© iStock/SHansche

Diving in the UK

The United Kingdom is made up of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The specific bodies of water that surround it are the North Sea, the English Channel, and the Celtic Sea. When taken together, the UK has the 12th-longest coastline in the entire world. The total area of the UK is around 242,500 square kilometers (93,600 square miles) and is populated by approximately 66 million people.

The United Kingdom or the UK for short is an independent country comprised of multiple nations. These nation-states are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. For our purposes here, we will talk about the entire region as the UK, even in reference to countries and territories that are not technically part of it such as Ireland and some other surrounding islands.
This region is part of Europe and sits to the northwest of the mainland part of the continent. It is a region with a lot of important history, economic and political power and, as an island nation, a lot of great diving locations.

Featured Training Centers

This data is provided from the logbook information in the MySSI app

Featured places to go in United Kingdom

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Wales

In Wales, there are many good dive locations around the country, including Anglesey and Pembrokeshire.

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Scotland

in the summer months, you can can expect to see sharks in Scotland

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Cornwall

In Cornwall you will find dramatic granite cliffs and sheltered bays, providing a wealth of different dive experiences for all levels of diver.

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Devon

Devon is divided it into two different types of dive locations offering an impressive variety of marine life.

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Dorset

Dorset is set on the English Channel and is a great option for diving, with a whole host of dive sites, whether you’re beginner or advanced.

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South East

England’s south-east is also great for spotting macro, everything from colorful nudibranch to cuttlefish as well as lobsters, crabs and lumpsuckers.

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North East

The underwater scenery of the North East is dramatic with rocky parts of the coastline providing divers with plenty of exciting areas to explore.

Orkney Isles

Orkney iles offers an amazing underwater time capsule of the military history of WW I.

© Shutterstock/Elke Kohler

Channel Islands

The Channel Island region is a great place to dive in the UK to see a wide range of underwater species.

Lizard Peninsula

In lizard peninsula, there are more than 100 spectecular shipwrecks which can be explored here.

Newquay

Newquay is a former fishing village on the Celtic Sea that is known for having over 30 shipwrecks under the waters off its shore.

Plymouth

The Plymouth area of Devon is a great area for diving, known for its good mix of reefs and shipwrecks.

Swanage

Swanage is the ideal spot for new divers to come and learn the skill in the south coast of England.

Weymouth and Portland

In this area, Chesil beach is a well-known training site for divers and is where many people in this area come to learn.

Selsey

There are numerous dive sites in Selsey both close to shore and further out so it can accommodate many levels of divers.

Seahouses

The town of Seahouses is so famed for diving because of its access to The Farne Islands, which are located off the coast of Northumberland

St. Abbs

The deep water and strong tides make St. Abbs some of the best shore diving area in all of the UK.

Oban

Yet another great area to explore wrecks, Oban offers more than a few great ones.

Anglesey

Anglesey is one of the best places to dive not only in Wales but in the whole United Kingdom region

Dive Sites in United Kingdom

Travel Information for United Kingdom

Power Plug Type

G

Airports

ORK, DUB, LGW, LHR, LTN, STN

Currency

GBP

Language

en

Electricity

230 V / 50 Hz

Timezone

UTC

Network Provider

Airtel/Vodafone

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The dive spots and related content on MyDiveGuide are provided for informational and promotional purposes only. This information, including user-generated content, is not definitive advice or recommendations. Divers are fully responsible for planning their dives, ensuring adequate safety equipment, verifying diving permissions, and complying with local laws and regulations. SSI, MyDiveGuide, and affiliates assume no responsibility or liability for divers' actions, choices, or any incidents. Always dive within your training limits, prioritize safety, and confirm that diving is permitted at your chosen location.