AS THE UK heats up, the idea of wild swimming becomes more and more appealing.
And one expert claims to have found the best places in the UK to head wild swimming.
Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.
Emma MacDonald runs wild swimming experiences through Wild Hebridean Swimming from the Isle of Mull in Scotland.
And the experienced wild swimmer claims to have found the best spots to do this in the UK, with “spiritual” waters, landscapes shaped by volcanoes and white sand beaches just like those in the Caribbean.
Emma said: “The Isle of Mull is volcanic, so it was shaped by volcanic activity millions of years ago, so it actually creates a really lovely swimming playground for open water swimmers because you’ve got these rocky areas that spring up in the sea.”
Read more on travel inspo
Despite Scottish waters being relatively cool around the Hebrides, Emma claims there are a tonne of unique swimming experiences that really make you “feel like you’re swimming on the edge of the world”.
Emma explained: “Even though it is the inner seas off the west coast of Scotland, it is wild in so far as it can actually accommodate swimmers from real beginners through to advanced.
“The waters are easy to get to, yet you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
To get to the Isle of Mull and Iona, you can fly to Glasgow then get the train from Glasgow to Oban – which takes around three hours.
Emma said: “It’s a beautiful scenic journey by train and feels a bit like a Harry Potter train.”
Once in Oban, you then can catch the CalMac ferry across to the islands from there.
“It’s a very romantic thing to do to get a ferry from the mainland to an island where you’re going to spend the next few days or whatever,” Emma shared.
Mull is around a 90-mile round trip, so when you get off of the ferry there is plenty to explore including numerous swimming spots.
Iona, on the other hand, is just three miles long and one mile wide, but feels entirely different according to Emma.
A third island is Ulva, which has a tiny little ferry you can hop on to get to the island.
As for the best swimming spots, Emma confessed these are in the peninsula, the Ross of Mull.
“That’s the south of Mull, so turning left at the ferry and heading all the way down so that you’re almost at the ferry to Iona.
“The beaches on the south west of Mull, have the most amazing Caribbean white sand and turquoise water beaches.
“The north of the peninsula also has lovely beaches, despite being a bit more exposed.
But there are a number of other amazing beaches as well.
One spot is Kilby Kewen (Kilvickeon) Beach, which Emma describes as a “real showstopper beach” with “really lovely sort of sheltered bits for people”.
“It just feels like you’ve got your own little cove,” she added.
Alternatively you could head to Dalanish Beach, which Emma describes as “gorgeous” and it’s “a long, white, sprawling beach and it’s quite exposed – but you can get a really nice swim along the shore”.
At Notvolergan Beach, there are some small horseshoe bays with sheltered pockets and Ushkin (Uisken) Beach is ideal for more experienced swimmers with little channels to venture through.
As for a more popular spot, Calgary Beach is a great choice.
Emma added: “Lots of people want to come to Tobermory because of the multicoloured houses.
“While you can swim off of Tobermory Beach, there are nice spots to see in the town too such the beautiful harbour.”
The more sheltered the spot, the more comfortable the swim is, Emma also revealed.
Swimmers even might get the chance to spot seals, minke whale, orca, otters, puffins and sea eagles.
Iona has nice beaches too, including the North End Beaches which have great views and the West Side Beaches which are a little more rugged.
If basing yourself in Tobermory when visiting the Hebrides, you won’t be short of great spots to grab a bite to eat, with Emma recommending The Gallery, which serves freshly made pizzas.
“Hebridean Lodge is another one that does really nice food.
“And Creole Seafood Shack, where you can sit outside – they do things like langoustine and scallops and stuff like that.
“There is also a, there’s a fine dining place down there called the 9th Wave.”
Also in Tobermory is a fisherman’s pier seafood shack.
“In Pennyghael, head to Pennyghael, which has a really lovely campsite with glamping pods and lots of space.
“Just outside Tobermory in Salen, there’s a beautiful knitwear-coffee shop, which do fancy coffees.
“On Iona, there is Ailidh’s Pizza, which is right on the pier – it just looks gorgeous.
“And then there’s the Rookery Cafe, with sandwiches and scones.”
As for places to stay, one option is the Isle of Mull cottages, which often share information about the best places to swim nearby.
Another option is Ackermann House, which can sleep up to 14 people.
“In Tobermory, there are Airbnb’s, guest houses, hotels.
“If you’re staying on the west side, there’s a really lovely place, hotel called the Bellachroy – based in Dervaig – which gives you easy access to the west side of the island.
“There’s also Croig and Langamull as well.
When wild swimming, Emma says you should always take a tow float and write your name and number on it.
You can also use things like tide times to ensure you are swimming at the safest time.