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Lidos Near Me, North UK
Hathersage Swimming Pool
Where? The Peak District
Best for? Blissfully serene surroundings
Price? £7.40 for one session
Welcoming swimmers since the 1930s, the picturesque Hathersage Swimming Pool is right at home amidst the stunning scenery of the surrounding Peak District. Do your laps while soaking up the view—if that’s not relaxation, we don’t know what is.
Ilkley Lido
Where? Ilkley, West Yorkshire
Best for? Post-swim refuel in the shape of the UK’s best afternoon tea
Price? £9.50 for one session
Opened in the 1930s, the Grade 2 listed Ilkley Lido is regarded as one of the North’s best outdoor swimming pools and it just so happens to be rather close to Betty’s Tea Room in nearby Ilkley Town. Home to the afternoon tea, Betty’s has been serving scones, cakes, finger sandwiches and a good English Breakfast brew for as long as we can remember. Ideal post-swim snack stop? We think so.
Shap Swimming Pool
Where? Shap, Cumbria
Best for? A day at the UK’s highest outdoor pool
Price? £3.50 for one session
Not to be missed if you’re in the Lake District: at 900 foot above sea level, volunteer-led Shap Swimming Pool will stick with you for years after your visit. It’s heated, 20-metres long and offers a smaller paddling pool, for if you have littler ones in tow. Enjoy.
Nantwich Outdoor Brine Pool
Where? Cheshire
Best for? Those with asthma or allergies
Price? £6.85 for one session
Scratching your head as to why a pool could be good for those with allergies? Bear with us on this one: the Nantwich ‘salt pit’ is a brine spring (or saltwater pool) that has long been hailed for its health benefits, and is much kinder on the skin of anyone with long-standing asthma or allergy problems. It’s one of the few remaining brine pools in the UK and is now heated, too, meaning you get to enjoy all the benefits of a brine pool without the shock of a cold water swim. Win, win.
USwim at Salford Quays
Where? Manchester
Best for? Open water swimming up North with a real sense of community
Price? £7 for one session
Fancy a splash in the newly renovated Salford Waters? You’re in luck—USwim runs several weekly sessions in the water outside Media City. Plus, the council runs other swims nearby in a smaller neighbouring dock.
Lidos Near Me, Scotland
Gourock Outdoor Pool
Where? Renfrewshire
Best for? Experiencing Scotland’s oldest lido
Price? £4 for one session
An oldie but a goodie—plus, Gourock Outdoor Pool has diving boards (!!!). Soak up the mesmerising views of the nearby River Clyde, get moving with one of their popular aqua classes or take a dip come dark for a midnight swim under the stars.
Stonehaven Open Air Pool
Where? Aberdeen
Best for? Outdoor swimming on an Olympic scale
Price? £6.60 for one session
Yes, Stonehaven Open Air Pool is an Olympic-sized pool, yes, it’s heated and yes, it is filled with filtered seawater. That pretty much ticks all the boxes of what you’d want from an outdoor pool, no? And that’s before we get started on the gloriously Wes Anderson-esque decking, throwing it back to the 1930s when it first opened with warm hues of sunshine yellow and sky blue. Fun fact: it’s actually a listed Art Deco building, making the journey even more worthwhile. Swimming and sightseeing? Yes, please.
Lidos Near Me, South UK
Bude Sea Pool
Where? Bude, Cornwall
Best for? Its sheer beauty
Price? FREE
We mean, just look at that photo. Sparkling blue sea water, cute little beach huts and glorious coastal views, all offering the complete joy of swimming in the sea without any fear of, ahem, getting washed away. Situated in the rocks at Summerleaze Beach, Bude Sea Pool is a partially man-made tidal swimming pool, perfect for any adventurous swimmer. And, BONUS: it’s free.
Jubilee Pool
Where? Penzance, Cornwall
Best for? Art deco architecture dating back to the 1930s
Price? £11.75 for one session
Another lido, another seriously cool Art Deco quirk: at Jubilee Pool, on Cornwall’s scenic coast, it’s in the form of Cubist style changing rooms.
Tinside Lido
Where? Plymouth
Best for? Boat watching
Price? £8 for one session
From small fishing boats to huge ferries, you’ll catch just about every type of boat floating into the harbour from Tinside Lido, Plymouth’s much-loved outdoor pool. It’s a saltwater-filled affair and one that gives you a great view of The Sound, one of Plymouth’s most popular bays. It’s also got three fountains for the littl’uns to splash in.
Sandford Parks Lido
Where? Cheltenham
Best for? A splash about at one of the largest pools in the country
Price? £7.30 for one session
Calling all serious swimmers, you’ll want to take a dip at the 50-metre-long Sandford Parks Lido. Similarly to most of the other British lidos, it was built in the 1930s and recently renovated, offering a main pool, a children’s pool and a paddling pool. It’s grade II listed, heated and, of course, located in the scenic Sandford Parks, which offers entertainment in and of itself.
Bristol Lido
Where? Bristol
Best for? Total relaxation
Price? From £25 for two hours, including sauna, steam and hot tub
You can tell that Bristol Lido is not your average alfresco pool. From its glass-front and restored Victorian building to the restaurant awaiting you for your post-swim grub, it’s more spa than open air pool. Plus hot tub, steam room and sauna on site too. Heads up: You have to buy a day spa package or be a member to access, but it’s well worth it for a little relaxation.
Thermae Bath Spa
Where? Bath
Best for? Swimming with added minerals
Price? From £20 or £40 for two-hour spa session
Did you know? Thermae Bath Spa is Britain’s original thermal spa, located in (yep, you guessed it) Bath. A renovation saw the historic 18th-century spa updated with touches of contemporary back in 2006 and, since then, it’s become one of Bath’s most popular outdoor pools. It boasts a spectacular bird’s eye view of the city below you: float in the warm thermal waters and submerge yourself in 10,000-year-old water, fresh from one of Bath’s three springs. For the wellness warriors among you, you’ll want to know that the water holds over 42 minerals. Oh yes.
Portishead Lido
Where? Portishead
Best for? Fun swimming events
Price? £5 for one session
Warm water open air swimming in yet another pool that looks like it stepped straight out of a Wes Anderson movie? Yep, we’re sold. Keen to try a swim that’s a little different? Portishead Lido offer cold water dips throughout the winter, full moon swims and a dogs and owners session once a year, too.
Lymington Sea Water Baths
Where? Lymington, Hampshire
Best for? Fun for the entire family
Price? £4 for one session
Shout-out to parents needing a day out with the kids, this one is for you. Grade 2 listed Lymington Seawater Baths is a child’s (and adult’s) heaven, packed with all the inflatable toys you could ever wish for. If that weren’t enough, the open-air lido, originally built in 1833, is the oldest lido in the United Kingdom.
Lidos Near Me, Around London
Thames Lido
Where? Reading
Best for? Lido luxury
Price? Monthly fee of £72, joining fee £50
Pre-2019, the Thames Lido underwent a hefty £3.5 million pound refurbishment, after sitting untouched for over 40 years. Head for a pool that’s a delightful smorgasbord of interior styles, carefully mixing the original design with some new 20th-century quirk.
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