2024 Review & Highlights

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It’s that time of year again…we’ll take a look at 2024 and some of its highlights. Over the last couple of years we’ve been putting in a lot of effort to extend our season into spring and autumn. Part of that effort has seen us buy a sauna tent (highly mobile), just this week!

Mid-winter (as usual,) involved a lot of reconnaissance and research. We found a new swimming spot or two and figured out the logistics.

2024 saw us start way back on 30th March (our earliest start to date). A stunning ‘sauna, dips and coaching tips’ session. Weather was beautiful, water was about 8 degrees(!) and everyone had a great time.

2024 saw the sea warm up very slowly, it did stay warm for longer than usual though…but was definitely cooler than usual until mid-late June.

Shortly after the above session we started various private coaching sessions. With the next proper swim on April 2nd, around St Michael’s Mount. In all, we completed around 40 swims around St Michael’s Mount, with around 12 of those ‘slow swimming’ sessions, having to cancel or re-arrange around 7…due to poor/dangerous conditions.

Amongst other swims in April-May, we completed the Devil’s Frying Pan a couple of times. Which was one of the highlights….and a glorious Gannel Estuary swim or two. It was nice putting on a few Gannel swims, as the north coast had poor conditions for sea swimming, for most of the summer.

For the first time ever, we took a group around Goose Rock. The rock that sits just off Pentire Headland and Crantock, in Newquay. Not always possible, as you need the right conditions but everyone had a great time and a few swimmers put a big tick in one of their bucket-list boxes.

Porthbeer Cove (or Mears Beach) was another new swim for us, in 2024. It offers a stunning walk around from Coverack, a stunning beach and a stunning swim. Beautiful white sand beach, in a beautiful part of the world. It’s in quite a remote location, so normally nice and quiet.

Lots of one-off swims followed…including more swims in the Gannel Estuary, swim across Fistral Beach, Mousehole island swim….and a ‘5K Day’ event, originally aimed for north Cornwall but had to retreat to Gorran Haven and Vault Beach due to the conditions. Gorran and Vault however, offer great options and a great day had by all.

One of my personal favourites had to be a swimming double at Porthcurno/Porthchapel. We visited the two because of strong winds and got the location perfect. Shortly followed by a perfect day at Kynance Cove and 3 swims.

This year the ‘Slow Swimming Day Out’ on the Helford was a touch more challenging than usual but we still managed a good 3 swims and very pleasant conditions…finishing at Trebah Gardens, where swimmers got the chance to check out these stunning gardens in the sunshine.

Having had limited access to the 3 Bears Caves swim in 2023, as all the sand on the beach had been ripped away in a storm, we took full advantage of the beach partial come back and put on some cave swims this year. Had some thoroughly happy swimmers!

Next up were a few swims in the Mousehole area and a bit of activity in St Mawes. Some glorious swims in near perfect conditions, over this period. As well as a 4km swim in Mousehole, with a bit of swell.

Charlestown to Porthpean was next up…and later in the year we returned to the Mevagissey area. I’m not a huge fan of St Austell as a town but it has some stunning surrounding areas and is a great swim destination! Including another first, near Mavagissey (pictured below).

Over the next month was a series of one-off swims, mainly around the St Ives and Penzance area. Carbis Bay and Porthminster were visited frequently to avoid strong southerly winds.

Along with Goose Rock (mentioned earlier), we sadly had to cancel a couple of swims that are very condition dependent…such as Polly Joke to Crantock.

SWIMMING HOLIDAYS

We had a number of really enjoyable swimming holidays but I think for us the highlights were the Lizard Peninsula swim hol and the end of season swimming holiday.

A swarm of jellyfish made the Lizard Peninsula holiday interesting but we simply moved coasts and had some glorious swims neat Church Cove/Poldhu. We then managed to up the ante and put on a simply world class swim at Polurrian Cove and the 3 Bears Caves…finishing a great weekend in the Lizard, at Kynance Cove for an exciting shorter route (escaping the wind).

