UK Open-Air Lidos: A Region-by-Region Directory (2026)

By Linda Garrould · Updated 3 October 2026 · every pool checked against its operator’s own website

Somewhere between 130 and 160 open-air lidos and outdoor swimming pools are still operating across the UK today, and this region-by-region directory covers 65 of the best. Most are heated; the rest are unheated freshwater, seawater or tidal pools, and a handful — Bude Sea Pool in Cornwall is free, Clevedon Marine Lake and Shoalstone ask only for a donation — cost next to nothing. The seasonal ones open from late May to early September, but at least 29 now stay open all year, and sixteen have saunas. Winter swimming has quietly turned the lido from a summer treat into a twelve-month habit — so we’ve added what to pack for a summer lido day, and how to swim safely and warm up fast once the water turns cold.

Britain fell in love with the lido in the 1920s and 30s, when hundreds of open-air pools were built as democratic “palaces of the people”. Most were lost in the 1980s and 90s, but the last two decades have brought a striking revival — grassroots campaigns, lottery money and organisations such as Historic Pools of Britain have rescued and reopened Art Deco gems from Saltdean to Stonehaven.

Jump to your region: London · South East England · South West England · East of England · The Midlands · Yorkshire & the Humber · North East England · North West England · Wales · Scotland · Northern Ireland
Also: Brightlingsea (Essex) · Open all year · Lidos with saunas · Winter swimming: safety & warming up · What to pack · FAQs

Lidos in London

The capital has the densest cluster of lidos in the country, from Art Deco classics to a brand-new floating pool.

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf	Eden Dock, Canary Wharf	Natural water · unheated · year-round	Opened June 2026 — a floating 50m, six-lane natural-water pool in Eden Dock, with waterside saunas; open all year
London Fields Lido	Hackney	Freshwater · heated · year-round	50m Olympic-length; the most family-friendly heated inner-London pool
Hampton Pool	Hampton	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Heated and open 365 days a year, Christmas Day included; a long-standing family favourite
Charlton Lido	Charlton	Freshwater · heated · year-round	50m heated pool with a poolside gym, café and a new outdoor sauna (from June 2026)
Oasis	Covent Garden	Freshwater · heated · year-round	A heated rooftop outdoor pool in the heart of town
Tooting Bec Lido	Tooting	Freshwater · unheated	100 yards (about 91m) — the UK’s largest freshwater pool by surface area; open to the public May–September, South London Swimming Club members only in winter
Brockwell Lido	Herne Hill	Freshwater · unheated · year-round	Iconic 1937 Art Deco 50m pool, open all year; run by Active Lambeth since July 2026
Parliament Hill Lido	Hampstead Heath	Freshwater · unheated · year-round	1938 60m pool with a distinctive stainless-steel lining; winter sauna for over-18s
Serpentine Lido	Hyde Park	Natural lake water · unheated · seasonal	Historic Royal Parks bathing spot in central London
Park Road Lido	Hornsey	Freshwater · heated · year-round	One of London’s largest heated lidos at 50m by 23m, open all year in daylight hours
Pools on the Park	Richmond	Freshwater · heated · year-round	33m heated outdoor pool in Old Deer Park, floodlit after dark
Hillingdon Lido	Uxbridge	Freshwater · main pool unheated · April–October	Grade II-listed 50m lido with a small pool heated to 25°C for little ones
Finchley Lido	Finchley	Freshwater · unheated · summer only	25m outdoor pool that opens only when the water reaches 22°C — weekends from late May, daily from late July to mid-September

