Pickmere
Kate Feld
Pickmere lake is, hands down, my favourite find so far. There’s a car park and a recreation area with lawns, picnic tables and lakeside paths to explore. Much of the surrounding land is privately owned while some is property of the Parish Council, who don’t encourage swimming there (hence the no swimming sign) but according to the RLSA, they can’t stop people prepared to swim at their own risk — just make sure to access the lake via public footpath and you’ll be fine, and it helps to be considerate about parking in the village as it can get really busy on sunny weekends and holidays.
The water is crystal clear, though the bottom can be a bit silty near the shore and it drops off quickly. Be prepared to share the lake with water skiers, kayakers and windsurfers.
Serious swimmers can also join via The Farm Club, for (paid) supervised sessions, and lovely lakeside private access points which lead to a marked-out 750m course on swim days. The Farm Club has a lovely cafe, for a well-deserved hot chocolate after a chilly swim, and plenty of other wellbeing activities on offer.
Those with kids may also want to check out nearby Stockley Farm, but everyone will enjoy a stop at Great Budworth Dairy Ice Cream Farm.
