THIRLMERE INFINITY POOL – A STUNNING LAKE DISTRICT NATURAL WONDER
What an amazing place for a swim! I’ve visited many wild swimming spots in the Lake District and all over the UK – but none are quite like this! A deep natural infinity plunge pool on a steep Lake District fellside over looking Thirlmere! Read on to learn more about visiting this epic place…
A hidden natural infinity pool in the Lake District
I love waterfall hunting and discovering new wild swimming spots and what an amazing find this was a number of years ago when I was hunting waterfalls near Thirlmere in the Lake District – a hidden infinity pool perched up high overlooking Thirlmere and the surrounding Lakeland fells. There are loads of wild swimming spots in the Lake District – but not many gems like this that are high up in a deep, natural infinity plunge pool setting. It was a stunning find and one of those ‘wow’ moments.Â
The Thirlmere Infinity Pool is located on Fisherplace Gill, which is on the steep northeastern slopes of Thirlmere Reservoir, offering a unique wild swimming experience in the Lake District – that you will be hard pushed to find better in the whole of England and the UK. This natural infinity plunge pool provides swimmers with breathtaking views over Thirlmere reservoir and the surrounding fells. Its elevated position and crystal-clear waters make it a sought-after spot for those seeking both adventure, tranquility and the picture perfect view.
Accessing the Thirlmere Infinity Pool involves a short hike, if you know the route and I’ve shared the best walking route further down the page. While the route is not overly strenuous, it requires careful navigation, especially near the waterfall where the terrain becomes steep and paths can be covered in bracken.Â
Due to its growing popularity, especially during warmer months and weekends, there can be others at the Thirlmere Infinity Pool, so for a more quieter experience, consider visiting during early mornings or weekdays. The Infinity pool’s limited size means it can accommodate only a few swimmers at a time, so planning your visit during off-peak hours enhances the chance of it just being you, the pool and those epic views.
HOW I FIRST FOUND THE Thirlmere Infinity Pool
A good few years ago not much was known online about the Thirlmere Infinity Pool. I’d seen an amazing photo online, with not much info but recognised Thirlmere in the background, and the adventurous spirit in me thought it would be a good adventure to try and find it! I could work out the general location from cross referencing the view with an OS Map and I’d seen ‘waterfalls’ mentioned on the OS Map on Fisherplace Gill and knew it was a steep fellside (due to the contour lines) and thought this could be a promising area for some potential high up Infinity Pool wild swim spots! (Little tip – there are others in the Lakes that you can find by doing just this and going on an adventure!)
Anyhow, off I went exploring Fisherplace Gill and I came across numerous waterfalls which were pretty impressive. I actually initially went too far up Fisherplace Gill all the way to Sticks Pass (good to have an explore though) and then just retraced my steps more carefully to find the Infinity Pool – it took quite a while as it is a little hidden! So you can imagine in the days of not much online information how much of an awesome find it was to eventually come across the Thirlmere infinity pool! What a stunning an idyllic Lake District spot it is. My first explore looking for it took me over 4 hours – but if you know how to get there you can get to it in 30mins! This blog post is all about sharing a little information on Thirlmere Infinity Pool so it inspires & helps you to visit this Lake district gem too!
A photo from my drone showing a section of the steep fellside that the stunning Fisherplace Gill is situated on and all the waterfalls and cascades and pools in the ravine. There are some steep sheer drops around here so take care with footing and make sure you take the right paths – it make look clear from above – but I can assure you at ground level it can get confusing and you wouldn’t know some places exist. Some of the pools are very shallow, some are inaccessible, some a little like THE infinity pool but not quite as impressive or deep – so make sure you visit the right one if it’s your only trip here. The actual iconic Thirlmire Infinity Pool that people often share online and pictured at the top of this web page is on top of the second waterfall from the bottom of the photo (note there are many more steep cascades further down from this photo). In this image you can also see the bracken covered fellside – with the paths more clear from above than they are from eye level as the bracken can obscure the paths in peak summer.
