The Warren, Hay On Wye
Latest sample 7 Sep 2026: E. coli 490, enterococci 290 per 100 ml.
Classifications and description
Samples met the minimum standard over the last four seasons.
Past years: 2025 Sufficient
The Warren bathing is on the River Wye just outside the town of Hay on Wye. The Warren is located to the west of the town. The bathing sites is accessed on foot by walking across the Warren meadow. The Ordnance Survey Maps ‘bathing site’ on the northern bank, however, the Warren is opposite on the southern bank. The bathing area is on a river meander and is an open shingle beach sloping into the water on the southern bank of the River Wye. The bathing water is divided by a tumbledown weir. Upstream of the weir the water is deep, slower flowing and used for swimming. Downstream of the weir the water is generally faster flowing, shallower in places with boulders beneath the surface, this area is also used for swimming and paddling. This bathing site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SaC) designated for ecological features which are present at this location, confirming the high ecological status of the area. The site is just within the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. Natural Resources Wales’s designated sample point is located at the shingle beach opposite the cottage.