We love open-air pools. We love the feeling of sheer joy, and the sense of abandon, that swimming outdoors brings us. We love the sense of community, the beauty of sunshine through water, the companionable solitude of the swim and the chat with other swimmers that seems to flow so much more readily when not constrained by a roof. And we love the cafes, tuck shops and cakes that so often go hand in hand with lidos. The UK has a surprisingly rich stock of open-air pools, from the grand art deco lidos to the more humble, but fiercely loved, community run pools in small towns and villages, to tidal sea pools that provide the swimmer sanctuary from the waves. Many lidos have been lost, but an increasing number are being rescued and there are active campaigns to rescue even more.
We want to provide a guide to all the public access open-air pools that continue to breathe life into the communities that surround them. We want to connect them to swimmers, by providing a guide that will inspire people to visit, and enable them to plan those visits.
Our aim is to cover every single open-air pool that survives in the UK, alongside those where there is a realistic chance that they may be saved. This is not a history of lidos past, it is very much a practical celebration of lidos present. We currently have researched information on over 100 pools, including some that are soon to reopen such as Saltdean and Kings Meadow.
Every pool will have its own entry summarising what makes it unique, what it’s like to swim there and all the information needed to enable swimmers to contact them, engage via social media and visit; if there are little individual quirks, like coin-operated showers, we’ll tell you about it. We’ll tell you whether they are run by volunteers, whether they are heated or unheated, whether they are salt or fresh water, and a great deal more besides. We’ll group the pools by county, so it will be easy to find pools that are near to you, and near to each other.
And there will be a multitude of photographs, because all of these pools are beautiful in their own way and we want to showcase that. First and foremost this book will be practical, but we also want it to be food for a swimmer’s ambitions; the sort of book you can curl up with on a winter evening and lose yourself in while you plan the adventures to come.
More information
Janet Wilkinson
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff)
Emma Pusill (@saltwateritch & @lidoguide) is a lido enthusiast who is currently a volunteer at Portishead Open Air Pool. She is a keen swimmer, who prefers the sun on her back when in the water, and she is fascinated by the individuality of outdoor pools.
Janet Wilkinson (@deliciousswim) is a dedicated lido swimmer who, over the course of several years, has swum in almost every open-air pool in the country. Her wealth of direct experience, and the passion for outdoor pools that drives it, is an essential feature of this book.
Janet and Emma are also organising the first ever national Lido Conference, on September 17th & 18th 2016. More details here
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Still have a question? Visit our Help Centre to find out more.
11th January 2019This is the year it all happens...
A slightly belated happy new year to all our pledgers. We hope you managed some festive fun in the water over the Christmas break.
One of our pledgers reminded me, yesterday, that there hadn't been a project update for a while. This was a very fair point, well made. That's primarily because it's been a busy old time at LIdo Guide HQ. As well as all the 'real life' that continues to tick along entirely…
26th October 2018Gathering Momentum
Things are beginning to happen apace, here at Lido Guide HQ.
Janet and I have been busy beavering away providing feedback to Unbound on the first of the layouts for the book. It's an amazing feeling to hold something in your hands that actually looks like it's going to be a real book. And it's not often we get given carte blanche to make liberal use of a red pen, so naturally we seized that opportunity…
27th September 2018Comings and goings, toings and froings
Earlier in the week, when we showed you all our lovely book cover, I promised a round up of one or two lido happenings towards the end of the week. And here we are, at the end of the week. But first, shall we just have another little look at our gorgeous cover? Shall we? Just because we can?
Oh, alright then - you talked me into it.
It's still smashing, isn't it?
Anyway - in other news…
24th September 2018It's going to be a real book!
Dear supporter,
We have got some very exciting news, and after a period of comparative quiet because we've been busy swooping in and out of pools to take any remaining images needed for the book it is great to be able to share this for our first update of the off-season.
The lovely people at Unbound have been beavering away with design samples and the whole thing is looking fabulous. Seeing…
3rd August 2018Water, water everywhere - and all the queues to stand in
With the book now fully funded, and pre-orders continuing to come in, it's all hands to the pumps at Lido HQ and Unbound as we busy ourselves getting the book ready for print.
At Unbound the focus has been on the design work to date, and the sample designs look good enough to eat... we'll let you have a sneak preview just as soon as possible. The manuscript was delivered some months ago, and we…
18th June 2018100%
When we started crowdfunding for this book, almost 2 years ago, I imagined that this would be the easiest project update to write; that I'd sit down and it would flow from my fingers. But crafting an update to let you all know that we are finally at the magic 100% funded, and that this book will now certainly become a reality, is one of the hardest things I've ever done.
Perhaps it's becasue I…
11th June 2018Listing heavily.
Some things happen like clockwork in the annual lido calendar. One of them, almost wearisome in its inevitability, is the flush of lido lists that appear in the media. You know the sort of thing...
MUST HAVE LIDOS FOR 2018!
