Nearest train station: Oakham/Stamford
Rutland is a small landlocked county in the East Midlands, bordering Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire. At the centre of the county near the county town of Oakham lies Rutland Water, a large reservoir and wetland area offering plenty of recreational activities such as sailing, fishing and of course, open water swimming.
The reservoir offers organised swimming sessions throughout the summer season (currently May to September) along with wetsuit hire for a fee of £5. You can find out more about the organised swimming sessions on the Anglian Water Parks website, with bookings available (during the season) here.
While Rutland Water doesn’t offer “true” wild swimming in the strictest sense, the large reservoir offers a great day out if you’re planning on exploring the local nature reserve and spending the day there around your swim.
How to Get to Rutland Water
We’ve provided detailed instructions on how to get to Rutland Water by various means of transport below, as well as general travel information nearby.
By car
Enter the postcode LE15 8QL into your sat nav, which will take you to the car park by Rutland Water beach. There are plenty of other areas to park around Rutland Water depending on what you have planned for the day of course.
Rutland Water lies just off the A606 between Oakham and Stamford.
By public transport
The nearest train station to Rutland Water is technically Oakham, however there are only direct bus routes from Stamford train station if you are reliant on public transport.
The 184 bus from Recreation Ground Road in Stamford will take you to Rutland Beach in around 40 minutes.
By bike
Rutland Water is great for cycling, and has plenty of trails that loop around the reservoir at varying distances. The full Rutland Water lap is 23 miles long. Why not combine this with a nice open water swim once you’re done?
What else is nearby Rutland Water?
You can easily spend a day at Rutland Water by exploring its nature reserves, enjoying other water-based activities, taking in the stunning views of Normanton Church or taking a splash at the aqua park nearby.
If you’re planning on spending more time in the area however, we’d recommend checking out the wild swimming options at the River Nene in Oundle, located just to the south in Northamptonshire.