Here is a list of outdoor Lidos and swimming pools in the
The term
The Golden Age of new Lidos was in the 1930s when swimming became
very popular. Steven Braggs has put together some interesting notes on The Seaside
Lido.
The excellent book Here comes the sun
by Ken
Worpole (published by Reaktion Books) covers the rise of the
Many Lidos and pools have (sadly) closed but the list here is ones
that are mainly open - for at least some of the year - and you should be able
to get a swim - although please - please check carefully before making a
special visit as there are often restrictions - frequently temperature related.
The Abbey Meadow open-air heated swimming pool is open from the end
of May to end of August. I can't find a decent web site for it so this is the best I could find.
Telephone: 01235 523113.
The Abbeyland Outdoor pool is part of a dual use facility with
Abbeylands Sports Centre,
Telephone: 01932-858966 (after
Aldershot lido is huge, with shallows for children to play in, a
diving area and water slides.
Telephone: 01252 313706
The pool has a capacity of 133 people with plenty of room for sunbathing on the
patio and grass areas. It is open every day of the school holidays,
Telephone: 01773 834817
You can't swim here yet a the pool is
currently shut but the there are plans to reopen it. Check out the Arundel Pool
appeal web site for the latest news.
The bathing lake is in the The River Dart Country Park which is a 90 acre Victorian parkland with woodland adventure
playgrounds, tree and nature trails plus catering and a shop.
Telephone: 01364 652511
The
Telephone: 01530 412181
The Aylesbury Aqua centre has a 20 metre outdoor swimming pool,
linked directly to the indoor leisure water.
In
Telephone: 01296 488555
The Woodgreen leisure centre in Bbanbury has a 50 metre open air
swimming pool which is open from April untill September.
Telephone: 01295 262742
Beccles swimming pool is 33 x 16 metres with a diving board,
paddling pool ands plenty of room for sunbathing. The pool is open from late
May to early September. This is the best web site I could find. Is there a more
informative one?
Puddingmoor, Beccles
Telephone: 01502 713297
There are 2 Pools, one a paddling pool for the toddlers and the
main pool which is 48 metres by 12 metres. The pool is open from May to
September (weather permitting). and is heated to about
26°C. Sounds really good.
Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool, Abbey Lawns, Bourne,
Telephone: 01778 422063
The Brightlingsea open air swimming pool was built in
1933 as a salt water pool but is now two freshwater pools: one a 15m paddling
pool, and the second a 50m main pool. The pools are open from the end of May
through to the beginning of September.
Brightlingsea Open Air Swimming Pool, Promenade Way, Brightlingsea,
Colchester,
Telephone : 01206 303067 (opening hours only) General
enquiries : 01255 429647
Brixham outdoor seawater swimming pool is open from July to
September. I can't find a decent web site for it.
This is an open air, salt water swimming pool on Summerleaze beach
and is washed out twice daily by the sea. During the season the pool is
patrolled by lifeguards and enables bathing at low tide when the sea is often
closed. It is free.
Summerleaze beach. Bude
Jesus Green Lido is one of the largest outdoor pools in Europe, ideally located beside the River
Telephone: 01223 302579.
Check the web site or call them for swimming times. Open from May
onwards for the summer.
Telephone: 01993 842198
Chagford swimming pool is an open air, river fed public pool and
the temperature of the water is maintained with solar pool covers. Check out
the web site for more details.
Chagford,
Telephone: 01647 432929
Set in a four-acre site,
The web site is excellent - all lidos should have
one like this.
Telephone: : 01242 524430
The pool is open from May to September but I can't find a decent
web site for it.
The Moor
Telephone: 01494 783068
The main and learner pools are both heated. Open from April to
September but check the web site or phone them for more details
Fox Close, Chipping Norton, Oxon.
Telephone 01608 643188
Cirencester heated open air air pool is the second oldest in the
country. It is a charitable organisation run by volunteers. Open May to
September
Telephone: 01285 653947
There are two swimming pools with a grassed picnic area and a poolside cafe.
Open from May to September.
Daventry Outdoor Pool,
Telephone: 01327 312317
If you are hot and tired on a sunny summer's day, why not drop in
at the heated open air swimming pool in Eversholt village for a dip. Swimming
costumes can be hired.
I can't find any more details or a web site. If you can help please
let
me know.
Gourock Pool is heated saltwater pool open on any day between May
and September. Looks like a lovely pool right on the coast.
Telephone: 01475 631561
The
The weather shouldn't be a deterrent as the water is heated to a
minimum of 74 F/23 C so even in a traditional British summer you can take the
plunge and enjoy a swim in the beautifully clean water; paddling pools and
water slides provide additional entertainment.