Lidos in South East England

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Saltdean Lido	near Brighton	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Restored Grade II*-listed 1938 Art Deco masterpiece; about 25°C in summer, 19°C in the October–April winter season
Hilsea Lido	Portsmouth	Freshwater · unheated · year-round	Reopened May 2026 after a £7.75m restoration; 67m and unheated, with a poolside sauna
Petersfield Lido	Petersfield	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Charity-run and heated all year — 26°C April–September, 18°C and over-16s only in winter; wood-fired sauna and cold plunge
Aldershot Lido	Aldershot	Freshwater · unheated	Large lido with children’s pools and big lawns
Guildford Lido	Guildford	Freshwater · heated · year-round	1930s 50m pool with extensive family facilities; open all year since October 2025 (about 19–20°C in winter)
Arundel Lido	Arundel	Freshwater · heated in summer · cold-water winter season	Heated pools with family and splash areas, in the South Downs
Pells Pool	Lewes	Freshwater · unheated	Opened 1860 — the oldest documented public freshwater outdoor pool in the UK; spring-fed
Wycombe Rye Lido	High Wycombe	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Restored community lido in The Rye parkland; run by Better since July 2026
Northcroft Lido	Newbury	Freshwater · heated	A long 50m heated council lido, refurbished 2023, in a riverside park
Thames Lido	Reading	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Restored 1902 ladies’ pool with sauna, steam room, hot tub and a good restaurant
Sea Lanes Brighton	Brighton seafront	Chlorinated freshwater · heated · year-round	50m six-lane beachfront pool, never below 19°C
Chesham Moor	Chesham	Spring-fed · heated · year-round	25m pool at about 27°C, open all year bar Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
Faversham Pools	Faversham	Freshwater · heated April–October · winter Sunset Swims	33m lido; adults-only Sunset Swims through the winter
Tonbridge Swimming Pool	Tonbridge	Freshwater · heated · March–September	20m outdoor pool with its own man-made beach — a hit with small children
Hinksey Outdoor Pool	Oxford	Freshwater · heated · spring–summer	35m pool heated to about 27°C, in a park on the edge of the city; reopens spring 2027
Woodstock Open Air Pool	Woodstock	Freshwater · heated in high summer only	25m pool a stroll from Blenheim; heated late July–August, cool the rest of its May–September season

Lidos in South West England

The richest region in the country for characterful open-air swimming.

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Cheltenham Lido (formerly Sandford Parks)	Cheltenham	Freshwater · heated	1935 heated 50m pool with children’s pools and lawns; great for families
Cirencester Open Air Pool	Cirencester	Freshwater · heated	Historic spring-fed pool, volunteer-run; open spring to autumn
Jubilee Pool	Penzance	Seawater · unheated main pool + geothermal pool (all year)	1935 Art Deco seafront triangle; its geothermal pool (28–30°C, bookable all year) made it the UK’s first geothermally heated seawater lido
Tinside Lido	Plymouth Hoe	Seawater · unheated	Semi-circular 1935 Art Deco Grade II pool; spectacular but cold
Shoalstone Pool	Brixham	Seawater · unheated	Tidal seawater pool by the sea; volunteer-run, donation entry
Bude Sea Pool	Bude	Natural seawater · unheated	A free tidal pool below the cliffs; sheltered and brilliant for families
Clevedon Marine Lake	Clevedon	Natural seawater · unheated	A tidal saltwater lake for dips and paddling; entry by donation
Portishead Open Air Pool	Portishead	Freshwater · heated in summer (solar-assisted) · cold-water winter season	Community-run 33m pool; family-friendly, with cold-water weekends in winter
Bristol Lido	Clifton, Bristol	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Restored Victorian lido (opened 1850) with spa and restaurant; heated all year and more adult-oriented
Chagford Swimming Pool	Chagford, Dartmoor	River-fed freshwater · heated	The largest river-fed open-air pool in the South West, heated to about 27°C, on the edge of Dartmoor
Stratford Park Lido	Stroud	Freshwater · unheated · seasonal	1937 lido, 55 yards long, with a toddler pool; reopened 15 August 2026
Topsham Outdoor Pool	Topsham, Devon	Freshwater · heated · April–September	Community-run 25m pool; adult cold-water Saturdays from late September
Greenbank Pool	Street, Somerset	Freshwater · heated · May–September	Charity-run 30m pool at about 30°C, with a 32°C children’s pool — one of the warmest on this list
Buckfastleigh Open Air Pool	Buckfastleigh, Devon	Freshwater · heated in summer	Community pool gifted to the town in 1887; heated May–early September, then cold-water Sundays (16+)
Shaftesbury Lido	Shaftesbury, Dorset	Freshwater · heated in summer	Heated to 29°C in summer; over-18s cold-water season in winter, 2026/27 dates to be announced

Lidos in the East of England (including Essex)

Home to Beccles — Suffolk’s only outdoor lido — and Brightlingsea, Essex’s last, plus strong Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire options.

