Open water swimmer with a tow float at Alderford Lake, Shropshire, where bell tents and camping pitches are on the lakeshore
West Midlands

Alderford Lake: Shropshire Bell Tents and Lakeside Camping with Open Water Swimming

Bell Tents Camping & Caravanning Glamping Lake

Alderford Lake at Whitchurch is one of the few places in Shropshire where you can pitch up on the shore of the lake you are going to swim in. Nine furnished bell tents and lakeside camping pitches sit metres from the water, and the open water swimming runs on the same site.

The stay

Two options. A furnished bell tent in a quiet, sheltered spot within the site — each has one double and two single beds, sleeping up to four, and you bring your own bedding. Or a lakeside camping pitch with views over the water for a tent, campervan or caravan; pitches have no electric hookup, which is rather the point. Bell tents and pitches are open daily from spring through to the end of September, and overnight stays are booked through Pitchup. Both options include free parking and access to toilets and shower facilities, and there is a lakeside café and farm shop on site. Every overnight guest gets 20% off lake activities.

Swimming on site

The lake you camp beside is the lake you swim in. Alderford run open water swimming during site opening hours — currently 9am to 4:30pm daily, with later sessions at selected points through the summer — with qualified lifeguards on duty. There is no fixed slot to book: you buy a swimming pass and arrive whenever suits during opening hours. Swimmers get changing spaces, a swimmers’ hut, toilets, showers, lockers and wetsuit hire. Tow floats are mandatory for all swimmers regardless of ability or conditions, the water is tested regularly, and the site advises a wetsuit if you are not acclimatised to cold water.

The one thing to plan for: lake activities are booked separately from your pitch. The 20% discount code arrives with your camping confirmation and is applied at checkout when you book the swim online. Swim sessions and Aquapark slots sell out regularly in summer, so book them at the same time as the tent.

Worth knowing

This is a busy activity lake rather than a silent one — the Aquapark inflatable course, paddleboard and kayak hire and the Escape Islands floating escape room all share the water. Swim early if you want the quiet version. Our page on the water itself is Alderford Lake. The site is five minutes from Whitchurch and straightforward from Shrewsbury, Chester, Wrexham and Telford.

Bookings and full details: alderford.com.

Open water swimming at Alderford Lake. Photo: Alderford Lake.