Sadly we had to cancel the last swim on the end of summer swim holiday but 4 glorious swims on the Friday-Saturday more than made up for it. Starting at Carne Beach and then stopping at the lovely De Barra Cafe in St Mawes and going on to swim at Tavern Beach (which is always a joy). Saturday was the turn of Towan Beach on the Roseland (another first for us) in amazing sunshine and finishing at Porthscatho.

Late summer is night swimming territory. This year we went back to Trevassack Lake…always a pleasure and added the Cornish Tipi Campsite to the list. Both stunning lakes, that offer sheltered conditions, great food and a sauna option, this year.

One of my favourite swims was supporting my auntie around St Michael’s Mount. She wanted to do it for years and she lives in Australia…so it was great seeing her swim the island.

A visual of some of our 2023-2024 highlights…

Lidos in the 'North'

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Being Cornish and only leaving Cornwall when I really have to…I had to look this up! In this blog post we’ll go over Lidos found in the north of England. Wikipedia tells me that the north consists of Cheshire, Cumbria, Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Westmorland and Yorkshire. So this is where I’ll start.

Hopefully below you’ll find a list of all of the public lidos you’ll find in these areas.

 

Albert Avenue Pools - just undergone a major (£11 million-ish) refurbishment. Consists of a lovely pool, impressive gym facilities and poolside sauna. A video on their progress - CLICK HERE. (Hull).

Askham Outdoor Swimming Pool : 20m swimming pool and kids paddling pool. Surrounded by a large, social grass area. They have a little kiosk serving refreshments. Couldn’t find any video footage. (Cumbria).

Grange Lido - absolutely stunning building and word on the street is that it’s re-opening 2024! Click here to view their campaign - CLICK HERE. (Cumbria).

Greystoke Open Air Swimming Pool - small (18 x 9m) heated outdoor swimming pool, with kids pool. Found in the heart of a beautiful village. Video footage of a summer event at the pool - CLICK HERE. (Cumbria).

Helmsley Open Air Swimming pool - heated 25m outdoor pool. Best checking out their Facebook page. Video footage of the pool - CLICK HERE. (Yorkshire).

Hunsonby Swimming Pool - a small, community based pool in the heart of Hunsonby. Has some great reviews online. Couldn’t find any video! (Cumbria)

Ingleton Open Air Pool - heated, open air 20m outdoor pool. Set amongst a stunning backdrop in north Yorkshire. Aerial footage of Ingleton & the pool - CLICK HERE. (Yorkshire).

Lazonby Swimming Pool : A 17 x 8m outdoor, heated pool and also has a kids pool on site. The pool is run by a charity, mainly comprised of local volunteers. The pool is run by green energy, which is always nice to hear. It sits on the banks of the river Eden and has a campsite attached…always great for a weekend away. Video footage of the facility - CLICK HERE. (Cumbria).

Marbury Park Open Air Pool - found in Marbury country park. Run by Marbury Park Swimming Club and some brilliant volunteers. View the pool and grounds - CLICK HERE. (Cheshire).

Nantwich Outdoor Brine Pool - 50m outdoor heated pool…which is a little tricky to find any information on. Originally built in 1935. Some footage of the pool - CLICK HERE. (Cheshire).

Shap Swimming Pool - volunteer run. The countries highest lido, it’s 16.5m long and heated to around 26 degrees. Poolside areas to relax and sun yourself, as well as a cafe. Footage of the pool - CLICK HERE. (Cumbria).

Stanhope Open Air Swimming Pool - a charity-run, heated, open air swimming pool. The pool measures 25 x 13m and boasts a kids pool, springboard, cafe, shop and sauna. Only video footage I could find - CLICK HERE. (Durham).


The winds influence on swimming conditions

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This morning I made a video looking at how the wind will impact on your swim and it's influence on choppy conditions. We cover the basics and some slightly more technical stuff. We use Long Rock Beach as an example. *What I don’t mention is that if the wind gets really strong it tend to have a habit of bouncing off surfaces, bending round headlands and cliffs...the rules go out the window a little.

I use the example in the video of Long Rock Beach but the principles can be used at any beach. Be aware that there are more factors to consider than just the wind. We don’t go over tides, rips, rivers, estuaries, weather patterns etc in this video.