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Beccles Lido	Beccles, Suffolk	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Suffolk’s only outdoor lido, on the River Waveney; slides and family facilities, winter lane swims and a 16+ sauna
Jesus Green Lido	Cambridge	Freshwater · unheated · year-round	About 91m (100 yards) — one of the longest pools in Europe; open all year for cold-water swimming, with a 16+ sauna
Peterborough Lido	Peterborough	Freshwater · heated	1936 Art Deco heated lido
Letchworth Lido	Letchworth	Freshwater · heated · seasonal	Large 50m heated lido; open late May to early September, back in spring 2027
Hitchin Outdoor Pool	Hitchin	Freshwater · heated · seasonal	Outdoor pool at Hitchin Swimming Centre; open late May to early September
Brightlingsea Lido	Brightlingsea, Essex	Freshwater · unheated (heated paddling pool) · May–August	Essex’s remaining lido: a 50m seafront pool run by a volunteer charity, with café and occasional pop-up sauna
Ware Priory Lido	Ware, Hertfordshire	Freshwater · heated in summer · year-round	30m pool at 27°C in summer, with a cold-water season roughly October to April
Woburn Lido	Woburn, Bedfordshire	Freshwater · heated in summer · year-round	About 26°C late May–September; cold-water swimming for over-18s in winter

Brightlingsea Lido, Essex: what to know

Essex’s one remaining lido is a 50m by 25m seafront pool at Brightlingsea, run since 2018 by a volunteer charity after Tendring Council stepped back. The main pool is unheated freshwater (not seawater, despite the setting) and the children’s paddling pool is now heated. It opens roughly late May to the end of August, with a café, wetsuit hire and an occasional pop-up sauna; 2027 dates will be on its own website.

Lidos in the Midlands

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Droitwich Spa Lido	Droitwich	Brine/saltwater · heated in summer · cold-water winter season (18+)	A rare heated open-air brine pool; family-friendly
Hathersage Swimming Pool	Hathersage, Peak District	Freshwater · heated · year-round	Scenic 30m pool in the Peak District, open all year, with a poolside sauna October–March
Jubilee Park	Woodhall Spa	Freshwater · heated	Heated to about 29°C, open April to November, in a family park with gardens and camping
Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool	Bourne, Lincolnshire	Freshwater · heated	One of the UK’s largest heated open-air pools; volunteer-run, open roughly May to September
Metheringham Swimming Pool	Metheringham, Lincolnshire	Freshwater · heated	Community-run open-air pool heated to around 30°C, open mid-May to September
New Bath Hotel Lido	Matlock Bath, Derbyshire	Thermal spring water · unheated · year-round	Chlorine-free spring pool (19.8°C at the source; about 15°C in winter); adults only except a 4–5pm children’s hour

Lidos in Yorkshire

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Ingleton Open Air Pool	Ingleton	Freshwater · heated	Heated 20m community pool built in 1933, in a scenic Dales setting; weekend cold-water sessions in winter
Helmsley Open Air Pool	Helmsley	Freshwater · heated	Yorkshire’s only 25m heated open-air pool; volunteer-run, very family-friendly, with a ‘Cool Pool’ winter season
Ilkley Pool and Lido	Ilkley	Freshwater · unheated (lido)	Grade II-listed 1935 lido shaped like a fountain, with a shallow children’s area; a separate heated indoor pool is on site

Lidos in North East England

The North East has no traditional lido operating in 2026. Its landmark, Tynemouth Outdoor Pool, is closed and derelict; in September 2026 North Tyneside councillors backed a two-year feasibility study with the Friends of Tynemouth Outdoor Pool, but there is no budget or date for reopening. One to watch, not yet swimmable — for now, open-air swimming here means the coast and inland lakes.

Lidos in North West England

The North West is thin on heritage lidos, but it has one gem still swimming.

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Nantwich Outdoor Brine Pool	Nantwich, Cheshire	Brine · heated (about 22–24°C)	Opened in 1935 — one of only two inland brine pools in Britain (the other is Droitwich); family-friendly

Cumbria’s Grade II-listed Grange-over-Sands Lido is not a swimming option: the council’s current scheme temporarily fills in the pool to create a public space, and a return to swimming is only a longer-term ambition of the Save Grange Lido campaign.

