With the unpredictability of English weather, inland England dive sites provide a good alternative to sea diving, which is seasonal and can be dangerous in bad weather. While enthusiasts can dive year-round, these sites are also great for beginners, as many offer safe introductory training environments, including “wreck” diving and gradual depth building. Some of the best sites are Stoney Cove, Vobster Quay and Littleton Pit.
England’s safe and secure inland dive sites offer a great variety and wide range of facilities. As they are very popular, it is best to try to visit during the week, especially as parking on the weekends can be a problem. The water is cold so a dry suit is recommended year-round, although some experienced divers may prefer to risk a semi-dry suit between the months of June and October.
One of the most popular inland dive sites in England is Stoney Cove, which is an inland quarry at Stoney Stanton near Leicester. The water temperature here is always cold (up to 63 F in summer), and some of its many attractions are the abundance of fish, including pike, roach, and crayfish. The deepest dive extends to 120 feet and there is a beginner area that only goes down to 22 feet. The center has many attractions, including two hydroboxes and many shipwrecks. Facilities include a shop, toilets and a pub.
Vobster Quay is an inland quarry in Mells, Somerset, in the south of England and offers a dive extending to a depth of 120ft, some hydroboxes, a tunnel and training platforms for diving courses. The water temperature here ranges from 64 F at the surface to 43 F at the shallowest depths. The staff are known to be very helpful, and there are showers, a shop and eating facilities.
If you don’t mind diving without facilities, Littleton Pit, a gravel pit in Shepperton, Middlesex, South East England, offers a few wreck attractions, a diving line and platform and a variety of fish. The depth is 20 feet with a visibility of up to 6 feet. However, it is necessary to belong to a yacht club and pay a fee to visit this site.
Another site worth visiting is The Rez in Longsdon, Staffordshire, which is an underground reservoir with a depth of 7ft and visibility of 16-32ft. It’s small and dark, and good for practicing diving and line-laying. The Rez’s cafeteria provides a much-needed refreshment and the staff are very friendly. Other centers worth visiting include the Blue Lagoon in Yorkshire; Capenwray Quarry in Lancashire (providing great views of shipwrecks and plenty of fish); Eccleston Depth, also in Lancashire and the National Diving and Activity Center in Gloucestershire.
Inland England dive sites offer ‘diving made easy’ for anyone who wants to avoid the danger and bad weather often experienced on the rugged English coastline.