If you’re unsure how to view the wind direction or how to look it up online, click below and read our blog post on exactly that.

The West Cornwall Swimming holiday Menu!

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…well, part of it. There are loads more options but we’ve included some of the main ones. West Cornwall is full of iconic swims and some real crowd pleasers but there are also loads that are just as stunning, that you simply wouldn’t have heard of!

Our standard swimming holiday groups swim an average of around 2 - 2 1/2 mins per 100m over a longer distance swim. It’s not so much about the speed, more about covering the distance. We then have ‘slower swimming holidays’ that cover shorter distances, at a slower pace and new to 2024…the ‘Short, Slow and Social’ swimming holiday. This one is designed for the ‘dippers’.

Some of the glorious swims on offer, with a video at the bottom :

St Michael’s Mount (various routes)

Mousehole (a number of different routes) including the island and Penlee Lifeboat Station

Porthcurno and Porthchapel

Porthgwarra

3 Bears Caves Swims

Praa Sands…various routes, including cave swims

Lamorna Cove (a couple of routes)

St Ives, including Carbis Bay, Porthkidney, Porthminster, the ‘Island’ and Porthgwidden

Porthleven

Nanjizal

Sennen

Penzance Prom/Battery Rocks/Newlyn

Wiltshire Lidos

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Here’s a little list of the lidos and outdoor pools that you can find in Wiltshire. We’ve focused on the pools that can be accessed by the general public ie. not part of a campsite where you’d have to be booked in.

Tisbury Swimming Pool - heated outdoor swimming pool, run by local superstars. The pool relies on the local community, tourists and their fundraising efforts. They’ve recently funded and added a new shed for first aids and refreshments. (Wiltshire). Pictured below.

In addition you can also look for :

  • The Glove Dippers - swimming at Glove Factory Studios. Private lake - CLICK HERE

  • Check out the Farleigh & District Swimming Club, near the River Frome.

  • Popular dipping spot at Bide Brook Weir. Best to look it up for more info.

Dorset Lidos

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Another list of the lidos you’ll find in a particular county…this time Somerset.

Now there are a huge selection of outdoor pools in Dorset but most are part of the set up at various holiday parks, such as Bowleaze Cove Holiday Park, Sandford Holiday Park, Knoll House Holiday Park, Wareham Forest Tourist Park, Osmington Mills Lodge Park, Lulworth Holiday Cottages, Seaview Holiday Park, Bournemouth Marriott…

Independent/stand-alone Lido facilities include :

Shaftesbury Lido - 25 yard pool, part run by a number of volunteers. Open summer season and has a cafe…so ideal for a swim or day out with the kids. Footage of the local area - CLICK HERE. (Dorset).

An exciting and stunning looking project, aiming to be open in 2026 is the Silverlake Lido. Set to include a beautiful outdoor heated pool, water sports facilities, spa and restaurant. Rather than writing about it, I’ll just supply you with the link - CLICK HERE

The pick of the accommodation providers offering swimming and I think the closest you’ll get to a traditional style lido is Wareham Forest Tourist Park. Heated, open air 65 x 20ft swimming pool. Surrounded by a combination of manicured lawns and neat paving. (Image below).

Cave Swimming 2025

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I’ll often think that we’ve found everything west Cornwall has to offer and then…she’ll throw up a surprise. This cave was a wonderful little addition to an already packed menu. I’m going to look to start doing cave swims with head torches. An exciting little addition. We’ll still do a decent swim but add a little stop on the way. We’ll simply pack some head torches and dish them out mid-swim…or you can go without…

The swim/cave featured is in west Cornwall. There are also suitable caves at Kynance Cove.

Plan your 2025

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I’m going to write a quick piece on planning your 2025 activities with Sea Swim Cornwall for 2025…this will also include your options, what we offer and may give you the odd idea for a private booking or day out.

FLEXIBILITY : if we don’t offer what you’re after…ask! We offer private bookings (one-off swims, multi-swims, events…). If it’s not in the calendar simply give us a ring and we’ll see if we can make it happen. Private one-off swims are pretty much the same price as group swims…depending on the location.