Lidos in Wales

Wales has one standout operating heritage lido; most other open-air swimming here is coastal and tidal rather than a formal heated lido.

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Lido Ponty (National Lido of Wales)	Pontypridd	Freshwater · heated	A beautifully restored 1927 lido (reopened 2015) with three pools heated to 28°C, including a children’s splash pool — superb for families; cold-water weekends (16+) from 24 October 2026

Lidos in Scotland

Lido	Where	Water & heating	Notes
Stonehaven Open Air Pool	Stonehaven	Seawater · heated	1934 Art Deco 50m (55-yard) seawater pool heated to about 29°C; famous for its Moonlight swims
Gourock Outdoor Pool	Gourock	Seawater · heated	Scotland’s oldest heated outdoor pool (1909): heated seawater at about 29°C, looking over the Firth of Clyde

Lidos in Northern Ireland

There is no operating public outdoor lido or open-air heated pool in Northern Ireland in 2026. The best-known survivor, the 1933 Rock Pool at Newcastle, Co Down, has been closed for around four years while the council considers turning it into a tidal pool, and Portrush’s seaside pool closed long ago. For now open-air swimming here means the coast and the loughs.

Lidos open all year

The idea that lidos are a summer-only pleasure is now well out of date. Cold-water swimming has transformed the winter economics of these pools, and a good number stay open right through — some heated to a comfortable 25°C, others deliberately left cold for the swimmers who want them that way. At least 29 UK lidos now swim through the winter, and they are no longer only in London.

Three things worth knowing before you go. Many winter sessions are adults-only — Woburn, Shaftesbury, Droitwich and the New Bath Hotel are over-18s (the New Bath keeps a children’s hour), and Lido Ponty and Petersfield are over-16s. Almost all require booking in advance, often days ahead. And winter timetables are usually published in the autumn, so the dates below describe each pool’s normal pattern rather than confirmed 2026/27 dates.

Lido	Where	Winter water	Notes
London Fields Lido	Hackney, London	Heated · 24°C	50m and floodlit, heated to 24°C right through the winter
Charlton Lido	Greenwich, London	Heated · 22°C	Olympic-size 50m pool; the operator’s own figure is a cooler 22°C
Oasis	Covent Garden, London	Heated · about 25°C	27.5m rooftop pool with an outdoor sauna overlooking it, included with your swim
Hampton Pool	Hampton, London	Heated	Charity-run and open 365 days a year; Christmas Day swims and Moonlight Swims
Parliament Hill Lido	Hampstead Heath, London	Unheated	60m stainless-steel pool open 365 days; the sauna runs in winter only
Brockwell Lido	Herne Hill, London	Unheated	50m Art Deco pool open all year; juniors only when the water is 15°C or above
Park Road Lido	Hornsey, London	Heated	One of London’s largest heated lidos at 50m by 23m, open all year in daylight hours
Pools on the Park	Richmond, London	Heated · 25°C	33m heated outdoor pool in Old Deer Park, floodlit after dark
Saltdean Lido	near Brighton, East Sussex	Heated · 19°C in winter	Winter season October–April; sauna and cold plunge alongside
Sea Lanes Brighton	Brighton, East Sussex	Heated · minimum 19°C	50m six-lane beachfront pool — chlorinated, not seawater — open all year
Thames Lido	Reading, Berkshire	Heated	Restored 1902 ladies’ pool, heated all year, with sauna, steam room and hot tub
Chesham Moor	Chesham, Buckinghamshire	Heated · about 27°C	Spring-fed 25m pool open all year bar Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day
Faversham Pools	Faversham, Kent	Heated	33m lido open April–October, then adults-only Sunset Swims through the winter
Arundel Lido	Arundel, West Sussex	Heated Apr–Sep, cold Oct–Mar	Heated to 28°C in season; cold-water season October–March, plus festive swims
Ware Priory Lido	Ware, Hertfordshire	Heated 27°C in summer, cold in winter	30m pool with a cold-water season running roughly October to April
Woburn Lido	Woburn, Bedfordshire	Heated 26°C in summer, cold in winter	Summer season late May–September; cold-water swimming October–May, over-18s only
Hilsea Lido	Portsmouth, Hampshire	Unheated	Reopened May 2026 after a £7.75m restoration; 67m, open all year, with a poolside sauna
Petersfield Lido	Petersfield, Hampshire	Heated all year	26°C April–September, 18°C and over-16s only in winter; wood-fired sauna
Jesus Green Lido	Cambridge	Unheated	About 91m and never heated — a serious year-round cold-water pool, with a sauna
Beccles Lido	Beccles, Suffolk	Heated 28°C in summer	Suffolk’s only lido; winter lane swims are separately ticketed
Bristol Lido	Clifton, Bristol	Heated · 20–24°C	24m Victorian pool heated all year, with sauna, steam room and hot tub
Portishead Open Air Pool	Portishead, Somerset	Heated in summer, cold in winter	33m solar-heated pool; cold-water weekends in winter, reheated for Christmas
Droitwich Spa Lido	Droitwich, Worcestershire	Heated in summer, cold in winter	Rare open-air brine pool; cold-water sessions for over-18s, typically mid-September to mid-May
Hathersage Swimming Pool	Hathersage, Peak District	Heated	Separate November–March winter timetable; the poolside sauna reopened on 1 October 2026
New Bath Hotel Lido	Matlock Bath, Derbyshire	Spring-fed · about 15°C in winter	Chlorine-free thermal spring pool, open all year — adults only except a 4–5pm children’s hour; pre-book, and check for maintenance closures this autumn
Wycombe Rye Lido	High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire	Heated	33m heated lido open all year; run by Better since July 2026
Guildford Lido	Guildford, Surrey	Heated · about 19–20°C	Open all year since October 2025 — 50m and one of the newest winter converts
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf	Canary Wharf, London	Unheated natural water	New 50m floating pool, open all year with waterside saunas; about 16–17°C in early October
Jubilee Pool	Penzance, Cornwall	Geothermal pool · 28–30°C	The geothermally heated pool is bookable all year — a warm-water winter swim beside the Atlantic

