Pittenweem, Scotland, United Kingdom

Pittenweem Tidal Pool

Pittenweem's tidal pool is a walled rectangle of seawater set into the rock shelves below the West Braes, on the western edge of the village, topped up by the sea at high tide and still full when the tide is out. It is cared for by the volunteer West Braes Project rather than the council, so there are no lifeguards: enter slowly and learn the depths and exits first.

Directions

Photo: Richard Sutcliffe · CC BY-SA 2.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 65/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 12°C, wind 5 km/h, UV 0. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Best conditions: Calm weather around low tide, when the pool is cut off from the open sea.
Getting in: Reached down steps and a ramp from the West Braes clifftop. The pool is run by The West Braes Project (Scottish charity SC047249), whose signs cite public access under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; an older sign says the pool is no longer maintained by the council and bathers use it at their own risk. Children under eight must be accompanied by an adult (maximum two children per adult).
Lifeguards: None; the pool is unsupervised and used at your own risk.
Water quality: Not a SEPA-designated bathing water, so it is not officially monitored. The nearest designated water, Anstruther (Billow Ness), is classified Excellent.
Who swims here: The pool was restored by The West Braes Project with grant funding (including the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund and EU LEADER money), and the charity's volunteers look after it.
Watch for: Cold water shock: the pool rules say do not jump in and enter slowly
Uneven depths: the rules advise familiarising yourself with the depths and staying within standing depth if needed
Currents and tides outside the pool walls
Facilities: Public toilets at West Braes · Throw lines on the foreshore and lifebelts around the pool