SPEED / ABILITY : we’re as inclusive as we possibly can be. Again, private bookings are an option. We run distance events and one-off swims that are an option for quicker swimmers. We also offer ‘slow swimming’ activities for the slower, head-up breaststroke, like-to-look-around style swimmer… Private individual and group swims are an option.

ONE-OFF SWIMS : we publish these well in advance on the website and also offer shorter notice swims on social media (and the website). They’re shorter notice as they’re planned around the short range forecast.

DAYS OUT : we fairly regularly offer multi-swim days out in various areas. These are great for exploring, having a social and longer journeys…as you’re travelling over for a number of swims, not just one. This format is also great for swimmers that cover less distance, as you swim more than once and can explore an entire area.

EVENTS : We offer various events that avoid long distances in one go and rather break the distance up into a series of swims. These include our 5 and 10K Day events. We refer to these as ‘challenges’ rather than races, as we avoid mass starts, tight turns around buoys… and simply let people cover the distance in a calm and relaxed manner.

HOLIDAYS : We offer 4 types of swimming holiday. The first simply being a privately booked holiday. We then offer :

The ‘slow, short & social’ swimming holiday - a holiday designed to take in multiple swims or short distance (50-400m). This is designed specifically for people that are less in it for the distance and more in it for scenery, pleasure, the social element, the general fun of it all… As this holiday cover shorter distance, this is our best value holiday.

The ‘Slow Swimming’ holiday. These holidays offer around 400-1500m per swim. They’re designed for serious sea swimmers that happen to swim at a slow and steady pace, all the way through to head-up breaststrokers that don’t mind covering some distance. With all of our holidays, we have multiple members on the water safety team, so are quite happy to split the group up if required and swim around in smaller sub-groups.

The ‘standard’ swimming holiday. People often get put off by this group and opt for the ‘slow swimming’ holiday. This is by absolutely no means an elite level swimming holiday. The average pace of the swimmers is around 2.30 mins per 100m, over a couple of kms. Again, we also offer flexibility in distances swum per swimmer and if anyone is really fast, we simply get them to double back and re-join the group.

LOCAL MEMBERSHIP : if you’re planning more than one swim with us, it’s well worth looking at the local membership. You get onto the members Whatsapp group and as well as the odd exclusive merch offer, you’ll receive around 1/3 off one-off swims, discounted entry on holiday and any other offers we publish through the group. Membership for 2025 is just £12.50!

COACHING : we offer sea swimming specific coaching session. They typically consist of a 10-20 minute chat at the start to figure out exactly what you’d like out of the session and how we approach the session itself. You’ll then be in the water for around 10-25 minutes. You’ll receive feedback and generally go away with some homework. Coaching comes as a one-off session or set series of sessions. Click here for more info. *If you’re thinking about some one-off swims or events, this is also a great opportunity to get some feedback on your suitability.

Swimming holiday accommodation assistance

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For 2025 we’re hosting a number of swimming holidays in the west Cornwall area. We love west Cornwall for the simple fact that we have countless world class swimming options and coastline that points in every direction of the compass! Since 2015 we’ve held just one swim in a lake (and it’s a beautiful lake), due to a lack of safe sea swimming options! You can almost always find somewhere out of the wind or swell…if the weather gets a little wild.

Booking a holiday is very straight forward. A click of a button in some cases. So over the course of this blog I’m now going to take you through a few more of the logistics.

HOLIDAY :

SLOW, SHORT & SOCIAL HOLIDAY. WEST CORNWALL. (JUNE 3-5). CLICK HERE DETAILS/BOOKING

SLOW SWIMMING HOLIDAY, WEST CORNWALL / LIZARD AREA… (JUNE 10-12). CLICK HERE DETAILS/BOOKING

SLOW SWIMMING HOLIDAY, WEST CORNWALL (JULY 8-10). CLICK HERE DETAILS/BOOKING

TRANSPORT

Cornwall Airport (Newquay), covers routes to a number of domestic city airports and some international ones. More info - CLICK HERE

Trains stop at Penzance. There’s also the ‘sleeper’ from London to Penzance.