Several more run a cold-water season rather than true year-round opening. Lido Ponty in Pontypridd lowers its water to about 14°C for weekend cold-water swims from 24 October 2026 (over-16s; tickets on sale from 5 October). Buckfastleigh in Devon swims cold on Sundays from late September to February for over-16s, and Topsham, Ingleton, Helmsley and Stonehaven all run winter cold-water sessions too — check each pool’s site for the timetable.

Lidos with saunas

The sauna has become the natural companion to the cold-water swim, and a good number of lidos have added one — some a proper wood-fired cabin, others a container or an indoor health suite. A pattern worth knowing before you plan a family day: almost every lido sauna in Britain is over-16s or over-18s only, and most are an extra ticket on top of your swim rather than included.

Lido	Where	Sauna	Cost and rules
Oasis	Covent Garden, London	Outdoor, poolside	Included with your swim during sauna hours — the best value sauna on this list
Parliament Hill Lido	Hampstead Heath, London	Winter only	Over-18s. Extra ticket on top of a swim, 30 places per session, first come first served
Park Road Lido	Hornsey, London	Indoor health suite	Sauna and steam room booked in hour slots, over-16s — indoors, not poolside
Saltdean Lido	near Brighton	Year-round, with cold plunge	Run as a concession by an outside operator, so hours can differ from the pool’s
Pells Pool	Lewes, East Sussex	Season only, with cold plunge	£4 for 30 minutes, over-16s, and you must buy a swim to book it
Hilsea Lido	Portsmouth	Poolside, seats 16	£12 with a swim; check the site for sauna-only sessions and age rules
Petersfield Lido	Petersfield, Hampshire	Wood-fired, with cold plunge	Over-16s only
Thames Lido	Reading, Berkshire	Scandinavian, about 85°C	With steam room and hot tub; adults only, sold as a two-hour session from £25
Bristol Lido	Clifton, Bristol	Sauna, steam room and hot tub	Adults only — children swim in the 2–4pm slot but cannot use the spa
Jubilee Pool	Penzance, Cornwall	Seasonal	£6.50 for 30 minutes, over-16s — and unusually, you can book it without a swim
Cheltenham Lido	Cheltenham, Gloucestershire	Shoulder season only	A ‘Nordic Experience’ with ice baths, run by an outside operator; open March–May and September–October, not high summer
Hathersage Swimming Pool	Hathersage, Peak District	Poolside, October–March	Run by Hive Sauna as a concession and booked separately; reopened 1 October 2026
Jesus Green Lido	Cambridge	Poolside	Wristband bought at reception, over-16s; a swim-and-sauna ticket is the cheaper route
Beccles Lido	Beccles, Suffolk	Poolside	£5 for a shared 30-minute session, strictly over-16s
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf	Canary Wharf, London	Waterside saunas	Beside the new 50m floating pool, open all year — check booking terms on the site
Charlton Lido	Greenwich, London	New outdoor sauna (June 2026)	Check prices and age rules with Better before you go

