The 20 best UK lidos and outdoor pools

Where? Brixton, SE24 9BJ

Details: Brockwell Lido is a 50m outdoor pool, which is open all year round. Unlike others on this list, it's not heated, so you might want to consider wearing a wetsuit in the winter months. Prices start at £5 per swim for concession, £8 per swim for adults, but check the price list on the website for more information. Brockwell Lido's summer temperature is usually around 18-20C.

Where? Beckenham, BR3 1UL

Details: For an authentic wild swimming experience, make a beeline for London’s first purpose-built swimming lake. Set within the capital’s largest green space, this 283m-long, 45m-wide expanse of open water is the ultimate spot for a summer dip. There are lifeguards on watch, and changing facilities for when your fingers go wrinkly. It’s strictly swimming-only at the moment, but water sports may be in the works, so watch this space.

Where? Reading, RG1 8FR

Details: The 25m pool is heated between 24-26 degrees Celsius all year round, so you're unlikely to need a wet suit here. If you're not a member, you can pre-book a 2-hour session (swim, sauna and hot tub) for £25 starting from 10am. Monthly membership starts at £72.

Where? Greenwich, SE18 4LX

Details: You won’t have to talk yourself into making a splash at Charlton Lido, since the water’s heated to a positively tropical 25C year-round. If you get bored of lapping the Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool and soaking up rays on two dedicated sun terraces, head to the state-of-the-art outdoor fitness space – fitted with Technogym gear – hit the open-air group cycle studio, or pop a wheelie around the adjacent BMX race track.

Where? Hackney, E8 3EU

Details: London Fields Lido is a 50m outdoor heated swimming pool, which is floodlit, allowing you to swim in all weathers (should you want to). There are normally four lanes open. For non-members, it's £5.70 for adults and £3.35 for children to swim.

Where? Hyde Park, W2 2UH

Details: Set in the middle of Hyde Park, the Serpentine Lido is open for public swimming on weekends from mid-May, and every day between June and Mid-September, between 10am and 6pm. Members of the Serpentine Swimming Club – the oldest swimming club in Britain – swim every day in the Lido area between 5:30 am and 9:30 am and also during the famous dip on Christmas day.

Where? Tooting Bec, SW16 1RU

Details: Tooting Bec lido is the largest outdoor lido in the UK – 91m long and 3om wide. It is an open-air, unheated pool, so you might want to warm up a little before jumping in. That said, if you do want to use the lido in the winter, you'll need to be a member of the South London Swimming Club. Non-members pay £8.30 for a swim in the summer months.

Where? Parliament Hill Fields, NW5 1LT

Details: Parliament Hill Lido, also known as Hampstead Heath Lido, is a 61m unheated open-air swimming pool, open all year round. In winter months, you can only swim from 7am-12 noon. Prices for an adult swim start at £4.50, but you can see all the prices on the website here.

Where? Bristol, BS8 2BJ

Details: The Bristol Lido in Clifton is a 24m outdoor swimming pool, which is heated all year round to 22-25C (there's also a sauna, steam room and hot tub). If you're not a member, you can pre-book a 2-hour session for £25 starting from 10am.

Where? Cambridge, CB4 3AX

Details: The first thing you’ll notice about the lido is its unusual shape. Designed to imitate the adjacent River Cam, Jesus Green Lido is significantly longer than it is wide. At 91m, it shares the title of ‘longest outdoor swimming pool in Europe’ with Tooting Bec Lido, which is the same length. There’s ample sunbathing space for when you’ve managed an entire length, plus a newly-built sauna and a cafe for your post-swim refuel.

Where? Brighton, BN2 8SP

Details: Saltdean Lido is a restored Art Deco pool in Brighton and Hove. A crescent-shaped 40m-long heated pool, Saltdeon Lido is the only Grade II listed lido in the UK, and it's open between May and September. Prices start at £6 for an hour, for an adult swim, and £3.50 for 3-17 year-olds. 2023 prices can be found here.

Where? Cheltenham, GL53 7PU

Details: Open all year round – but only heated in the summer –Sanford Parks Lido is a 50m outdoor pool in Cheltenham. Offering everything from swimming lessons to SUP yoga, lifeguarding training to aqua aerobics, there's also a children's pool (heated to 30C) for babies and children up to 8 years old.

Where? Penzance, TR18 4FF

Details: Jubilee Pool is an outdoor triangular seawater pool in Cornwall, with the longest side 98m long and 56m wide. As it's seawater, it's not heated. Opening times vary by month based on demand and the natural light available.

Where? Plymouth, PL1 3DE

Details: An outdoor saltwater pool, Tinside Lido is open between May and September each year. There's a shallow end and a deep end, as well as a number of water features.

Where? Bradford, LS29 0BZ

Details: Take in the views over Ilkley Moor at this unheated lido in Yorkshire, which is open from May to September. As well as the lido, there's also has a 25m indoor pool. A swim session at peak times costs £9.50 for adults.

Where? Cumbria, CA10 3NS

Details: Situated 900ft above sea level, Shap is dubbed England’s highest outdoor swimming pool, but we’re assured that the water is heated to a toasty 26C. The pool is small compared to the other options on this list – just 16.5m long, with a maximum depth of 1.5m – but given the location, it’s a watertight sell after a day spent hiking in the Lake District. FYI: the showers are coin-operated (20p), so make sure you stock up on change.

Where? North Yorkshire, YO62 5HT

Details: As Yorkshire’s only heated outdoor swimming pool, this countryside gem is something of a rarity. The 25m pool is set within idyllic gardens in the village of Helmsley, which is sheltered beneath the remains of a medieval castle and makes an ideal base for exploring the surrounding North York Moors national park. From moonlight swims to ‘aquathlon’ – running and swimming – challenges, there’s plenty to dip your toe into.

Where? Peak District, S32 1DU

Details: The Hathersage lido sits within the stunning scenery of the surrounding Peak District. The 30m pool is open year-round and is heated to 28C. Adults cost £7.50 per session, while children aged 4-17 cost £4.

Where? Gourock, PA19 1NQ

Details: The Gourock Outdoor Pool is the oldest heated swimming pool in Scotland. The saltwater pool is heated to 29C and is open from May to September each year, offering spectacular views of the Clyde Estuary.

Where? Hampton, TW12 2ST

Detail: Open all year round, Hampton Pool, known as “South West London's best-kept secret” is situated next to Royal Bushy Park. Featuring a 36m-long heated pool and a dedicated learner pool for children and their parents, the main pool is either split into six lanes to accommodate swimmers training and doing laps or split into half to allow for lane swimming on one side and family swimming and fun on the other.