Car - drive to Cornwall.

CAR & TRANSFERS

You will need wheels to get from swim to swim. You can drive down or get the bus/train to Penzance and hire a car.

EUROPCAR (from Penzance train station) - a quick search and you could get a small car from around £50 per day.

ENTERPRISE (Long Rock) - cheapest vehicle from around £120 for a long weekend. Up to 9 seater vehicles are also available from £450 (ideal if you come down as part of a group).

Companies like KAYAK are also showing availability and come in at aeround £100+ for a long weekend.

* We also encourage car shares, where possible. This could be an option with other guests, once here.

ACCOMMODATION

BUDGET :

YHA Hostel

Tremorvu Campsite (5 miles outside of Pz)

Arch Lane Campsite (outskirts of Pz & bargain price). Limited opening season

Mousehole Camping

MID-RANGE :

Kenegie Manor

The Coldstreamer

Glamping @ Foxglove Field

The Beach Club

The Queens Hotel

Keigwin House

HIGHER END :

Boutique Retreats

Venton Vean

EATING OUT IN WEST CORNWALL

The Mexico Inn, lovely pub in Long Rock, with great food.

The Tolcarne Inn, Ben Tunnicliffe has held a Michelin star…runs this seafood restaurant.

45 Queen St - Very quirky restaurant in the middle of Pz.

Seafood at the Barbican Bistro

Orange Cafe - Vegan Cafe/restaurant in the beautiful village of Mousehole

Friday nights are pizza night at the Cabin Beach Cafe

A number of food vans operate on Pz Promenade, good weather option

Safe Swimming Guide - St Mawes

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We haven’t done any Safe Swim Guides for quite a while. So here are two from St Mawes. Lovely area to visit. Fairly accessible and has some delightful cafes, pubs and hotels.

The beaches are more river beaches, than beach-beaches but are lovely. Great for swimming, a bit of peace and quiet and ideal if you have kids.

Swimming in France

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During a visit to Paris for the Olympics we planned on visiting a lido on the other side of Paris (90 minute trip), only to discover at the very last minute that there was one right behind our hotel…and what a pool. Retractable roof, roof terrace, very affordable entry fee… This got me wondering just how many stunning pools there are in France? There are a lot! I’ve compiled a list of France’s lidos (a working document which I’ll add to), I’ve also included indoor pools with stunning architecture and avoided water parks, hotel pools and places that would have mass tourist numbers. Feel free to get in touch, if there’s somewhere worth adding.



*All of the pool names are hyperlinked to the pools website.


ANTIBES :

ANTIBES JUAN-LES-PINS SWIMMING POOL - offers a beautiful 50m outdoor swimming pool and a learner (25m) indoor pool. Video footage - CLICK HERE





BORDEUX :

LA PISCINE DE BEGLES - beautiful art deco design, meshed with a modern interior. Build in the 1930s and refurbished in 2006. Consists of a 25m pool, garden and patio and dining area. Video footage - CLICK HERE

LA PISCINE JUDAIQUE - built back in 1936 and had a little touch-up and essential work in 1996. Consists of a 25m pool, a 50m pool with retracting roof, cafe, learner pool, spa, poolside area… Video footage - CLICK HERE



CREIL :

LA PISCINE DE CREIL - complete renovation completed in 2013. Including the main swimming pool, kids pool and sauna/relaxation area.



LYON :

CENTRE NAUTIQUE TONY BERTRAND - 8 lane, 50m outdoor swimming pool…right on the river. Video footage - CLICK HERE




MARSEILLE :

PISCINE BONNEVEINE - features some stunning architecture and a 25x 10m indoor swimming pool.

PISCINE DE SANTEL

PISCINE FRAIS VALLON - a 25x10m, 5 lanes indoor swimming pool, with stunning design.

PISCINE LA MARTINE - beautiful indoor 25m swimming pool.

PISCINE LA CASTELLANE - indoor 25m pool, with a beautiful exposed wood ceiling and design.