Worth saying what is not here. Brockwell’s operator lists a sauna and steam room, but they belong to the indoor gym rather than the poolside, so we have left it out. Droitwich Spa Lido has no sauna either — the sauna belongs to the separate leisure centre up the road.

Winter lido swimming: staying safe and warming up fast

October is when lidos change character. The families thin out, the water drops through the teens and into single figures, and the regulars start talking in degrees rather than lengths. A lifeguarded lido is the safest place to start winter swimming — steps, a hard edge and a hot drink twenty yards away — but cold water deserves respect wherever it is. This is what the people who study it advise.

Before you get in

• Know about cold water shock. The RNLI defines cold water as anything at 15°C or below. The first contact makes you gasp, your breathing races and your heart rate and blood pressure jump; it passes within the first minute or two. Don’t try to swim through it — hold the rail or stand, and let your breathing settle. (The RNLI’s “Float to Live” advice exists for exactly this moment.)
• Get in slowly. Use the steps and lower yourself in gradually; never jump or dive into cold water. Swimming through the autumn as the pool cools is the best way to acclimatise.
• Count strokes, not minutes. The old “one minute per degree” rule is a myth — the Outdoor Swimming Society says every body is different and the rule of thumb is not true. Start with a few widths, get out while you still feel good, and build up over weeks.
• Check with your GP first if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, asthma or another breathing condition, or are pregnant. And don’t swim after a drink.

Getting out: the after-drop, and how to warm up

You carry on getting colder after you get out. Cooled blood returns from your arms and legs to your core, and the low point — the after-drop — typically comes 5–20 minutes after you leave the water, bringing shivering, light-headedness and sometimes nausea. Plan your warm-up for it:

1. Get out before you feel cold. If your fingers won’t do up a zip, you stayed in too long.
2. Wet kit off, straight away. Dry quickly, standing on a mat or towel so your feet are off the cold ground.
3. Hat first, then layers. Warm, loose, easy-on clothes, thick socks and gloves, with a changing robe or long coat over everything.
4. Hot drink, something sweet. The Outdoor Swimming Society is candid that a hot drink does nothing for your core temperature — but it warms your hands and lifts your spirits.
5. Move gently. A walk round the pool or the park helps.
6. Go easy on the hot shower and sauna if you are shivering hard. The South London Swimming Club notes that most people who faint do so after a shower or sauna. Warm up with layers first; enjoy the sauna once you have stopped shaking.
7. Don’t drive until you’ve stopped shivering. The Outdoor Swimming Society’s rule, and a good one.

Children and cold water

Most lidos set their own rules, and they are stricter in winter. Brockwell lets junior members swim only when the water is 15°C or above; Parliament Hill requires under-16s to come with an adult and keeps evening sessions for over-18s; and many winter sessions elsewhere — Woburn, Shaftesbury, Droitwich, Lido Ponty, Petersfield — are 16+ or 18+ only. Children chill far faster than adults, so if your lot are allowed in, keep it to a quick dip and have the warm layers ready before they get out. For families, a heated lido that stays open all year (London Fields, Pools on the Park, Chesham Moor, Hampton) is the gentler winter outing.

What lidos allow in the water

Neoprene caps, gloves and socks are widely accepted in winter. Parliament Hill allows wetsuits, neoprene boots and gloves (though not in the sauna), and Beccles allows wetsuits if they are washed first. Tow floats, recommended in open water, are unnecessary in a lifeguarded pool. Rules vary, so check your lido’s before you buy.

