Mermaid's Pool at the Peak District

The waters of the Mermaid’s Pool (also known as Black Mere Pool) are believed to offer healing qualities to those brave enough to bathe in them... The mermaids are said to appear around Easter time and if they see you in a positive light, you will be granted immortality! BUT BEWARE, if you catch her on a bad day she will curse you... or worse... drown you *gulps*.

The pool is believed to be bottomless and linked to other pools like the Doxey Pool via an underwater tunnel. You won't find any animals near the pool as for some mysterious reason, they refuse to drink the water. This adds to the mysterious nature of the pool and has led locals to believe that the tale of mermaids must be true! 

This fresh water pool offers great opportunities for photos, exploration and of course, mermaid spotting. Although some articles may suggest wild swimming please do not do this. There are risks of injuring yourself on metal objects that have submerged in the pool which you may not be able to see when entering the water.

If you want to get creative why not pack some camping chairs, a pad of paper and some watercolours or colouring pencils and sketch everything you see? The natural beauty of the area is enough to inspire some great art and if you see a beautiful mermaid too, even better! 

So, are you up for the quest? 

Food & Drink

Unsurprisingly, there are no cafes around so it's worth packing a picnic with you as you'll need the energy after your hike. 

Accessibility

Sadly, the very beautiful hiking trail to Mermaid's Pool is not accessible for wheelchair users as the terrain is uneven, rocky, and steep and some of the trail will take you onto animal/kettle paths. This hike is only advised to experienced hikers as it is fairly hard. 

However, if you are not accessing the pool from a trail you can access it from the roadside. This is a much shorter route but there are no paths it is all grass so it is still not accessible for wheelchair users. And as we mentioned before there should be no swimming taking place in the cold and bottomless waters of the Mermaid's Pool.

Travel & Parking for Visitors

There is no car park at Blake Mere, but there is free roadside parking very nearby the lake at postcode ST13 8UL. The road directly next to the lake isn't very suitable for parking, but there is a junction with a small lay-by where you can park up for your visit. - Ancient tales of mermaids, healing waters and an underground passage...

- Great outdoor adventure for families

- No swimming in this pool of water