PISCINE LA POINTE ROUGE - outdoor swimming pool, open during the summer months. Consists of a childrens pool and larger adults swimming pool. Video footage - CLICK HERE





PISCINE LES MICOCOULIERS - Indoor 25m swimming pool, with retractable roof. Open year round. Also has a baby/toddlers pool.

PISCINE MAGNAC - possibly not as impressive in terms of architecture, as some of the others listed. 6 lane, 25m indoor pool.

PISCINE PONT DE VIVAUX - unusual opening hours, in that it appears to be closed on the weekends and over the summer.

PISCINE VALLIER - indoor swimming pool, with beautiful tiling and roof detail.


MONTPELLIER :

PISCINE OLYMPIQUE D’ANTIGONE - Impressive 50m pool, with plenty of fun features for kids. Video footage - CLICK HERE



MOULINEAUX :

PISCINE AQUA ZENA - it looks like swimming in a futuristic spaceship! The centre comes with a whole host of other activities…




PARIS :

CENTRE AQUATIQUE DE NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE - 7 lane 25m pool, with a number of additional features, including hot outdoor pool, kids pool, slides… Video footage - CLICK HERE

PAILLERON SWIMMING POOL - listed, art deco sports complex and 33m pool, built in the 1930s. Beautifully built indoor pool. Great footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE BUTTE-AUX-CAILLES - stunning in-and-outdoor swimming pools. Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE CHATEAUX LANDON - the oldest indoor pool in Paris, dating way back to 1884. 4 lane, 25m pool, with a small kids pool. Limited footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE CHAMPERRET - beautifully tiled, with lots of natural light. 2 pools, 1 x 25m and 1 x learner pool.

PISCINE D’AUTEUIL A’ PARIS - 25m indoor pool, with quite an industrial feel to it. Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE DES AMIRAUX - another unforgettable art deco lido, built in the late 1920s. Extensive footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE DES REGUIDELLES - stunning indoor 25m pool, with retractable roof. Includes a learner/kids pool and roof top terrace. Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE GEORGES HERMANT - lovely 8 lane, 50m outdoor pool (a 25m boom is sometimes in place). Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE GEORGES-VALLEREY - another beautiful pool, with retractable roof. More of a competitive pool, with large spectator area…but also open to the public. Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE HERBERT - really interesting indoor pool, with lots of natural light. Decent footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE JOSEPHINE BAKER - 4 lane, 25m pool, with stunning views of the Seine. Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE MOLITOR - has a really interesting history and is a pool you simply won’t forget in a hurry! Footage - CLICK HERE

PISCINE PAILLERON - as well as a beautiful swimming, the facility comes with an ice skating rink, gym… Check it out - CLICK HERE

PISCINE PONTOISE QUARTIER LATIN - 33m, 6 lane swimming pool. Really distinctive design and architecture…well worth a look. CLICK HERE for footage.

PISCINE ROGER LE GALL - outdoor 6 lane, 50m swimming pool. Open during the summer season. Video footage - CLICK HERE



RENNES :

SAINT-GEORGES POOL - beautiful and very intricate design to the pool and pool features. 33 yards in length. View footage - CLICK HERE




SAINT-QUAY-PORTRIEUX :

OUTDOOR SEA WATER POOL - stunning 25m seawater pool, with a shallow end. Naturally filled up by larger tides. Free entry, lifeguarded in the summer and it has a diving board! Beautiful video really shows off the pool - CLICK HERE



STRASBOURG :

LES BAINS MUNICIPAUX DE STRASBOURG - another must visit swimming pool. Although it’s not very practical to swim in. CLICK HERE - for footage

PISCINE DE LINGOLSHEIM - looks like something from outer space. Nicknamed the ‘Sunflower’, as it’s very unique roof is retractable and opens up in the warmer months.



TOULOUSE :

ALFRED NAKACHE SUMMER POOL - massive 150 x 48m outdoor swimming pool. Open over the summer.

London's Lidos (pretty much all of them!)