Winter kit: in the water

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Winter kit: warming up afterwards

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You don’t need all of it. To start, a woolly hat, warm loose layers you can pull on fast, something to stand on and a flask will do. A long waterproof coat over a towelling poncho does most of what a changing robe does — buy the robe once you know you’re hooked.

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Tips for a great lido day

• Book ahead on hot days. The popular lidos move to timed sessions and sell out in heatwaves — buy online the night before rather than turning up on spec.
• Arrive early. The first session of the day is the calmest and coolest, and parking is far easier before mid-morning.
• Pack a base camp. Towels, a windbreak or shade, refillable water, a picnic (many lidos allow food on the lawns — but leave glass at home), sun cream and a £1 coin or padlock for the lockers. Our full kit list is below.
• Know your temperatures. Heated lidos usually run at 25–29°C in summer; unheated and seawater pools can be bracing even in a heatwave, so check the posted water temperature and pack a swim cap or neoprene for the cold ones.

What to pack for a lido day

Lido days run long: a morning swim turns into lunch on the lawn and a last dip at four. Beyond towels, costumes and the picnic, these are the things we find make the day — chosen for an outdoor pool rather than a sports-hall one.

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Value note: none of this needs to be new. An old bath towel and a pair of flip-flops do the job; if you buy one thing, make it goggles that fit — they are the difference between a child who swims all afternoon and one who gives up after ten minutes.

Affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate, Saturday & Sunday earns from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra and helps keep our guides free. We chose these on specification and the makers’ reputations; no brand paid to be included. Availability was checked on 3 October 2026 and can change.

Lido FAQs

How many lidos are there in the UK?

There’s no official register, so the answer depends on what you count. Roughly 300 open-air pools existed at the 1930s peak; by 1991 only about 100 remained. Today somewhere between 130 and 160 public open-air pools are operating — the All The Lidos register lists 162, including tidal sea pools. This directory covers 65 of the best, region by region, each checked against its operator’s own website.

What is a lido?

A lido is an outdoor public swimming pool, usually with sunbathing terraces or lawns around it. The word (from the Italian for “beach”) entered British use in the 1920s and 30s, when hundreds were built as open-air “palaces of the people”. Today it covers everything from Art Deco freshwater pools to natural seawater tidal pools.

Which UK lidos are heated?

Plenty are. Heated options include London Fields, Hampton, Charlton, Oasis, Park Road and Pools on the Park in London; Saltdean, Petersfield, Guildford, Arundel, Thames Lido, Chesham Moor and Wycombe Rye in the South East; Cheltenham Lido, Cirencester, Greenbank, Portishead and Bristol Lido in the South West; Beccles and Peterborough in the East; Droitwich, Hathersage and Woodhall Spa in the Midlands; Ingleton and Helmsley in Yorkshire; Lido Ponty in Wales; and Stonehaven and Gourock in Scotland. Heated pools usually run at 25–29°C in summer.

Are UK lidos open all year?

Far more than most people think. At least 29 do, and they are no longer only in London. Some stay heated — London Fields at 24°C, Pools on the Park at 25°C, Chesham Moor at 27°C, and Guildford since October 2025 — while others deliberately run cold for winter swimmers, including Parliament Hill, Brockwell, Jesus Green and Hilsea. A third group switches between the two, heated through the summer and cold from autumn: Portishead, Arundel, Droitwich, Ware and Woburn all work this way. Most lidos are still seasonal, opening roughly from late May to early September, and winter sessions are very often adults-only and must be booked ahead. Always check the pool’s own website for current dates.

Are lidos heated or cold — what should I expect?

It varies hugely. “Heated” pools are usually 25–29°C in summer. Unheated and seawater or natural pools — such as Tooting Bec, Brockwell, Jesus Green, Pells Pool, Tinside, Bude Sea Pool and the Serpentine — can be genuinely cold even in July: great for confident swimmers, bracing for little ones. Check the pool’s posted water temperature before you go.

Are lidos family- and child-friendly?

