Savills Portugal

The growing popularity of taking the plunge in natural waters is music not only to the ears of those already championing the dopamine rush of wild swimming but for landowners keen to find new ways of diversifying and providing social value.

Is wild swimming trending?

There’s been a marked increase in wild swimming, referred to as the top wellness trend of 2022 at a global wellness summit media event in New York.

In the face of constant pressure and uncertainty over future income streams, the case for farms and rural estates to channel resources into innovative diversification ventures has become more and more important. Our spotlight on Rural Tourism and Leisure highlights one of the main macro themes driving consumer demand is wellbeing – and wild swimming could provide a growing opportunity for landowners to diversify their income and connect visitors with the natural beauty of their surroundings.

Are property and landowners embracing the plunge?

Despite the considerable outlay – installation starts at about £150,000 – the few specialist swimming pond (as they are known) companies that exist in the UK are currently rushed off their feet. As the concept is still fairly new here, rare are the houses that come up for sale with a swimming pond already in situ. However, it is a trend that is on the rise and a natural swimming pond may well soon join the wish list for buyers.

On a larger scale, there are already examples of rural estates embracing the wild swimming trend.

Elmore Court Estate in Gloucestershire, as featured in the above rural tourism and leisure spotlight, has recognised that people crave experiences revolving around wellbeing, and in a bid to diversify further it has opened its gates to a wild swim club. A holistic experience has been created to provide an outdoor yoga session, an invigorating swim in the spring-fed lake, and relaxation in the lakeside sauna followed by a stay in the six new treehouses within the canopy of the woodlands.

For the owner, Anselm Guise, wild swimming aligns with the estate’s ethos of sustainability and wellbeing while being a great way to engage with the local community. And for rural estates in general, the importance of creating a positive social impact – or social value, as explored in another recent Savills spotlight – is gaining significant momentum.

Why not take a dip into our selection of properties currently on the market with options for wild swimming: