Nearest train station: Sturry
Nestled in the beautiful Stour Valley a few miles outside of Canterbury in east Kent, the Westbere Marshes make up a large area of wetlands and lake areas (including Stodmarsh) that dot the River Stour as it flows eastward.
Despite the area being peppered with lakes and streams, it is more popular with fishermen and kayakers. However, there is a quiet spot on the south side of Westbere Lake that is perfect for a swim all year round.
The lakes are also a stone’s throw from one of our favourite east Kent swimming spots on the River Stour, that being Fordwich.
Both spots are easily reachable by foot from Sturry station, with the Westbere Marshes accessible via a footpath that leads south towards the banks of the Stour and loops around the main lake. The spot we like is a sheltered wooded ridge on the southern tip of the lake (you will need to come off the main footpath) that allows you to access the water with relative ease.
How to Get to the Westbere Marshes
We’ve provided detailed instructions on how to get to this swimming spot in Kent by various means of transport below, as well as general travel information nearby.
By car
Enter the postcode CT2 0HH into your sat nav, which will take you to the Yew Tree pub in the small village of Westbere. You’ll need to come off the A28 into either Church Lane and Westbere Lane and you should be able to park up on the street.
From here, there is a footpath at the end of Westbere Lane that crosses the rail line (make sure to look both ways!) that will lead you to the east side of the lake where you can loop round, turning right at the southeastern corner just before you reach the River Stour itself. The spot in question is about half way along the southern tip of the lake (although there are plenty of other access points).
By public transport
The nearest train station is Sturry, just outside Canterbury West, which is just about a 10 minute walk away from the lakes.
Sturry also serves as the access point to Fordwich and various other wild swimming locations along the River Stour.
By bike
The footpaths that run along the River Stour between Canterbury (that make up the Great Stour Way) are well set up for cycling and there are plenty of routes that you can take to access both Westbere and various nearby beauty spots.
Check out this brilliant cycling guide for the River Stour which details plenty of access points and routes. You should also check out the Crab and Winkle way, which runs from the Canterbury area north to Whitstable.
What else is nearby Westbere Lake?
We’ve already detailed our beloved Fordwich earlier in the article, and there is plenty to do in the area surrounding Westbere.
Walk on eastward and you’ll arrive in the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve. It’s a protected wildlife area and you can’t swim here, though it’s great for birdwatching and features a lovely circular walk broken up by the Grove Ferry pub on the eastern tip.
There are also plenty of watersport opportunities along the Stour, including kayaking, boating, fishing and more. The beaches of Whitstable and Thanet are also only a 20 minute drive or so away.
Further wild swimming locations on the River Stour also exist in the form of a lovely spot near the hamlet of Plucks Gutter.