Nearest train station: Gillingham (Dorset), Sherborne
This beautiful stretch of the River Stour in Dorset winds around the peaceful village of Sturminster Newton and offers a few great wild swimming spots along the way.
One of these is by Colber Bridge, just to the northwest of the village. Surrounded by beautiful meadows with some idyllic walks nearby, you can enjoy a dip as you observe the nearby wildlife including kingfishers, dragonflies and more.
Heading further south down the River Stour will also land you at another great wild swimming spot near Sturminster Newton, situated near the Sturminster Newton Mill.
How to Get to Colber Bridge on the River Stour
We’ve provided detailed instructions on how to get to this particular stretch of Dorset’s River Stour location by various means of transport below, as well as general travel information nearby.
By car
Enter the postcode DT10 2DQ into your sat nav, which will take you to Sturminster Newton Mill. The mill has a free car park for visitors to the mill and for swimmers. You can choose to swim nearby the mill, however the water here can get quite deep. To get to Colber Bridge, you can either pass through the village and come out from the west side near the Stur of the Moment cafe, or you can walk up the river from the mill.
Sturminster Newton is situated just off the A357 road.
By public transport
The nearest train station is technically Gillingham (Dorset), although you may also arrive into Sherborne which is around 13 miles away.
From Sherborne, you can take the Y4 bus from Greenhill stop which will take you into The Library stop in Sturminster Newton in around 35 minutes. It’s then a 4 minute walk down The Row to get to the bridge.
From Gillingham, take the number 3 bus from the station into Sturminster Newton car park (around 30 minutes), and walk another 4 minutes down The Row to arrive at Colber Bridge.
By bike
There are is a pleasant 20km circular cycle route around the village of Sturminster Newton that will take you through the neighbouring villages of Hinton St. Mary and Manston. Enjoy a dip in the Stour after to cool off!
What else is nearby Colber Bridge?
The village of Sturminster Newton is definitely worth a look, so why not dry off while you enjoy a post-swim drink at one of the village’s pubs?
Aside from Sturminster Newton Mill, you also swim nearby the historic Fiddleford Manor which nestles on the banks of the Stour just southeast of the village.