TOP TWELVE LIDOS TO SWIM IN BEFORE IT STARTS RAINING AGAIN!!
OMG SHE WENT TO THESE TEN OUTDOOR POOLS AND YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT SHE DID THERE!!!
That sort of thing…
20th May 2018Doing the homework
A good guidebook is, really, all about the homework. That's what gives the authors the credentials to be taken seriously; the painstaking hours of research, of walking the walk, of going, doing, seeing and living the thing you want to tell others about.
Janet, in particular, has been grafting at this for a long time.
Since at least 1973, it seems, when she was so looking forward to a holiday…
17th May 2018The BIG Weekend
Well folks, we are less than 10 days away from the biggie - the late May Bank Holiday weekend when the majority of pools open once more for the season.
It's really gratifying to see so many more pools now extending their season. Hathersage have been a trail blazer in that respect, and I'm always grateful for Topsham's early season opening. Pells Pool is also one to watch - they trialled extending…
20th April 2018Feast follows famine
After what has felt like the longest, hardest winter for some time I sit here bathed in sunshine that is actually warm. Just a month or so ago we were in the grip of Storm Emma here in the UK but now we're in the grip of an undoubtedly brief, but nevertheless very welcome, harbinger of summer. I can feel my bones relaxing under skin no longer swaddled against the elements.
It's timely, then, that…
20th March 2018Don't mention the pool cover... I did once, but I think I got away with it.
There's been quite the buzz around The Lido, a debut novel by Libby Page due out on April 19th.
The story of its publication could readily be a novel in its own right. Girl writes book alongside full time marketing job. Girl spends a year sending manuscript, fruitlessly, to publishers. Girl gets close to giving up. Girl approaches co-founder of new agency. Girl gets signed, secures six figure…
15th March 2018Emerging from hibernation
With the daffodils, birdsong and longer days come other unmistakable sounds of spring...
The priming of pumps, the scrubbing of pool tanks, the hum of boilers and the pleasing splatter of water flowing full bore to fill the beckoning void. Seasonal pools are coming out of hibernation up and down the land, and we are emerging with them.
Our social media is getting busier, so we thought it was…
27th February 2018The weather outside is Beastly...
I've been very neglectful of posting updates on the project lately, and I apologise. There has been much going on behind the scenes at Lido Guide HQ in the dead of winter; we had a joint lido train trip to luxurious Thames Lido, featuring a very pleasurable and enlightening lengthy lido chat with the manager mark. It's always such fun to be in the company of someone else who could happily talk lidos…
22nd November 2017Lidoplasty
All lidos need surgery from time to time. A nip and tuck here, a bit of grafting there. It's a rolling process keeping them looking their best. They are, quite literally, high maintenance.
Over the years so many have been lost for lack of that maintenance. Some, like the superbly named Morecambe Super Swimming Stadium, fell victim to poor quality concrete that quickly made ongoing maintenance rather…
23rd October 2017Jubilee Pool, Penzance; Poetry competition winning entries
I found myself with a spare day on my hands last Friday, and a desire to beat the southward bound half-term traffic. So I made an early start and whistled down to Penzance for the day, determined to have an autumnal swim before they close their doors at the end of October.
The swim was a mixed bag. The water was 14c, pretty much my favourite temperature, and I had the pool entirely to myself. Maybe…
3rd October 2017The F Word
Last weekend saw the big shut down, with the majority of seasonal pools turning off the plant and hanging up the keys until next spring.
So my thoughts naturally turn to cold water swimming. By way of a bit of variety I thought I'd share a short story I wrote about cold water swimming. It's loosely based on an encounter I had at Clevedon Marine Lake, and I wrote it for an event at Lido Brynaman…
14th September 2017Wrapping Up
*Ahem*
*Taps on screen*
Remember me?
I wouldn't blame you if you didn't. I have been shamefully quiet for the last few months. This is largely on account of gorging myself on seasonal lidos while I've had the opportunity. Making hay while the sun shines, and all that. You can read about my various lido road trips here. Scotland was a particularly epic, high mileage jolly around the outdoor…
10th April 2017Feeling the love
Dearest pledgers,
Spring is upon us, and the sunshine reveals all. In my case that includes arms that are reminiscent of just set blancmange, thanks to very little actual swimming over the winter. But the sun also encourages the greenery that has been lying dormant in the countryside to show itself, and it encourages the seasonal lido lovers to show themselves.
Many seasonal pools are yet to…
25th February 2017If art reflects lidos, it does so with special mirrors.
Apologies to Bertold Brecht for the reworking of his fine words on art reflecting life, but I hope he wouldn't have minded. A man who wanted his audiences to think critically, to recognise social injustice and to leave the theatres and set about trying to effect change in the world might well have had some affinity for lidos given their early aims of providing opportunities to groups previously denied…
19th January 2017The only gala season that matters?
