Swimming

It is possible to swim in both Potter Tarn and Gurnal Dubs, 7 miles north of Kendal and 2 miles east of Staveley. While Gurnal Dubs is more scenic, it is more reedy, often more crowded and is further from anywhere to leave a car. Potter Tarn has a now unused industrial damn (to power the paper mills in the valley below) but is, nevertheless, scenic in a different way.

There is a small amount of parking on Potter Fell Road near Mirefoot but it is generally better to park on the road near Hagg Foot (for example, roughly GR 349 498 or Google maps). One can then climb to Potter Tarn either via Side Foot and then a path across the fell or via Hundhowe and Ghyll Pool (no swimming there!). For example this circular route.

If there is no parking on the back road to/from Staveley, it is always possible to park in the Staveley Mill Yard and walk via the road under Craggy Plantation and the path from Birk Field or Frost Hole. NB there is no parking on this road.

https://outdoor-days.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-swim-at-potter-tarn.html