Swanton Morley Mill

Location details for Swanton Morley Mill, my local swimming place

Note – don’t park on Worthing Road near the houses!

swim place
Swanton Morley Falls in winter with flooded meadow
County Norfolk
River Wensum
Swim location name Swanton Morley Mill, known locally as The Falls
Grid reference (link takes you to map, plus see maps below) TG020184

Nearest postcode

What 3 Words

NR20 4SB

organist.closet.wake

Other info Parking: two parking spots for small cars in front of gate, but take care driving out after. next to the spot, Several parking spots in nearby laybys, but Not on Worthing Rd near houses! busy road. Popular in summer, for picnics, swims, dips and kayaking. Rope swing, weirs (beware submerged masonry under waterfall/weir at top of pool – can get trapped/hurt). Possible longer swim upstream and nearby. Useful winter swim place. Allowed by landowner but no fires and don’t leave litter. If you can, please take some away even if not yours. There is a locked gate (call for disabled access) and a small kissing gate. If you go through under the bridge – beware the surface is VERY slippery so sliding is better than walking, and don’t do it if the river is very fast.See more info below
Swim account First swim at Swanton Morley Mill
Swim accounts Winter swims at Swanton Morley Mill
Swanton Morley 30 April: Norfolk swims for 60thSwanton Morley 4 Oct swim
Wild swim map INACTIVE Swanton Morley Mill on Wild Swim map
notice welcome rules
Sign on gate at The Falls/Swanton Morley Mill

Please note: all swims are at our own risk. Including a location does not indicate that it is recommended or that it is safe; each must do their own risk assessment each time they swim or travel to a location. I accept no liability for the choices that people make. There is Swim Safety info on this website, and on Outdoor Swimming Society website, Survive section.

Please follow the Outdoor Swimmers Code, and Outdoor Swimming Society advice on responsible swimming at this time.

[swim log 006, …, 544, … 899, …1114…1279…1385…]

More about Swanton Morley

Although – like any swimming place – there are risks, the specific risks here are named on this webpage and can be avoided, along with the standard risks of getting into cold water, jumping and so on. PLEASE NOTE that the memorial there (March 2022) is to a young woman who died in a road crash on the A47.

There are parking places, but some of these are quite small and none are ideal. The road is busy and dangerous, especially at the bridges, so take great care walking to the swimming place.

gate and meadow
Swanton Morley entry gate from Falls meadow

There is a locked gate (call for disabled access) and a small kissing gate. If you go through under the bridge – beware the surface is VERY slippery so sliding is better than walking, and don’t do it if the river is very fast.

swim place
Swanton Morley Falls showing shallow entry point

At the mill pond there is a grassy area for changing. I recommend that you wear shoes that you can keep on for swimming (i.e. not crocs or flip-flops), preferably something with a sturdier sole than swim socks. (I have seen what magnet fishers have brought up from the water!) 

It is possible to swim around the mill pool, jump from the rope swing if you wish, and do a short swim upstream from above the weir. Be aware that the waterfall/weir at top of pool is full of big rocks – do not jump into it! And be very careful – you can get trapped/hurt. Be aware that the eddies either side of the fast water can pull you up into it.

swim place
Swanton Morley below Three Arch Bridge

It’s also possible to swim below the three arch bridge in a small weir pool – you can either cross the road or go under the bridge (with care as very slippery, go down by sliding). There is a tree across the water below three arch bridge; be careful not to get trapped against it if water is high.

River levels https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/station/6125

Flow rate and levels and other data: https://environment.data.gov.uk/hydrology/explore

map of entry and parking

It is possible to do a longer swim in reliably deep water nearby.

PLEASE NOTE that the memorial there (March 2022) is to a young woman who died in a road crash on the A47.

History of the site

Swanton Morley Watermill, http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/swanton-morley.html . The waterfall is the wheel race

(downloads pdf, has a drawing of what the buildings might have looked like – really worth looking at – https://www.derehamanddistrictteam.org.uk/content/pages/documents/1579974997.pdf)

Heritage info. Bridge is listed :   https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF12586-Site-of-Swanton-Morley-Mills&Index=11782&RecordCount=57339&SessionID=f2e8ee8f-21de-4e65-9a21-50eee83eee36

Nearby walks, including 7 by the Wensum lower down where there is a lovely stretch for swimming between Castle Farm and Pennyspot Beck, https://www.swantonmorleypc.info/villagewalks

map of entry and parking and walk
Riverside walk

swims and swim places, and related issues