PRESERVE BEAUTY SPOTS, LEAVE NO TRACE & DO OUR BIT
More people visiting natural beauty spots is a double-edged sword—it's great that more get to enjoy and connect with nature, but a small minority leave rubbish or cause damage, giving everyone a bad name. I’m not into gatekeeping these places—plenty of people share them—but let’s do it responsibly. Please don’t leave rubbish, be considerate of others, and if you spot any litter and can take it with you, you’re a legend. No one gets paid to clean these places, so every small act helps protect their beauty. And if you share your adventures online, use your influence to encourage respect, leave no trace, take only memories and enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Cheers!
Where is the Infinity Pool on Thirlmire?
The Thirlmere Infinity Pool is on the north-eastern side of Thirlmere in the Lake District on Fisherplace Gill at an elevation of 550ft. The circled part of the map below shows it’s general location, requiring a short hike of no more than 45 mins if you know where to start from. The Infinity Pool is tucked away and can easily be missed if you don’t know exactly where it is!
Thirlmere Infinity pool – map location:
Here’s the general map location of the Thirlmere infinity pool. As you can see this idyllic swim spot is on the north-eastern side of Thirlmere in the Lake District on the steep Fisherplace Gill. It’s a tricky area to navigate to and there are a few walk routes to the Thirlmere Infinity Pool promoted online, some more difficult to follow than others. The routes you often see promoted on other websites usually start from the pay & display car parks at Legburthwaite or Swirl How.Â
On this map I’ve highlighted the 2 pay & display car parks nearest to Fisherplace Gill and Thirlmere Infinity Pool – Legburthwaite to the north and Swirls Car park to the south. Fisherplace Gill is located half way between these 2 car parks – which is why pretty much all routes to Thirlmere Infinity Pool you see online start from these car parks. You’re looking at £5 for up to 4 hours or £8 for up to 9 hours. Note you cannot park at The Kings Head Inn (patrons only) or don’t attempt to park in the little area near Fisher-place Gill camping barn – there isn’t room. Not many people actually know about the FREE car parking area that is closer to the Infinity Pool than all these spots – read on…
The BEST & SHORTEST WALK ROUTE TOP THIRLMERE INFINITY POOL WITH FREE PARKING
The easiest & shortest route to walk to walk to Thirlmere Infinity Pool starts from a spot where there is space for maybe 20 cars.
Wherever you start your Thirlmre Infinity Pool walk from though – once you are up on the steep bracken covered fellside – it can be a little tricky to find the infinity pool on Fisherplace Gill as it’s in a rocky ravine (with big drops) surrounded by trees. Because of the number of waterfalls and pools on the steep Fisherplace Gill I’ve seen people on social media sharing photos of what they think is the Thirlmere Infinity Pool – when infact they have ended up in much shallower spots downstream or upstream of Thirlmere Infinity Pool somewhere else on Fisherplace Gill (I can’t bring myself to comment and say that’s not THE infinity pool lol!) It’s easy to do though, because as I mentioned on my first visit years ago I struggled to find the infinity pool initially and ended up a lot higher on the fell towards Sticks Gill!
In summer the bracken covers the fellside and can obscure the paths, making the route harder to navigate – a route on a Phone Map app to tell you exactly where you are on the route in realtime comes in handy in these circumstances!