This is a exciting time of year for unheated lido lovers. Not only are there the teeth tightening, sub 5c swims under candy floss sunrise skies to look forward to there are galas galore. I'm not a competitive person, not where swimming is concerned anyway. Try me at scrabble though, that's a different story. I'd never think of entering a gala in an indoor pool, and very probably I'd baulk at the idea…
5th January 2017A Year Of Possibilities
I'm not a spiritual or superstitious person. I don't really believe in fate in the sense of some unshakeable, arbitrary destiny being dished out by powers unseen and unknown. I do believe in luck however, both good and bad; sometimes events, things, or people happen along that hold the power to change our lives. Perhaps the best luck of all comes to those who are able to recognise these unexpected…
14th November 2016Some like it cold
Dear pledger,
with autumn shuffling out the back door like a guilty lover, as winter rattles its keys on the front step, the swimming forums of the internet begin to fill with talk of temperature, shivers, flasks, (even more) cake, cold water galas and the wetsuit vs skins debate. I'm not about to get into that one - it's a broad church as far as I'm concerned, this cold water swimming lark and…
7th October 2016Building a community
Hello lovely supporters,
It really is a pleasure to see the number of pledgers continuing to grow despite the tailing off of the lido season in so many parts of the coutnry. Many pools are now closed for the winter, although London is well blessed with year round outdoor swimming opportunities those of us outside London are iften reconciled to moving back indoors to put in our hard yards over…
20th September 201636 hours of lido love
Hello lovely pledgers,
Firstly, welcome and thankyou to our most recent pledgers - we are thrilled to have you on board.
Things have been a bit quiet in the shed lately, mainly because Janet and I have been preparing for the inaugural Lido Conference. That took place last weekend, in Portishead, and we feel really pleased and enthused with the way it went. The feedback we've had was very positive…
25th August 2016Guest Lido Road Trip post from @indianabrambles
Hello all,
Janet and I continue to be thrilled with the support that the Lido Guide is getting, and one of our staunchest supporters is Sarah Thelwall, or @indianabrambles as some of you will know her on twitter. She is also busily swimming her way round the lidos and sea pools of the UK (and beyond!) Given how grateful we are to her for her support it is a delight to have our very first guest…
11th August 201610%!
Ten percent funded in just 2 days! This is amazing news, and we are so very grateful to everybody who has pledged, shared and said lovely things about the concept of this book.
It must be getting on for a couple of years since Janet and I first started talking about this book, and just generally nattering on for hours about lidos. So to see it beginning to take shape is quite something.
Thanks…
Alex Crawford asked:
Does Aldershot Lido feature in "The Lido Guide"?
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Alex, it certainly will yes. Janet has already swum there, and I am expecting to swim there early next week sometime.
Janet and I are also hosting a national lido conference in September, so if you (or anybody else connected to Aldershot) would like to come along you can find more information here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-lido-conference-tickets-23121541152
Thanks for your interest, Emma.
Shaun Crowley asked:
Have you been to Beccles Lido yet?
Shaun@BecclesLido.com
Janet Wilkinson replied:
Shaun - hello. Yes, I've been to Beccles and I LOVED it. We had an early morning Sunday swim with you in the summer of 2015 and really enjoyed the pool, the location, the ambience and the sun loungers around the outside on a lovely sunny morning. I have lovely memories and was really glad to have made the effort to swim with you....I was going to swim in 2014 but ran out of summer...!!
Are you able to come to the lido conference in September? It would be great to see you there as I missed you the day I was at Beccles. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-lido-conference-tickets-23121541152
Thanks for your question and for bringing back the memory of a lovely swim, Janet
Shaun Crowley asked:
hi again Janet - can't make the conference unfortunately as I have something on in Suffolk 18-Sep - will see if anyone else can - I had spotted it a while ago and looked interesting. Also, 17-Sep is our annual Lido-Locks river swim! You should try get up again as there is also a FB group "Norfolk & Suffolk Open Water Swimming" who swims sea, lakes, rivers nearby! Meantime, we did various improvements before we opened: new soft surface pool surround, outdoor exercise equipment and kiddies adventure play area and Beccles Lido is having a good season so far thanks to fine Summer Hols weather - although it's a bit gloomy today! Good luck with the conference and see you hopefully if you come by again. Rgds, Shaun
Janet Wilkinson replied:
I'll definitely be back...to talk to you more about the book and see all the work you've done for this season. Hoping for sunny weather for you now until you close at the end of the season. Best, Janet
Paul Goodwin asked:
Hi Happy to provide details / pics of the Open Air Pool in Helmsley - the 2nd most northerly 25m in the country we think see facebook "Helmsley open air pool" thanks Paul
Janet Wilkinson replied:
Paul - hello. Thanks for your offer - I swam in Helmsley with my son last summer and we had such a lovely day at the pool and in the area. It was a lovely swim. We'd be delighted for you to provide details and pictures of the pool for the book - thank you for your offer. We'll be back in touch. Hope the pool has had a great summer so far. Best, Janet
John Weller asked:
Hi there
Happy to help with photography. I am the photographer and co-author of Wild Swimming Spain.
