Experts have revealed the most scenic wild swimming spots across the country, including picturesque waterfalls in Wales and serene lakes stretching miles in Scotland

The best wild swimming spots across the UK have been ranked including freshwater lakes and waterfalls.

Experts have revealed the country’s most scenic wild swimming spots by collecting a list of UK locations and ranking them based on their volume of Instagram tags.

At the top of the list is Loch Lomond and Katrine in the Trossachs National Park in southern Scotland. Here visitors enjoy spectacular views, sailing, cycling and walks along the shoreline. The park features many hills and mountains of the Trossachs, which provides an amazing backdrop.

For avid walkers, Ben A’an has a summit of 454 metres and is a good walk for families. Alternatively, there is Ben Venue, which means ‘the miniature mountain’ and is a more challenging outing to a top of 729 metres. In addition, Loch Katrine has been serving as the main fresh water supply for Glasgow for more than 150 years.

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Wild camping is allowed in the area, although visitors must be aware of seasonal bylaws which affect how you can camp in some areas between March and September. During this time period, visitors will need a permit to camp. With 623,000 Instagram hashtags, the Scottish lake has 12 per cent more hashtags than its second-place competitor, Loch Ness.

Loch Ness is known in folklore for being host to Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster, and the freshwater giant has accumulated a myth-busting 556,000 Instagram hashtags. The lake has a length of 23 miles, meaning wild swimmers are spoilt for choice for where to take a dip. It takes just 30 minutes to drive to the lake’s centre from its closest city, Inverness.

Moving on from Scotland, Nant Sere in the Brecon Beacons National Park came in third. This Welsh waterfall hides just north of Pen Y Fan, offering a visual delight for wild swimmers keen to embrace nature in all its diversity. With 192,000 Instagram hashtags, this well-captured part of the Welsh countryside offers more than just peaks and troughs, but falls and plunges too.

The scenic swimming spot is surrounded by incredible hikes too.

Falling just short of the top three spots, but securing the top spot from locations in England, is Bolton Abbey. Located near the Abbey are some stepping stones and a small beach area that has attracted 93,000 hashtags on Instagram. Located in Skipton in North Yorkshire, this wild swimming gem is reachable from Leeds in 54 minutes by car.

Other destinations on the list include the Lake District, home to the glacial lake, Wastwater. This wild swimming spot has accumulated 49,400 Instagram hashtags. Unlike other locations in the ranking, this three-mile-long lake is not easily reachable from major cities in the UK. So, this wild swimming spot is ideal if you want a longer getaway and retreat.

Around 250 miles down the country is the eighth place — Symonds Yat. This wild swimming spot lies on the River Wye in the Wye Valley National Landscape, near Ross-on-Wye and Gloucester. It’s been hashtagged on Instagram 35,700 times, owing to its accessibility to towns and cities in the South West, such as Gloucester, Bristol, Newport, and Worcester.

Full list of the UK’s most scenic wild swimming spots:

1 – Loch Lomond and Katrine2 – Loch Ness3 – Pen-y-Fan, Nant Sere4 – Bolton Abbey5 – Fairy Glen6 – Glen Etive7 – Overbeck Br, Wastwater8 – Symonds Yat9 – Eskdale10 – Llyn Padarn