BLOG UPDATE JULY 2025: Due to some complaints about these beauty spots becoming too busy in peak periods and a minority of idiots leaving some litter (not just here btw but at other Lake District beauty spots) – I’ve taken off the detailed map from this web page, to make it less accessible (Sorry!). For dedicated outdoor enthusiasts I have though put more detailed instructions and maps of how to get to Thirlmere Infinity Pool in my Top 10 Lake District Wild Swimming digital guide, you can find more details on this below:
FIND THIRLMERE INFINITY POOL IN MY DIGITAL GUIDE:
I’ve faced a dilemma about sharing more detailed info on getting to Thirlmere Infinity Pool as people are complaining online that these “hidden gems” are becoming too popular. I don’t believe in gatekeeping locations though and I think 99.9% of outdoor people are decent and respectful, so I thought I’d make Thirlmere Infinity Pool easier for dedicated outdoors people to find in a digital guide on my Top 10 favourite Lake District wild swim spots
WHAT’S IN THIS GUIDE:
The guide includes detailed maps, interactive phone map app links, GPX files for you to download the exact walking routes to your device and also satellite maps showing the all important what3words precise location of these swim spots including the Thirlmere Infinity Pool so you can find them very easily out on the fells and get there quick.
There’s also parking tips in the guide, including where to park for FREE for Thirlmere Infinity Pool. I put a lot of effort into designing this 50+ page guide to help people find the best wild swim spots in the Lake District more easily, and save you hours of research – so I guess the catch is there’s a small cost of £5. A split of the profits go to Keswick Mountain Rescue team (who do a great job of keeping people safe from harm on the Lake District fells).
Despite the £5 cost you will in effect get your money back on your visit to the Thirlmere Infinity Pool by using the free car parking area that isn’t shared on other websites. You can find a link below to get this guide and discover 9 other amazing Lake District swimming locations just as good as Thirlmere Infinity Pool!
Top 10 Wild Swimming Locations: Lake District - guide
Want to uncover the Lake District’s 10 most picturesque wild swimming spots? Discover hidden emerald plunge pools, serene tarns and secret waterfalls, in this digital guide:
- Precise what3words locations – accurate to 3 meters to find every swim spot quickly
- Detailed map routes & GPX files to get there easily
- FREE parking tips to save money
- Phone-friendly format – designed for easy use on the go, with clickable links and offline access
LAKE DISTRICT INFINITY POOL AT THIRLMERE PHOTOSÂ
Thirlmere Infinity Pool in all it’s glory – what a spot to have a swim and soak up some spectacular Lake District views. The rocky sides are quite steep around here so it’s a little hidden and the drop over the edge is very steep so be very careful!
On the steep Fisherplace Gill where the infinity pool is located there are quite a few other waterfalls, pools and hidden cascades around and the gill is well worth an explore. Just make sure you don’t actually miss the iconic ‘Thirlmere Infinity Pool’!
The hidden infinity pool in all its glory with stunning views over to Thirlmere. You won’t be disappointed by this epic place which is deep enough for a swim. It’s worth pointing out that it’s a little tricky to get down into it – and beware the drop over the waters edge – a fall here is dangerous – and it has happened recently where someone ended up in a very bad way, with Air Ambulance required. The best place to enter the Infinity Pool is on the rocks to the right near where it goes over the edge – which will require you to cross Fisherplace Gill just behind where this photo was taken – take care though when entering the pool. The rocks also get very slippy in wet conditions – so if it’s recently been raining I would advise against it. Do take care also if you go for a swim, the fresh water here is as cold as it gets and can be a right shock to the system if you haven’t done it before – risking drowning for a social media photo and likes just isn’t worth it. Another note of caution – recent heavy rainfall increases the water flow which can make the water flow more powerful – so again take care.
From this angle taken by drone you can see the stunning dramatic setting of Thirlmere Infinity Pool – but also appreciate the height of the drop from it and the tricky terrain around it with the paths a little unclear and overgrown by bracken or hidden by trees & rock. Please take care around here with the steep drops when exploring as a wrong step can result in serious injury. Due to the fact there have been a handful of accidents at Thirlmere Infinity Pool over the last decade or so – it’s one of the reasons I am giving some of the money raised from my digital guide to Keswick Mountain Rescue who have saved countless lives all over the northern lakes.