Regards
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi John,
thank you so much for the kind offer of help. Perhaps you could email me on lidoguide@gmail.com to discuss?
Rgds
Emma.
Brett House asked:
I can't wait to see this come out!
Janet Wilkinson replied:
Thank you. We can’t wait either. We have this vision of lots of people using it to swim in, enjoy and support all the open air pools up and down the UK by visiting them. Thanks for your enthusiasm!
Dee Keane asked:
Hi Janet and Emma
Looking forward to seeing the book! I have 2 questions:
Have you included Hinksey Outdoor Pool (Oxford) in the book?
How will your book differ from/ build on Liquid Assets by Janet Smith?
Bests
Dee
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Dee,
Thanks so much for pledging!
Hinksey will definitely feature, we both love that pool a lot and had great but very different swims there during the 2016 season.
In respect of how this book will differ from Liquid Assets the answer really is quite a lot. We have both read it (more than once) and still dip in and out of it. It's a very useful and inspirational book. But Liquid Assets isn't a user guide, really, which is what the Lido Guide will be. We want to be able to provide all the up to date practical information a swimmer will need to visit each pool, whereas where Janet Smith features an individual pool it is as a case study in the rise (and sadly often fall) of outdoor pools through the history of outdoor swimming. Because of that she also couldn't feature every pool still open to the public, and also featured a good number that are lost.
We will feature all remaining publicly accessible open air pools in the U.K., and will only be featuring lost pools where there is an active and realistic campaign to save or rebuild going on at present. And then the idea will be to try and inspire people to get involved with those campaigns.
I hope that answers your questions, please drop either of us a line if you need more information.
Thanks again, Emma.
Dee Keane asked:
Hi Janet and Emma
Looking forward to the book. I have 2 questions:
Is Hinksey Outdoor Pool in Oxford featured in the book?
How will your book differ from/build on 'Liquid Assets' by Janet Smith (2005)?
Best wishes
Dee
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
This is a duplicate question, see answer above.
Thanks, Emma
Dee Keane asked:
Thanks Emma. (Apologies for duplicate posting - too keen by half!)
Maybe see you at Hinksey next year.
Bests
Dee
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
We like lido-keen!
I'm sure I'll be back to Hinksey next year, I have family in the area. So I'll let you know when :-)
Samantha Curtis asked:
Hi there,
This is such a wonderful and unique idea for a book!
Greenbank swimming pool in Street, Somerset, is a fantastic example of an outdoor lido which has stood the test of time (gifted to the residents of the UK's smallest village by Clarks Shoes whose birthplace is Street). I just wondered if you'll be including it? Do check it out if you haven't yet!
Best wishes
Sam
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Sam, thanks for the kind words about the book.
We will definitely be including Greenbank. I live in North Somerset so know it well - I first took my daughter there when she was about 6 months old and she's 11 in a few weeks. I love it - not only for the social history (particularly that its initial aim was to provide somewhere for the women of the area to swim as decorum forbade them from swimming in the river) but also for the aesthetics of it and the sheer variety of what it offers.
It is definitely one of those pools where you can stay all day and not get bored.
Thanks for the support,
Emma.
Gail Shackley asked:
Does Woodhall Spa pool (Lincolnshire) feature in your book, where I swam in my first ever (and so far only) triathlon in July 2016?
Also, will you be featuring Tarlair pool up on the Moray Firth in Macduff - this pool is closed but a local group (Friends of Tarlair) are fundraising to restore it and bring it back into use, so far they have done quite a lot of work to the surrounding area and have got the boating pool adjacent back in use (model boats not sailing boats!)
Janet Wilkinson replied:
Hello Gail - Woodhall Spa will be in there for sure. What a lovely pool that is and I have memories of a couple of really nice, warm swims in the beautiful pool and its lovely surroundings.
I know of the Tarlair pool and it is possible that we might feature it in a section of ‘pools that might be on their way back’ - our focus for the moment is on including the ones that you can definitely swim in. Thank you - we’ll keep an eye on Tarlair and what they are doing - we’d love to feature as many as we know about and can find so that as many people as possible can enjoy them and help to keep them going.
Thanks for your question.
Janet
Philip Lewis asked:
Hi. Will Deganwy Lido North Wales be featured in the book?
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi, is that the pool that closed in the 50s that was known as West Shore? That's the only open air pool in that area that I know of.
Currently we are only planning to feature closed pools where there is an active and realistic campaign to save / reinstate the pool. I'm not aware of a campaign to reinstate this pool, but if there is one I'd love to hear about it - maybe you could email me any details to lidoguide@gmail.com?
Emma.