Many are excellent for families, especially heated pools with separate children’s or splash pools such as Lido Ponty, Cheltenham Lido, Beccles, Arundel, Droitwich, Greenbank and Petersfield. Cold, deep pools like Tooting Bec or the Serpentine suit older children and adults better. Most lidos have grassy areas, cafés and changing facilities.

Do I need to book a lido in advance?

Increasingly, yes — especially on hot weekends. Popular lidos such as Brockwell, Tooting Bec, Saltdean and Cheltenham often switch to timed entry sessions and sell out in heatwaves. Book online the day before where you can, rather than turning up on spec.

What’s the cheapest way to swim outdoors?

The cheapest are the natural tidal pools: Bude Sea Pool is free, and Clevedon Marine Lake and Shoalstone Pool ask only for a donation. Council lidos are usually cheap, and many offer family tickets, off-peak rates and season passes that work out far cheaper than one-off entry.

What should I bring for a lido day?

Towels, sun cream, a windbreak or shade, refillable water, and snacks or a picnic (many lidos allow food on the lawns) — a Saturday farmers’ market on the way is the best place to fill the cool bag — plus a £1 coin or padlock for the lockers and a swim nappy for babies. For unheated pools, older children and adults may appreciate a swim cap, and neoprene helps in cold seawater pools. Our lido-day kit list has the details.

What should I wear for winter lido swimming?

A normal costume plus a bright silicone cap is enough for many regulars, but neoprene makes winter swimming far more comfortable for most: a neoprene cap or beanie, gloves and socks of around 2–3mm. Most lidos allow them; some also allow wetsuits. Afterwards you need a hat, warm loose layers and something to stand on while you change — see our winter kit list.

How do I warm up after a cold lido swim?

Get out before you feel cold, strip off the wet kit at once and dry quickly. Put on a hat and warm, loose layers, thick socks and gloves, then have a hot drink and walk about gently. Expect to feel colder for 5–20 minutes after you get out (the “after-drop”). If you are shivering hard, warm up with layers before a hot shower or sauna, and don’t drive until the shivering stops.

Can children swim at lidos in winter?

Sometimes. Each lido sets its own rules: Brockwell admits junior members only when the water is 15°C or warmer, and many winter sessions are over-16s or over-18s only. Heated lidos that stay open all year — London Fields, Pools on the Park, Chesham Moor and Hampton among them — are the easiest winter swim with children.

Which UK lidos have a sauna?

At least sixteen, including Parliament Hill, the Oasis, Charlton and the new Sea Lanes at Canary Wharf in London; Saltdean, Pells Pool, Hilsea, Petersfield and Thames Lido in the South East; Bristol Lido, Jubilee Pool in Penzance and Cheltenham Lido in the South West; Hathersage in the Peak District; and Jesus Green in Cambridge and Beccles in the East. The Oasis is the pick for value — its outdoor sauna is included with your swim. Nearly all the others charge separately, and almost every lido sauna in Britain is restricted to over-16s or over-18s, so they are not part of a family swim.

What is the biggest lido in the UK?

Tooting Bec Lido in south London is the UK’s largest freshwater pool by surface area, at 100 yards (about 91 metres) long. Cambridge’s Jesus Green Lido is a similar length and among the longest in Europe, while Stonehaven and Stroud’s Stratford Park are both 55 yards, and Saltdean and Cheltenham Lido are two of the best-loved 50-metre Art Deco pools.

Are there any lidos in Essex?

Yes — one. Brightlingsea Lido on the seafront at Brightlingsea is Essex’s remaining lido: a 50m by 25m freshwater pool (unheated, though the children’s paddling pool is now heated), run since 2018 by a volunteer charity and open roughly late May to the end of August. Beyond it, the nearest open-air swimming is London’s cluster or the East of England pools at Jesus Green in Cambridge, Ware and Letchworth.

Related guides

• August bank holiday 2026: family days out across the UK — where a lido day fits into the last long weekend of summer.
• UK car boot sales, county by county — the same approach applied to the Sunday-morning boot sale, with gate times and which ones run all year.
• UK pumpkin patches, county by county — the autumn companion to this directory, built the same way from each farm’s own website.
• Felbrigg Hall family day out — pair a North Norfolk day with a dip at Beccles.