Situated in
Telephone: 01483 444888.
There are three heated pools, with the two larger pools having
their their own slides, and a paddler pool. It looks like the place to be on a
sunny day.
Open Mid April to early September.
I can't find a telephone number.
At Hamilton Water Palace there is an outdoor pool as
well an indoor 25 metre pool and leisure pool.
Telephone. 01698 459950
The Hampton Heated Open Air Pool is run as a Charitable Trust and
is one of the very few outdoor pools that is heated all year - indeed the main
36.5m pool is open everyday including Christmas Day. There is also a Learners
pool which is open from April - December inclusive.
Phone for opening times or take a look at the very informative web
site.
Telephone: 020 8979 9933
Hathersage Open Air Heated Swimming Pool, Derbyshire, open until September 9th Monday to Saturday.
Telephone: 01433 650843
Therei s Open Air Swimming Pool at Helmsley but I can't find much
or about it. The best web site is the one for Ryedale District council. If you know a better
one please let me know.
Telephone: 01439 770617
This is the best web site I could find. Is there another?
The Elms, Highworth
Telephone: 01793 762602 or 01793 762944
Situated in a lovely park setting this facility offers a 25m indoor
pool with separate learner pool plus a 50m outdoor pool (summer only) with
sunbathing terrace.
Fishponds Road, Hitchin, SG5 1HA
Telephone: 01462 441646
One of the few remaining
open-air pools in the south east.
High Street, Hoddesdon, EN11
Telephone: 01992 461592
The Holywell Mead Outdoor Swimming Pool was built in the 1950s and consists of
a 33 m swimming pool and 20m teaching pool. It is opens from May until
September.
Holywell Mead,
Telephone: 01494 518900
Ilkley re-opened on Saturday 10th August after requiring draining
and cleaning required as a result of the recent flooding,
and (weather permitting) it will be openfor the rest of the summer.
A lagoon shaped outdoor pool in yorkshire
with ramped access, central fountain and slide. Open everyday throughout the
summer but opening hours may be varied due to weather conditions. Click
here for some views of this picturesque pool.
Telephone: 01943 600453
Broomhill open air pool is a 1930s 50 metre open-air swimming pool
with high board diving facilities, sun bathing terraces and cafeteria. Open for
the summer season May - September. It is not heated. Sounds
good.
Telephone: 01473 433667
The Abbey Fields Swimming Pool at
Telephone: 01926 456220
This outdoor pool is open from late May to early September. Check
the web site for exact hours.
Telephone: 01462 684673
Pells Pool has a main pool 46m x 23m - that is 50 yards by 25 yards
in old money - of 0.5 to 2m depth and is open from May to September inclusive.
The Pells Pool
web site is really excellent - I wish more pools had web sites like
this one.
Telephone: 01273 472334
A 1930s Art Deco cafe marks this south
Brockwell Lido,
Telephone: 0207 274 3088
50 metre Main Pool and separate Toddlers Splash Pool. The
The website link is www.greenwich.gov.uk followed by AtoZ of Services
and then Swimming Pools.
Charlton Lido,
(Junction of
Telephone: 020 8856 7180
The
Telephone: 0208 341 3567
Tooting Bec Lido it is open to the public from late may until the
end of September. There is early morning swimming but contact the pool for more
details. This is a BIG pool and worth a visit.
Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting Bec Common,
Telephone: 0208 871 7198
There are three Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds in Highgate for Men, Ladies, and mixed bathers. The opening hours vary so please
check carefully by telephone or on the web sites.
Hampstead Heath,
Telephone: 0207 485 4491
Serpentine
Telephone: 0207 706 3422
Take a look at the Serpentine Swimming Club web site for more
information. Out of the summer season it appears a bit chilly to me.
Oasis Swimming Pool,
Telephone: 0207 831 1804
The open-air unheated swimming pool is 60 metres long and the early
morning swimming session is free which must be one of the best bargains in
Parliament Hill Fields,
Telephone: 0207 485 3873
The Seawater baths are open from May to September
Telephone: 01590 674865/676009
The outdoor pool is open from May until September each year. Sadly
it has been announced that Malmesbury pool will
close for good at the end of the 2003 season. Another outdoor bites the dust.
Old
Telephone: 01666 822329
I think this is a night club rather than a pool.....
It is true - Sadly I have been informed that Margate lido WAS a sea
water lido but is now filled in the but the name lives on in the crumbling
entertainment centre along side it in Cliftonville.
The good news is that
This is the only public open air swimming pool in Pendle.