Pat Burgess asked:
Have you got these two? Both in Cumbria, just a few miles apart -
https://www.facebook.com/shapswimmingpool/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/askhamswimmingpool.askham/?fref=ts
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Ho Pat,
we do indeed have both of those on the list - thanks so much for double checking.
Emma.
stee boxer asked:
is it possible to pledge just for the ebook? I love the idea for the book and would like to support it but I live overseas and it is going to cost me 17 pounds to ship the book. I'd rather give you guys the money and just get an ebook. good luck and thanks. you had better give a nice review to parliament hill lido!
Unbound replied:
Hi Stee,
Thanks for getting in touch. The Turnstile level is for the ebook only, and this is at the top of the list of pledge levels. I hope this helps!
Best wishes,
Caitlin - Community Manager
Alex Willatt asked:
It would be great if you included Shaftesbury pool - a real phoenix from the flames. The pool as originally open air but the roof collapsed in the snow and it is now open air again :-)
http://www.shaftesburytowncouncil.co.uk/what-we-do/news/item/shaftesbury-oasis-swimming-pool-2
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Alex,
Shaftesbury is definitely having an entry, both Janet and I enjoyed our swims there a great deal. As it happens I was on the phone to Shaftesbury Town Council this afternoon, because I noticed that the pool's facebook page says it is permanently closed. I'm pleased to report that the lady I spoke to was as worried as I was about that - but she was able to confirm that this isn't the case. They plan to open in May, with the precise date to be confirmed later. Phew!
I hadn't known about the roof collapsing in snow though - what a marvellous thing!
Thanks for dropping us a line.
Emma.
Peter Woods asked:
Can I make a plea to include information about diving boards ?
As there are so few outdoor pools with any diving facilities, it would be great to have them listed in one place !
Faversham in Kent has an outdoor pool with 1m and 3m springboards.
It also has a 5m platform which, I believe, is the only one in the UK !
Does anyone know of any other outdoor pools with diving boards ?
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Peter, thanks for raising this. Where there are boards that we know to be in use it is very likely we’ll be mentioning it. It’s a tricky area, because the opening of boards seems to be occasional and on a bit of a whim. There are very few with dedicated diving sessions. So that makes it likely that we’d be giving information that may not be reliable.
There are also, sadly, a number of pools who retain their diving boards but they are closed for use as at Stratford Park (Stroud) and Portishead.
I understand the reasons for this. Sometimes it is to do with changes to H&S legislation... some pools were built with surprisingly little water under the diving boards and are really too shallow for it! But often it is because having the boards in use can compromise the financial viability of a pool. To safely manage a diving session it can be necessary to rope off part of the pool under the boards. That reduces the maximum bather load in the pool which in turn reduces the admission takings.
So many pools run on a shoe string these days, and I can see why any reduced income could be a problem.
Do let us know about any other diving boards / platforms you know to be in use and we’ll include that information on our lovely lido spreadsheet.
Emma.
Matthew Whicher asked:
Diving boards we have seen while on Lido Safari:
Hilsea (Portsmouth, Hampshire) 2m
Marbury Park (Cheshire) Springboard and 1m board
Aldershot (Hampshire)
Lazonby Pool (Penrith, Cumbria)
I'm sure there are lots of others...
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Brilliant, thanks Matthew. There are indeed others. :-)
Hilary Kemp asked:
Hi. Just found this great book. Does Letchworth Garden City outdoor pool feature in it ? We think our pool should be renamed a Lido ... and in fact it was when it featured in last year's Boots summer advert, in which it was named Luxworth Lido ! Featuring in your book might help us get traction on the name thing ...
http://www.thecomet.net/news/boots-advert-filmed-at-letchworth-outdoor-pool-in-may-is-broadcast-for-the-first-time-during-tonight-s-gogglesprogs-1-5056042
(I love this web site link !!)
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi, fear not - Letchworth will definitely feature in the book. We don't mind whether pools self-identify as lidos, open air pool, outdoor pools or baths. We're just happy to swim in them!
Conor McKeown asked:
I just pledged £80 for "The Lido Guide Lane Of Fame".
What spec / dimensions should the photo be? My 'portrait' will not be myself, but will be a group photo / mini-collage of my club swimmers / our local pool.
Thanks,
Conor.
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Conor, thanks so much for your pledge - and we can't wait to see your image. You'll receive an email a bit nearer the time giving you information about the photo, and telling you how to submit it. I have a meeting with unbound later this week and that is on my list of agenda items to discuss with them.
Thanks again for the pledge - and for being super organised!
Paul Coombes asked:
Is it possible for me to donate again but in someone else's name so I can have a copy to give them as a present.
Unbound replied:
It is indeed Paul. Please see here for how to change the name once you've made the pledge: http://help.unbound.com/unbound-for-readers/managing-your-subscriptions/changing-the-supporter-name-thats-printed-in-a-book.
Best wishes,
Unbound Support
Lyndsey Kirby asked:
Hi
I am trying to pre order a few copies of the lido guide having pledged to support it but can’t see where to do this?
