Stoney Cove Inland Dive Site
Stoney Cove in Leicestershire is one of the UK's best inland diving destinations and conveniently for us at Northampton Scuba School, only just over half hours drive away. We use Stoney Cove for the majority of our training from Open Water Courses right through to the Deep Speciality and Instructor training. Check out this blog article - quarry diving isn't all deep and murky, you'll be surprised at what you can find!
Stoney Cove's History
Stoney Cove is one of the best inland diving sites in the UK. It is a man-made quarry that was created in the early 1900s. The quarry is over 35m deep and has a number of platforms and ledges that divers can swim around and explore. The visibility in the quarry is usually good, although it can be reduced during the summer months due to algae growth.
The site was originally used as a source of gravel for construction projects. In the 1970s, it was turned into a dive site and has been popular with divers ever since. There are a number of features that make Stoney Cove an excellent dive site, including its depth, clear water, and variety of underwater features.
Facilities on site
The Stoney Cove Diving Centre is located in the heart of Leicestershire, just a short drive from Leicester city centre. The centre has everything you need for a great day of diving, including a carpark, changing facilities, showers and a cafe. There is also a shop on site where you can buy all the latest diving equipment.
Stoney Cove's History
Stoney Cove is one of the best inland diving sites in the UK. It is a man-made quarry that was created in the early 1900s. The quarry is over 35m deep and has a number of platforms and ledges that divers can swim around and explore. The visibility in the quarry is usually good, although it can be reduced during the summer months due to algae growth.
The site was originally used as a source of gravel for construction projects. In the 1970s, it was turned into a dive site and has been popular with divers ever since. There are a number of features that make Stoney Cove an excellent dive site, including its depth, clear water, and variety of underwater features.
Facilities on site
The Stoney Cove Diving Centre is located in the heart of Leicestershire, just a short drive from Leicester city centre. The centre has everything you need for a great day of diving, including a carpark, changing facilities, showers and a cafe. There is also a shop on site where you can buy all the latest diving equipment.
What attractions are underwater?
If you're looking for an underwater adventure, look no further than Stoney Cove in Leicestershire. This inland dive site is home to a variety of attractions, including shipwrecks, aircraft wrecks, and Nessie, the elusive monster!
The most popular attraction at Stoney Cove is the tugboat Stangegarth, the UK’s largest inland wreck that lies in 21 meters of water. The Stanegarth was sunk on purpose in June 2000 to create an attraction for divers. She is 18 metres long and 5 metres across the beam - divers can safely explore the inside of the wreck which has been stripped back for that purpose.
Another popular attraction is the Viscount cockpit, an aircraft wreck that sits in 9 meters of water. An easy swim through, the cockpit can be a haven for juvenile fish, though a greedy pike and various diving birds looking for lunch are often spotted in the vicinity.
Other attractions include the Nautilus Submarine (6 metres), Defiant and Belinda boats (20 metres), APC (20 metres), Deep Hydrobox (30 metres plus), Wessex Helicopter (18 metres) and many more!
What underwater life lives there?
There is a variety of different underwater life that lives at Stoney Cove. This includes fish, plants, and other organisms. The types of fish that you may see include Carp, Roach, and Perch. It is also common to see large pike, as well as the small UK crayfish. Freshwater Mussels are also in abundance on many of the rocks.
What depth is Stoney Cove?
At Stoney Cove, the average depth is about 20 metres, with a maximum depth of about 35 metres, plus the 6m shelf. Stoney Cove suits a variety of levels - whether you're looking for a deeper challenge or an easy 6 metre shore dive, there's something for everyone at Stoney Cove.
If you're looking for an underwater adventure, look no further than Stoney Cove in Leicestershire. This inland dive site is home to a variety of attractions, including shipwrecks, aircraft wrecks, and Nessie, the elusive monster!
The most popular attraction at Stoney Cove is the tugboat Stangegarth, the UK’s largest inland wreck that lies in 21 meters of water. The Stanegarth was sunk on purpose in June 2000 to create an attraction for divers. She is 18 metres long and 5 metres across the beam - divers can safely explore the inside of the wreck which has been stripped back for that purpose.
Another popular attraction is the Viscount cockpit, an aircraft wreck that sits in 9 meters of water. An easy swim through, the cockpit can be a haven for juvenile fish, though a greedy pike and various diving birds looking for lunch are often spotted in the vicinity.
Other attractions include the Nautilus Submarine (6 metres), Defiant and Belinda boats (20 metres), APC (20 metres), Deep Hydrobox (30 metres plus), Wessex Helicopter (18 metres) and many more!
What underwater life lives there?
There is a variety of different underwater life that lives at Stoney Cove. This includes fish, plants, and other organisms. The types of fish that you may see include Carp, Roach, and Perch. It is also common to see large pike, as well as the small UK crayfish. Freshwater Mussels are also in abundance on many of the rocks.
What depth is Stoney Cove?
At Stoney Cove, the average depth is about 20 metres, with a maximum depth of about 35 metres, plus the 6m shelf. Stoney Cove suits a variety of levels - whether you're looking for a deeper challenge or an easy 6 metre shore dive, there's something for everyone at Stoney Cove.
Summary
Diving in the UK doesn't have to mean braving the cold waters of the North Sea - there are plenty of inland diving sites that offer excellent visibility and a wide variety of marine life. One such site is Stoney Cove in Leicestershire, which is home to a 35 metre deep quarry, turned into a purpose diving centre.
The lake is fed by a spring, so the water is relatively clear and there's an abundance of fish to be seen. There are also a number of wrecks to explore, including a sunken boat and an aeroplane.
If you're new to diving, or want to brush up on your skills, there's a PADI dive centre on site where you can take lessons or hire equipment. And if you get hungry after all that swimming, there's a café and pub on site serving hot food and drinks.
Other popular inland sites include Capernwray and Vobster, both of which our club visits. Watch out for articles coming soon!
Diving in the UK doesn't have to mean braving the cold waters of the North Sea - there are plenty of inland diving sites that offer excellent visibility and a wide variety of marine life. One such site is Stoney Cove in Leicestershire, which is home to a 35 metre deep quarry, turned into a purpose diving centre.
The lake is fed by a spring, so the water is relatively clear and there's an abundance of fish to be seen. There are also a number of wrecks to explore, including a sunken boat and an aeroplane.
If you're new to diving, or want to brush up on your skills, there's a PADI dive centre on site where you can take lessons or hire equipment. And if you get hungry after all that swimming, there's a café and pub on site serving hot food and drinks.
Other popular inland sites include Capernwray and Vobster, both of which our club visits. Watch out for articles coming soon!
