A beloved feature of 1930s Britain, the lido is fashionable all over again, with pretty open-air pools delighting swimmers from Yorkshire to Cornwall. With near-weekly headlines about polluted wild-swimming spots, a regularly cleaned and monitored outdoor pool seems a better bet. Meanwhile, local funding and National Lottery grants are allowing grand old public pools to be restored and reinvigorated on a yearly basis (the latest being Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham, granted £300,000 in government funding in March for a thorough polish-up). Our shores have some beautifully preserved art deco pools, not to mention lovely seafront options where you can swim with a refreshing coastal breeze. Bring the family for the day to splash about, eat ice cream and sunbathe on the lawn, then retreat to a nearby hotel to make a weekend of it.
1. Jubilee Pool, Penzance, Cornwall
The largest seawater pool in the UK is a favourite for its retro looks, with white art deco buildings framing a triangular pool, right on the rocks in Penzance. Opened in 1935 to celebrate King George V’s silver jubilee, it fell into disrepair and sustained storm damage before a group of residents funded a thorough restoration, preserving the gorgeous period features while making it swimmable for a new generation. Though no longer open year-round, it’s ready for a sparkling summer season, until October (£7; jubileepool.co.uk). Stay at the nearby Chapel House, a Georgian townhouse with lovely interiors, to enjoy the seafood restaurants and beachy boutiques of Penzance.
Details B&B doubles from £180 (chapelhousepz.co.uk)
2. Ilkley Pool and Lido, West Yorkshire
A grade II listed pool opened in 1935, this mushroom-shaped swimming spot is a fitting attraction for its Yorkshire spa town. The apple-green countryside of the Yorkshire Dales National Park provides the backdrop to your swim, and there are lawns to dry off on afterwards. Thanks to its broad shape, there are areas for lap swimmers and children, including a water slide; good old-fashioned Yorkshire teas, coffees and ice creams are available at the snack bar (£11; bradford.gov.uk). Afterwards, wander the indie shops and tearooms in town, or walk the Twelve Apostles loop through Ilkley Moor to see a neolithic stone circle. Stay at the Gin Lounge, a quirky bar with rooms where the jewel-coloured suites have freestanding bathtubs.
Details Room-only doubles from £99 (theginloungeilkley.com)
3. Saltdean Lido, Brighton, East Sussex
A classic bathing beauty from the 1930s, Saltdean Lido is a modernist masterpiece that was polished up with a £7.5 million restoration before its grand reopening seven years ago. A swim here immediately whisks you back to the heyday of lido bathing, thanks to its semicircular (heated) main pool, distinctive white, curved tower and bold cerulean lettering. A kids’ splash pool also beckons for summer days out (£7; saltdeanlido.co.uk). When you’ve finished your dip check into the comfy Malmaison hotel, just along the seafront, then head out into the delights of Brighton, including the Palace Pier, with rides and arcade games, and the family-focused Sea Life centre.
Details B&B doubles from £94 (malmaison.com)
4. Gourock Pool, Inverclyde, Renfrewshire
There’s something twice as invigorating about a seafront lido, and this number in Gourock (a seaside spot west of Glasgow) is the place to swim away the cobwebs. It dates from 1909, making it one of the oldest lidos in the UK, and features a heated saltwater pool with views of the Clyde estuary and a diving board, which draws queues of daredevils in high summer. Want a touch of romance? On select dates you can take Starlight Swims after dark (open May to September; from £6; inverclydeleisure.com). Stick around in Gourock for coastal walks, beaches (such as Lunderston Bay, historically a seaside escape for Glaswegians) and ferries across Holy Loch, rooming at the waterfront Spinnaker Hotel for its friendly staff and pub grub.
Details Room-only doubles from £83 (spinnakerhotel.co.uk)
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5. Hathersage Swimming Pool, Derbyshire
More undulating greenery surrounds this outdoor pool — as well as stout, stone-built Peak District cottages and a vintage bandstand. The lido was a gift to the village from a local philanthropist in the 1930s, and its changing rooms and pool lining had a makeover in 2020, making it a lovely spot to punctuate a walking break in the Peaks. Check out the online events calendar for twilight swimming slots that come with a live guitarist, or book an early-bird 7am session to enjoy a heated swim first thing (£8; hathersageswimmingpool.co.uk). Stay at the nearby Bike & Boot, a base for outdoorsy types, and walk up Higger Tor and Stanage Edge for huge craggy rocks and panoramic views.
Details Room-only doubles from £90 (bikeandboot.com)
6. Lido Ponty, Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taff
The birthplace of Tom Jones, the site of the Old Bridge and a heartland of coal and iron mining, Pontypridd isn’t the obvious home for a destination lido. But the family-friendly, self-styled “National Lido of Wales”, with three heated pools, is a bit of a looker, and still has its original 1920s turnstiles and wooden changing cabins (£3; rctcbc.gov.uk). While in the Rhondda Cynon Taf region you can peek into a disused pit with a former miner guide, drop into the Penderyn whisky distillery or ride the fastest seated zip line in the world across the valleys. Check into Lanelay Hall, one of the plushest hotels in the area.
Details Room-only doubles from £140 (lanelayhall.co.uk)
7. Jesus Green Lido, Cambridge
A little oasis in a city of hallowed university halls and gothic spires, Jesus Green is, at 100 yards (91.4m), the joint-longest outdoor pool in the UK (the other is at Tooting Bec Lido in London). It was established in 1923, and the slender shape of the pool is thought to mimic the River Cam, just beside it. Once you’ve had your heart pumping in the water, there are picnic areas for unwinding, as well as a house sauna (£6; jesusgreenlido.org). Summer swimmers could go on to stroll the Cambridge University Botanic Garden, picking up an ice cream afterwards at the local favourite Jack’s Gelato, and true water babies shouldn’t miss a punt along the Cam. Stay waterside at the Fellows House Cambridge, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel with an indoor pool, sauna and steam room.
Details Room-only doubles from £162 (hilton.com)
Have we missed your favourite lido? Let us know in the comments below