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Lyndsey, if you’ve pledged you’ll already get either a paper copy or an ebook as part of that (depending on the pledge level you opted for).
If you log into your account you should be able to make any further preorder you want to, by clicking on the appropriate pledge level. Although, of course, pledges are now preorders.
If you get stuck please let us know. And thanks for your support. It means a lot. Emma.
Clare Hodges asked:
Hi - are you including Shepton Mallet lido in your book? I swam there as a child 50 years ago and went back for a swim this year. It hasn't changed a bit! Water very warm. Also, will your book be hitting the bookshops or can it only be bought through this website? My enthusiasm for lido swimming has well and truly been ignited and am just researching pools that are open all year so I can visit them.
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
Hi Clare, great to hear that you've revisited your childhood at Shepton - and that you're all fired up about lidos in general! We will definitely be including Shepton in the book, and you're right - very little has changed there although quite recently the tank was given a bit of a facelift, and a new boiler was installed. That means the pool is no longer heated with the by-product of the cider plant next door. Which in some ways I think is a bit of a shame.
You will indeed be able to buy the book in bookstores, both online and offline, after it comes out although folk who preorder here will be top of the list to receive a copy.
Emma.
Clare Hodges asked:
Yes it is a shame about the boiler at Shepton pool. I thought it was a wonderful reciprocal arrangement. Also not sure if you are aware of a campaign to save Grange Lido in Cumbria? They have a fb page. It has sadly lain derelict for years. Apparently they had a meeting with the local MP today and there is a piece on their local news tonight. Fingers crossed.
Emma Pusill (Plum Duff) replied:
We are indeed aware of Save Grange Lido - and both Janet and I are in touch with the committee and helping where we can. We'd love to see it restored, it's a smashing facility.
Does Aldershot Lido feature in "The Lido Guide"?
Hi Alex, it certainly will yes. Janet has already swum there, and I am expecting to swim there early next week sometime. Janet and I are also hosting a national lido conference in September, so if you (or anybody else connected to Aldershot) would like to come along you can find more information here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-lido-conference-tickets-23121541152 Thanks for your interest, Emma.
Have you been to Beccles Lido yet? Shaun@BecclesLido.com
Shaun - hello. Yes, I've been to Beccles and I LOVED it. We had an early morning Sunday swim with you in the summer of 2015 and really enjoyed the pool, the location, the ambience and the sun loungers around the outside on a lovely sunny morning. I have lovely memories and was really glad to have made the effort to swim with you....I was going to swim in 2014 but ran out of summer...!! Are you able to come to the lido conference in September? It would be great to see you there as I missed you the day I was at Beccles. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/national-lido-conference-tickets-23121541152 Thanks for your question and for bringing back the memory of a lovely swim, Janet
hi again Janet - can't make the conference unfortunately as I have something on in Suffolk 18-Sep - will see if anyone else can - I had spotted it a while ago and looked interesting. Also, 17-Sep is our annual Lido-Locks river swim! You should try get up again as there is also a FB group "Norfolk & Suffolk Open Water Swimming" who swims sea, lakes, rivers nearby! Meantime, we did various improvements before we opened: new soft surface pool surround, outdoor exercise equipment and kiddies adventure play area and Beccles Lido is having a good season so far thanks to fine Summer Hols weather - although it's a bit gloomy today! Good luck with the conference and see you hopefully if you come by again. Rgds, Shaun
I'll definitely be back...to talk to you more about the book and see all the work you've done for this season. Hoping for sunny weather for you now until you close at the end of the season. Best, Janet
Hi Happy to provide details / pics of the Open Air Pool in Helmsley - the 2nd most northerly 25m in the country we think see facebook "Helmsley open air pool" thanks Paul
Paul - hello. Thanks for your offer - I swam in Helmsley with my son last summer and we had such a lovely day at the pool and in the area. It was a lovely swim. We'd be delighted for you to provide details and pictures of the pool for the book - thank you for your offer. We'll be back in touch. Hope the pool has had a great summer so far. Best, Janet
Hi there Happy to help with photography. I am the photographer and co-author of Wild Swimming Spain. Regards
Hi John, thank you so much for the kind offer of help. Perhaps you could email me on lidoguide@gmail.com to discuss? Rgds Emma.
I can't wait to see this come out!
Thank you. We can’t wait either. We have this vision of lots of people using it to swim in, enjoy and support all the open air pools up and down the UK by visiting them. Thanks for your enthusiasm!
