numbers don't really capture it. What stays with you is the deep Japanese-style bath for two, tucked into a terraced garden above the tree canopy, with Neal's Yard oils in the water instead of chemicals and nothing to listen to but birdsong.

It sleeps four, it's level access throughout, and it's one of those rare places that manages to feel indulgent and restful at the same time. After a day exploring, run the bath and let the evening draw in.

If an outdoor soak sounds like your perfect ending to the day, you're spoilt for choice here. Hidden Gems' Ardens Farm has a private hot tub looking out over open countryside. Dinglewood Retreat pairs a woodland cabin with its own tub, Wyelets offers beautifully designed cottages made for starlit soaks, and Resilient Woodlands Retreat near St Briavels adds log cabins and complete seclusion. Forest Barns has five cottages with hot tubs in a private hamlet, bookable one at a time or all together, while Rowan Tree Retreat is about as dog-friendly as a couples' bolthole gets. And at Deanwood Holidays in Yorkley, a renovated farm cottage comes with a hot tub in its own enclosed garden and the forest starting at the gate.

Complete your escape. Our guide to Winter Wellness Weekends in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley is packed with spa experiences, forest bathing, yoga and nourishing food for the colder months.

Find your perfect water escape

Planning a family holiday?

• Freedom Leisure (Cinderford, Lydney and Newent)
• Bathurst Pool
• Whitemead Forest Park
• Deanwood Holidays

Travelling as a couple?

• The Roost Retreats
• Nuthatch Retreat
• Dinglewood Retreat
• Rowan Tree Retreat
• Wyelets

Organising a group getaway?

• Big House Holiday Lets
• Mill End
• Forest Barns
• Hidden Gems

From luxury lodges to secluded woodland cabins, browse our full collection of accommodation with hot tubs and outdoor baths to find your spot.

Make time to slow down

Your ideal break might start with an early swim or end with a late soak under the stars. Either way, there are more ways to make water part of your stay here than most visitors ever discover.

So pack the swimwear, leave room in the car for a towel or two, and see a different side of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley on your next visit.