TIPS TO STAY SAFE AT THIRLMIRE INFINITY POOL
There have been a few accidents at Thirlmere Infinity Pool so please be careful. Take care when entering the plunge pool as it’s quite steep down into it. The best way is to ease down the rocks to the right from the photos on this page. After rain the rocks can be really slippy and it’s best avoided. Once in the pool you won’t be able to touch the bottom – so ensure you are experienced with cold water swimming.
BEWARE! There is a big 20m drop at the edge of the infinity pool to the bottom of the waterfall below. Recently someone fell over this drop and got severely injured, with an air ambulance call out required. A drop here can be fatal, so take care and keep an eye on young children and pets. Also after heavy rain the water flow is very powerful and unpredictable so the pool is best avoided.
Also more recently in another plunge pool in Wales, two wild swimmers got into difficulty and drowned. Water can have strong currents especially if in full flow. If you are new to wild swimming – please read my wild swimming safety tips below:Â
THIRLMERE INFINITY POOL SUMMARY
If you’ve made it this far down the blog post, thanks for reading and I hope it has helped in planning a safe, responsible and fun visit to Thirlmere Infinity Pool! If it’s good weather conditions – I’m sure you will love this place! It really is stunning and there’s not many finer swim spots in the Lake District. As a result – it can get busy on warm weekends now – so if you want a bit of solitude – go early morning or late evening! Thanks and enjoy your visit to Thirlmere Infinity Pool.
Top 10 Wild Swimming Locations: Lake District - guide
Want to uncover the Lake District’s 10 most picturesque wild swimming spots? Discover hidden emerald plunge pools, serene tarns and secret waterfalls, in this digital guide:
- Precise what3words locations – accurate to 3 meters to find every swim spot quickly
- Detailed map routes & GPX files to get there easily
- FREE parking tips to save money
- Phone-friendly format – designed for easy use on the go, with clickable links and offline access
Thanks for the idea. We found the infinity pool yesterday with a little backtracking and readjusting of our route – hadn’t gone quite far enough! You’re right though – it was more satisfying not knowing exactly where it was!! Unfortunately quite a lot of other people had found it too, so we had to wait our turn for a dip, but it was worth it!
I’m glad you found it with a few clues and found it more satisfying exploring the area, and understand why the exact location hasn’t been shared on here. However I see others have now shared the exact location on youtube and other blogs, which spoils the sense of adventure for me and with the weekend being very hot & sunny in the lakes (a rarity!) I’m not surprised others where there. Still a lovely spot and as long as people respect the area and keep it clean I think it’s good that more people enjoy the outdoors.
Unfortunately this place that was once so untouched has become a hot spot for instagrammers etc as too many have shared the location. Now there are always people, the ground is bare where there was once grass , the path well trampled , new paths formed,and there’s litter every time I’ve gone up. All for one photo. Nobody seems aware a damn is released during/after rainfall which dramatically increases flow rapidly , the worst place you’d want to be when that happens is in that pool at the edge of a big drop.
Not having a pop at you by the way as you’ve given general location, which leaves people that are genuinely interested to have a good day exploring . It’s a shame this once peaceful place is suffering. It’s not somewhere to go if you want the place to yourself anymore , people are actually queuing to get a photo of themselves bobbing about for 1 minute for ‘likes’. It’s a strange world !
Hi – I think it’s a general modern day issue with lots of people seeking out the best places to visit themselves (I can’t begrudge people wanting to see and experience these stunning natural places – but those who litter at these places are just idiots). I didn’t share the exact location , knowing that respectful ‘true’ outdoorsy would be able to find it with a bit of map reading and outdoor skills – and those who haven’t got a clue might not be able to find it so easily. But it seems others are more than willing to share exact locations and youtube videos. Each to their own in that respect – but there are lots of other hidden places I also do not share as a result. Hopefully people see your comment and take a bit more care and consideration in this place.
What a beautiful area! I found something special about waterfalls, i simply love them. Great article
Thanks – yeh waterfalls are just epic aren’t they