Hi Janet and Emma Looking forward to seeing the book! I have 2 questions: Have you included Hinksey Outdoor Pool (Oxford) in the book? How will your book differ from/ build on Liquid Assets by Janet Smith? Bests Dee
Hi Dee, Thanks so much for pledging! Hinksey will definitely feature, we both love that pool a lot and had great but very different swims there during the 2016 season. In respect of how this book will differ from Liquid Assets the answer really is quite a lot. We have both read it (more than once) and still dip in and out of it. It's a very useful and inspirational book. But Liquid Assets isn't a user guide, really, which is what the Lido Guide will be. We want to be able to provide all the up to date practical information a swimmer will need to visit each pool, whereas where Janet Smith features an individual pool it is as a case study in the rise (and sadly often fall) of outdoor pools through the history of outdoor swimming. Because of that she also couldn't feature every pool still open to the public, and also featured a good number that are lost. We will feature all remaining publicly accessible open air pools in the U.K., and will only be featuring lost pools where there is an active and realistic campaign to save or rebuild going on at present. And then the idea will be to try and inspire people to get involved with those campaigns. I hope that answers your questions, please drop either of us a line if you need more information. Thanks again, Emma.
Hi Janet and Emma Looking forward to the book. I have 2 questions: Is Hinksey Outdoor Pool in Oxford featured in the book? How will your book differ from/build on 'Liquid Assets' by Janet Smith (2005)? Best wishes Dee
This is a duplicate question, see answer above. Thanks, Emma
Thanks Emma. (Apologies for duplicate posting - too keen by half!) Maybe see you at Hinksey next year. Bests Dee
We like lido-keen! I'm sure I'll be back to Hinksey next year, I have family in the area. So I'll let you know when :-)
Hi there, This is such a wonderful and unique idea for a book! Greenbank swimming pool in Street, Somerset, is a fantastic example of an outdoor lido which has stood the test of time (gifted to the residents of the UK's smallest village by Clarks Shoes whose birthplace is Street). I just wondered if you'll be including it? Do check it out if you haven't yet! Best wishes Sam
Hi Sam, thanks for the kind words about the book. We will definitely be including Greenbank. I live in North Somerset so know it well - I first took my daughter there when she was about 6 months old and she's 11 in a few weeks. I love it - not only for the social history (particularly that its initial aim was to provide somewhere for the women of the area to swim as decorum forbade them from swimming in the river) but also for the aesthetics of it and the sheer variety of what it offers. It is definitely one of those pools where you can stay all day and not get bored. Thanks for the support, Emma.
Does Woodhall Spa pool (Lincolnshire) feature in your book, where I swam in my first ever (and so far only) triathlon in July 2016? Also, will you be featuring Tarlair pool up on the Moray Firth in Macduff - this pool is closed but a local group (Friends of Tarlair) are fundraising to restore it and bring it back into use, so far they have done quite a lot of work to the surrounding area and have got the boating pool adjacent back in use (model boats not sailing boats!)
Hello Gail - Woodhall Spa will be in there for sure. What a lovely pool that is and I have memories of a couple of really nice, warm swims in the beautiful pool and its lovely surroundings. I know of the Tarlair pool and it is possible that we might feature it in a section of ‘pools that might be on their way back’ - our focus for the moment is on including the ones that you can definitely swim in. Thank you - we’ll keep an eye on Tarlair and what they are doing - we’d love to feature as many as we know about and can find so that as many people as possible can enjoy them and help to keep them going. Thanks for your question. Janet
Hi. Will Deganwy Lido North Wales be featured in the book?
Hi, is that the pool that closed in the 50s that was known as West Shore? That's the only open air pool in that area that I know of. Currently we are only planning to feature closed pools where there is an active and realistic campaign to save / reinstate the pool. I'm not aware of a campaign to reinstate this pool, but if there is one I'd love to hear about it - maybe you could email me any details to lidoguide@gmail.com? Emma.
Have you got these two? Both in Cumbria, just a few miles apart - https://www.facebook.com/shapswimmingpool/?fref=ts https://www.facebook.com/askhamswimmingpool.askham/?fref=ts
Ho Pat, we do indeed have both of those on the list - thanks so much for double checking. Emma.
is it possible to pledge just for the ebook? I love the idea for the book and would like to support it but I live overseas and it is going to cost me 17 pounds to ship the book. I'd rather give you guys the money and just get an ebook. good luck and thanks. you had better give a nice review to parliament hill lido!
Hi Stee, Thanks for getting in touch. The Turnstile level is for the ebook only, and this is at the top of the list of pledge levels. I hope this helps! Best wishes, Caitlin - Community Manager
It would be great if you included Shaftesbury pool - a real phoenix from the flames. The pool as originally open air but the roof collapsed in the snow and it is now open air again :-) http://www.shaftesburytowncouncil.co.uk/what-we-do/news/item/shaftesbury-oasis-swimming-pool-2
Hi Alex, Shaftesbury is definitely having an entry, both Janet and I enjoyed our swims there a great deal. As it happens I was on the phone to Shaftesbury Town Council this afternoon, because I noticed that the pool's facebook page says it is permanently closed. I'm pleased to report that the lady I spoke to was as worried as I was about that - but she was able to confirm that this isn't the case. They plan to open in May, with the precise date to be confirmed later. Phew! I hadn't known about the roof collapsing in snow though - what a marvellous thing! Thanks for dropping us a line. Emma.
