Keen to swap the rolling hills of Surrey for some deep-sea exploration? Daniel Brady rounds up some of the UK’s most dazzling diving spots.
For us landlocked Surreyites, the murky depths of the country’s coastlines might conjure up visions of cold barren crevices filled with monstrous creatures. With Scuba diving growing in popularity and more of us donning our flippers than ever before, it's about time these misnomers are put to rest - the UK is actually home to some of the most beautiful diving spots in Europe.
Whether it’s a sunken submarine off the coast of Dorset or the beautiful Scottish reefs in the icy-cold North Sea, there are scores of unique diving sites with brilliantly clear visibility.
Moreover, the rich history surrounding scuba diving in the UK isn’t too dissimilar from that which we can find on our own doorsteps – Surrey is steeped in history and so are the coastlines of the UK. Lucky for you, we’re telling you just where to look!
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Instagram: Bill Oakes via soscuba_ltd
Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands
Scapa Flow is easily one of the most famous dive sites in the UK, if not the world.
After the signing of the Armistice on November 11th 1918—which effectively ended WWI—Admiral Ludwig von Reuter decided to scuttle the German fleet over fears that all the ships would be seized by Allied powers.
The area is home to the wrecks of three battleships, three light cruisers and a fast mine-layer remain, whilst HMS Royal Oak and HMS Vanguard—now British war graves which must not be disturbed—lay in tribute to more than 1,600 men who were killed in WWI and WWII.
Attracting divers from all over the world, the wreckage area has been voted as one of Europe’s best dive sites due to its easy accessibility at 14m to 18m, impressive marine life and crystal clear waters.
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M2 Submarine, Dorset
Castletown, Portland, DT5 1BDEver wanted to dive alongside a sunken submarine? Whilst there are submarine wrecks dotted around the UK, the M2 in Lyme Bay, Dorset is stranger than most and a must visit.
Lying at around 36 metres, the M2 was unusual for its large aeroplane hangar amidships. HMS M2 was a Royal Navy submarine monitor completed in 1919, converted in 1927 into the world's first submarine aircraft carrier. This experimental one-off vessel was designed to stalk prey, surface and launch a single aircraft before discreetly submerging again.
Tragically, the experimental hangar proved to be the subs Achilles heel and the M2 sank in 1932, taking the lives of 60 onboard. Despite the tragic history, the M2 is an eery, unique dive that is really worth a visit.
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Lundy Island, Devon
Bideford, EX39 2LYThanks to its protected status, the waters surrounding Lundy Island are some of the healthiest in the UK.
Lundy Island, lying in the mouth of the Bristol Channel, was the first area in the UK to be named a Marine Conservation Zone. It is one of the most vibrant marine life areas in the country with 10 diveable wrecks and great visibility.
Those who visit can expect to see lobsters, moon jellyfish, huge urchins and playful seals - if you’re lucky!
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The Manacles, Cornwall
For those divers that are feeling truly adventurous, The Manacles are a great yet treacherous area worth exploring off the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall.
Featuring amazing drop-offs, pinnacles and reefs covered with marine wildlfie, the plethora of underwater activity is almost as impressive as the array of 110 shipwrecks in the area.
Ranging from depths between 8 and 80m deep, one of the most famous ships is the steamship Mohegan, which sank in 1898 and is said to be haunted. The steamship was wrecked on the treacherous pair of rocks known as the Maen Voes (The Voices), taking 107 passengers down with it. Divers of the years have reported electric shocks when touching the wreck, whilst others have reported hearing strange sounds which you would not normally expect to hear underwater.
Looking for spookier spots closer to home? Check out our roundup of Surrey & SW London's 13 most haunted locations.
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Capernwray, Lancashire
If heading straight to the open seas is too much for you, Capernwray offers one of the most unique inland diving experiences in the UK.
Located on the edge of the Lake District and just outside Lancaster, divers of any experience will have a great time exploring this flooded quarry pit. Visitors can expect to find a helicopter, a minesweeper, a cannon, a 120-seater plane and two giant plastic horses from Blackpool Pleasure Beach.
The lake descends to a depth of 18m and the water is very clear - It’s been officially named the second cleanest recreational bathing water in the UK. The quarry also boasts huge shoals of roach and perch, together with vast numbers of extremely friendly trout and their world-famous sturgeons, two of which are six feet long.
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James Eagan Layne Wreck, Plymouth
Military Road, Torpoint, PL10 1JXAtmospheric and accessible to all levels of diver, the 'JEL' is a must-do.
Torpedoed in WWII off Plymouth, for years the wreck was visible, although today her highest point lies around 6 metres below the surface. After sinking her masts and funnel still stood out of the water, making it an easy dive location to find. However, in the late 1960's it was deemed a hazard to the local shipping traffic and so the bridge and the masts were razed to the seabed where they can still be seen to the port side.
Most of the cargo was removed before she sank, but there are plenty of pick axe heads, pulleys and locomotive parts in her five holds. Much of the hull plating has fallen away leaving a ‘cathedral’ of bulkheads for a diver to swim through, so the wreck is extremely atmospheric.
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