Tel: 01282 661914
Matlock Lido is an indoor pool dispite the name lido. The main pool
is shut during summer 2002 for repair a small pool is still available. Call for
exact details.
Matlock Swimming Pool,
Telephone: 01629 582843
The Wolverton Outdoor Swimming Pool is open from May onwards
regardless of the weather.
Telephone: 01908 312091
The Outdoor Brine Pool is 100 ft long x 50 ft wide with depths from
1.0m to 2.3m and the water temperature is heated to 72 degrees. Possibly the
only brine pool left in the country.
Nantwich Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre, Snowhill, Nantwich
Telephone: 01270 610606
The
Telephone: 0115 9151555
The outdoor pool is open from June to September during the summer
months. It is in
Telephone: 01865 467079
Petersfield Open Air Pool,
Telephone: 01730 - 265 143
This is the largest open-air swimming pool of its type still in use
in the
The heated Peterborough Lido is is now 65 years old having opened
in 1937 and is open during the summer months from April - September in the city
centre.
Telephone: 01733 343618
Portishead has an open air heated swimming pool which is open from
early May through to the end of September. The pool is located on the Esplanade
at the north end of the Lakegrounds.Contact the pool or check out the web site for more details. Sounds
very attractive.
The Esplanade, Portishead BS20 7HD
Telephone: 01275 849 039
Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth has had a stay of
execution and is open again in 2002 for the school holidays. As for every year
for the last 20 years, this could be the last season. It is located at the Hilsea/Cosham exit of the A27 in
Hilsea Lido,
Telephone: The Victoria Swimming Centre 023 92 823822
There is a 33 metre outdoor swimming pool with sunbathing area.
Pools on the Park,
Telephone: 020 8940 0561
The main building was designed by Richard Jones in 1937 and it was
listed in July 1987,
The pool itself measures 140ft x 66ft and can accommodate 500
bathers. During the Second World War,the
pool was used as a water tank by the
Saltdean Lido,
Telephone: 01273 880 616
A Lovely small basic outdooor
pool - only open during the summer - well worth a visit. Is it still open? I spent a lovely time swimming there a few years
ago.
The Shepton Mallet outdoor swimming pool is open
during the summer only. Call for more details.
Telephone: 01749 342126
Stonehaven Open Air 50 metre Pool, Aberdeenshire,
is an Art Deco building run by locals on a volunteer basis. It is open June to
August only, heated, with
Telephone: 01569 762134
The
Greenbank swimming pool in Street,
Telephone: 01458 442468
There is four lane, 20 metre open air pool with a beach and a large sunbathing
terrace.The outdoor pool is open from April 1 to the end of October. For
details of casual swim times, courses and special events please contact the
pool.
Telephone: 01732 367449.
Topsham pool is near
Fore Street, Topsham,
Telephone: 01392 874477
The open-air heated swimming pool is in Wallingford Park, alongside
the River Thames, and is open from the end of May to beginning of September. I
can't fnd a decent web site so if you know of one please let
me know.
Wallingford: Riverside Park & Pool, Wallingford, Oxfordshire
OX10 8EB
Telephone: 01491 835232
The Lido in Priory Street, Ware is a heated 30 metre main pool and
10 metre teaching pool which opens from Easter to September and is in the
grounds of Ware Priory.
Telephone: 01920 460703.
This is a heated pool open from May to September and is the only heated open
air pool in County Durham.
Castle Park, Stanhope, Co. Durham DL13 2LY
At theWest end of Stanhope near the A689 junction with
B6278 to Edmundbyers
Telephone: 01388 528466
Splashland Open Air Pool was a 50 metre heated pool with
waterslides and learner pool but sadly has now been demolished
. No wonder I couldn't find any sort of decent web site for it.
Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City
Woburn Lido is sited right on the boundary wall ofWoburn Estate,
and elephants can be heard and seen bathing in the lake on the other side of
the boundary wall from the Lido on occasional hot summer
evenings. I can't find an official web site but click here for more details and history of
this intriguing pool
Open from late May to September each year 10:00 - 19:00 daily.
Crawley Road, Woburn,
Bedfordshire.
Telephone: ?????
Both the main and learner pools are heated. Open from April to
September but check the web site or phone them for more details
Shipton Road, Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Telephone: 01993 811785
Sadly no longer a swimming pool but a Family Entertainment Centre called Ayers Leisure Lido.
The small outdoor swimming pool in Ynysangharad Park (home of Glamorgan
Cricket) is affectionately called The
Puddle by locals. This is the best web site I could find and there is some history on this one.
Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
Telephone: 01443 404699