Can I make a plea to include information about diving boards ? As there are so few outdoor pools with any diving facilities, it would be great to have them listed in one place ! Faversham in Kent has an outdoor pool with 1m and 3m springboards. It also has a 5m platform which, I believe, is the only one in the UK ! Does anyone know of any other outdoor pools with diving boards ?
Hi Peter, thanks for raising this. Where there are boards that we know to be in use it is very likely we’ll be mentioning it. It’s a tricky area, because the opening of boards seems to be occasional and on a bit of a whim. There are very few with dedicated diving sessions. So that makes it likely that we’d be giving information that may not be reliable. There are also, sadly, a number of pools who retain their diving boards but they are closed for use as at Stratford Park (Stroud) and Portishead. I understand the reasons for this. Sometimes it is to do with changes to H&S legislation... some pools were built with surprisingly little water under the diving boards and are really too shallow for it! But often it is because having the boards in use can compromise the financial viability of a pool. To safely manage a diving session it can be necessary to rope off part of the pool under the boards. That reduces the maximum bather load in the pool which in turn reduces the admission takings. So many pools run on a shoe string these days, and I can see why any reduced income could be a problem. Do let us know about any other diving boards / platforms you know to be in use and we’ll include that information on our lovely lido spreadsheet. Emma.
Diving boards we have seen while on Lido Safari: Hilsea (Portsmouth, Hampshire) 2m Marbury Park (Cheshire) Springboard and 1m board Aldershot (Hampshire) Lazonby Pool (Penrith, Cumbria) I'm sure there are lots of others...
Brilliant, thanks Matthew. There are indeed others. :-)
Hi. Just found this great book. Does Letchworth Garden City outdoor pool feature in it ? We think our pool should be renamed a Lido ... and in fact it was when it featured in last year's Boots summer advert, in which it was named Luxworth Lido ! Featuring in your book might help us get traction on the name thing ... http://www.thecomet.net/news/boots-advert-filmed-at-letchworth-outdoor-pool-in-may-is-broadcast-for-the-first-time-during-tonight-s-gogglesprogs-1-5056042 (I love this web site link !!)
Hi, fear not - Letchworth will definitely feature in the book. We don't mind whether pools self-identify as lidos, open air pool, outdoor pools or baths. We're just happy to swim in them!
I just pledged £80 for "The Lido Guide Lane Of Fame". What spec / dimensions should the photo be? My 'portrait' will not be myself, but will be a group photo / mini-collage of my club swimmers / our local pool. Thanks, Conor.
Hi Conor, thanks so much for your pledge - and we can't wait to see your image. You'll receive an email a bit nearer the time giving you information about the photo, and telling you how to submit it. I have a meeting with unbound later this week and that is on my list of agenda items to discuss with them. Thanks again for the pledge - and for being super organised!
Is it possible for me to donate again but in someone else's name so I can have a copy to give them as a present.
It is indeed Paul. Please see here for how to change the name once you've made the pledge: http://help.unbound.com/unbound-for-readers/managing-your-subscriptions/changing-the-supporter-name-thats-printed-in-a-book. Best wishes, Unbound Support
Hi I am trying to pre order a few copies of the lido guide having pledged to support it but can’t see where to do this?
Hi Lyndsey, if you’ve pledged you’ll already get either a paper copy or an ebook as part of that (depending on the pledge level you opted for). If you log into your account you should be able to make any further preorder you want to, by clicking on the appropriate pledge level. Although, of course, pledges are now preorders. If you get stuck please let us know. And thanks for your support. It means a lot. Emma.
Hi - are you including Shepton Mallet lido in your book? I swam there as a child 50 years ago and went back for a swim this year. It hasn't changed a bit! Water very warm. Also, will your book be hitting the bookshops or can it only be bought through this website? My enthusiasm for lido swimming has well and truly been ignited and am just researching pools that are open all year so I can visit them.
Hi Clare, great to hear that you've revisited your childhood at Shepton - and that you're all fired up about lidos in general! We will definitely be including Shepton in the book, and you're right - very little has changed there although quite recently the tank was given a bit of a facelift, and a new boiler was installed. That means the pool is no longer heated with the by-product of the cider plant next door. Which in some ways I think is a bit of a shame. You will indeed be able to buy the book in bookstores, both online and offline, after it comes out although folk who preorder here will be top of the list to receive a copy. Emma.
Yes it is a shame about the boiler at Shepton pool. I thought it was a wonderful reciprocal arrangement. Also not sure if you are aware of a campaign to save Grange Lido in Cumbria? They have a fb page. It has sadly lain derelict for years. Apparently they had a meeting with the local MP today and there is a piece on their local news tonight. Fingers crossed.
We are indeed aware of Save Grange Lido - and both Janet and I are in touch with the committee and helping where we can. We'd love to see it restored, it's a smashing facility.