There's no more idyllic place for wild swimming, wild camping and family picnics than a mountain tarn. When the summer sun makes an appearance head for the high lakes hidden away in corries and cwms throughout the British hills. Whether you go the full monty or just dip a toe, ice-cold, glass-clear tarns are a highlight of any hillwalk. Here are ten of the best from all over the UK.

Tarn Hows, Lake District

A picturesque wooded setting, an intricate shoreline and classic views of the Langdale and Coniston fells make this a much-loved favourite for holidaymakers and amateur photographers alike. With its easy access and gentle circular trail Tarn Hows has something for everyone - so if it's solitude you're after, come at night.

Llyn y Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons National Park

Much touted in travel supplements and online best-of lists - and for good reason - this idyllic lake sits at the foot of the dramatic escarpment of Bannau Sir Gaer in the Black Mountain, the remote western range of the Brecon Beacons. With easy access on a track from the north, Llyn y Fan Fach is a good non-challenging family objective; but for a full-value hillwalk combine it with a traverse over the main peaks of the escarpment, No match for crag id:"Picws Du" and Fan Brycheiniog, to the equally lovely Llyn y Fan Fawr. Less picturesque than the llyn itself is the legend associated with it, the Lady of the Lake, a curious tale of romanticised domestic violence. They don't tell em like they used to.

Llyn Glas, Snowdon

If you're seeking Snowdonia in the raw then look no further than Cwm Glas. Tumbling from the jagged skyline of the Crib Goch-Crib y Ddysgl ridge down to the depths of the Llanberis Pass, the rugged northern flank of the Snowdon range is a craggy wonderland - but one that surprisingly few people seem to visit. Tucked in a hollow beneath the jutting rock spur of the Clogwyn y Person Arete, tiny Llyn Glas is almost too perfect for its own good. Luckily perhaps reaching it takes some effort, and the occasional team of climbers or scramblers is the only passing traffic you're likely to meet.

Suilven's lochans, Assynt

The great ridge of Suilven stands as an island in a rippling sea of moorland and water. Scattered across a shelf at its northern foot, like a purse full of dropped pennies, lie dozens of tiny lochans. Take your pick for a private camp site or a secluded dip; there's nowhere better to finish a long hot walk.

Angle Tarn, Lake District

The Lake District - it's not all about the big valley lakes. With a scenic-yet-accessible location among the felltop knobbles above Patterdale, Angle Tarn is an archetypal high mountain pool, one of scores dotted across the Cumbrian uplands. Whether you stop off to cool your feet en route to High Street or treat it as the destination of its own dedicated walk, Angle Tarn shouldn't be missed. Swim to the islands; revel in the views of the Helvellyn massif; or just lie back and snooze in the sun.

Lakes of the Moelwyns, Snowdonia

'My favourite place to go swimming is the high lakes of the Moelwyns' says Chloe Rafferty, North Wales-based hill fan and keen swimmer.

'They all take a bit of a hike and feel pretty remote, and they mostly have views of Snowdon. Llyn Edno is really beautiful, hidden away in a little dip. It's really clear, deep enough in places to dive in. Even more remote-feeling are the twin lakes of Llynnau Cerrig-y-myllt, small and shallow but lovely to swim in; though not far from the main walk up Cnicht they are so well hidden that you rarely see anyone. And about 800m from there is Llyn yr Arddu. Set in a little maze of contours, it's fun to find. It is deeper too, quite inky black when you look down because of its peaty bottom.'

Lochan Uaine, Cairngorms

Sitting in a hanging corrie above the monumental scoop of the Garbh Choire, with four thousand foot peaks looming directly overhead, everything about Lochan Uaine is superlative. As one of the most remote spots in Scotland just reaching it is a tall order. The high Cairngorms feel almost Arctic, as if the glaciers that carved them only melted last week. If you dare to jump in - and remember you're around 3000 feet up here - then you'll get to enjoy your own personal ice age. For a second or two at least.

Sprinkling Tarn, Lake District

Pooled on a rugged shoulder high in the central fells, with Great Gable, Great End and Glaramara for near neighbours, Sprinkling Tarn could hardly be more appealing. It's a favourite spot for discerning wild campers, but bear in mind that this is pretty much the official wettest place in England. Well all those lakes had to come from somwhere, as locals are fond of pointing out.

Llyn Hywel, Southern Snowdonia

A tangle of contours, cloaked in heather and dappled with rock, the Rhinogydd (Rhinogs to anglophones) enjoy a reputation as Wales' roughest little mountains. Of the many gorgeous little lakes here Llyn Hywel probably has pride of place, cupped in a craggy cwm between the peaks of Rhinog Fach and Y Llethr.

Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair, Torridon

There are few more impressive sights in the Scottish mountains than the huge Triple Buttress of Beinn Eighe rising above the transparent water of Loch Coire Mhic Fhearchair. A couple of hours' walk-in on a good path, the loch is an ideal stop-off on the way to No match for crag id:"Ruadh-stac Mor", the high point of the massif, but more than worthwhile as an objective in its own right too. If when you get there the Triple Buttress is reflected in perfectly still water then you're in for a scenic swimming treat unlike any other. Just watch out for the midges.