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I’m going to attempt to name and detail all of London’s Lidos in this blog post. I’m sure the odd one might slip through the net. I was inspired by a recent trip to London…where I took in a number of swims. It also prompted us to design a new ‘Swim London’ swimming cap. We have a comprehensive list of the UK’s Lidos HERE. This all came about and we originally put our ‘Lidos Guide’ page together to coincide with the launch of our Top Trumps-style UK Lidos card game. We’ll also list a number of swimming venues that we felt we’re lidos in the strictest sense.

Aldershot Lido

A lot going on with the pool itself and lane swimming, 3 flumes, diving platform, kids pool, sand pit, picnic areas, shop/cafe… Looks like a good day out for the kids. Take a peek - CLICK HERE. (SW London).

 

Brockwell Lido

A stunning 1937 Grade II listed art deco building, with a 50m Olympic sized pool. Video footage of the pool & park - CLICK HERE. (Brixton, south London).

Charlton Lido

Is a 6 lane, 50m outdoor, heated pool. The centre also boasts a state of the art gym and tennis courts on site. The pool also has a decent sized terrace, for the all important sunbathing session post-swim…come summer. Video footage - CLICK HERE. (London)

 

Finchley Lido

Part of a leisure centre, the pool is open during the summer months. Plenty of space on the poolside and gardens. Only video I could find - CLICK HERE. (London).

 

Hampton Pool

36m open air pool heated year round! There’s also a kids pool and plenty of other facilities. Lengthy video with plenty of footage CLICK HERE. (London).

 

Hillingdon Lido

Has a 50m outdoor pool (generally open March - Oct), as well as lots of other state of the art facilities on site. View the lido - CLICK HERE. (Uxbridge).

 

London Fields Lido

50m, 4 lane swimming pool in London. They have the all-important sunbathing areas poolside and a nice little cafe, for post-swim refreshments. Video footage of the pool - CLICK HERE. (East London).

 

Oasis Sports Centre/Lido

In the heart of the West End. Offering outdoor and indoor swimming, as well as other sporting and recreational facilities (London). Virtual tour - CLICK HERE

 

Park Road Lido

A 50m outdoor, heated swimming pool, open all year round. Has some lovely grounds surrounding the pool for lunch, snacks, some sunbathing… Video footage of the pool - CLICK HERE. (north London).

Parliament Hill Lido

61 x 27m outdoor pool, not heated. A large pool, with other facilities, such as a sauna and cafe. Video of the facility - CLICK HERE. (north London).

Pools On The Park

Made up of a number of sports facilities, including an indoor and outdoor heated swimming pool. (Richmond, London).

 

Tooting Bec

Is a whopping 91.44m (100 yards) long and 30.18m (33 yards) wide! Built in 1906 and has kept much of it’s original charm and character. Video footage of the Lido - CLICK HERE. (South London).

 

ADDITIONAL SWIMMING LOCATIONS

BECKENHAM PLACE PARK SWIMMING LAKE

CANARY WHARF OPEN WATER SWIMMING

DENHAM LAKE

HAMPSTEAD HEATH PONDS

LONDON ROYAL DOCKS

SERPENTINE LIDO

WEST RESERVOIR CENTRE

Plan your one-off swim

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So you’re visiting west Cornwall or you live fairly locally and you want to take on a specific swim. When to swim it and a few bits of info that might come in handy. Remember to always check the conditions and don’t attempt a swim, when you’re not comfortable or questioning the conditions… Here are a few of the biggies :

CARBIS BAY :

Parking in the beach car park winter or summer will require you to sell one of your kidneys! Best parking up the road at the church or Porthrepta car park and walk down the hill. It is a steep hill. If you have mobility issue it might not be the swim for you…although you could get a friend to drop you and pick you up next to the beach. Avoid a moderate to strong N / NE wind. Rarely gets swell but can get a wave in BIG conditions. Not much tidal pull but you can get caught out if you swim to the ‘point’ on an outgoing spring tide. Beach and car park get busy in the summer. Peak season you might have issue parking after 10am. Lifeguarded during the main summer months.

COVERACK :

Generally a very safe beach in all conditions, other than a moderate-to-strong easterly. Very rarely gets swell. Car park is near the beach and can get busy on weekends and through the main summer. Best parking before 10am or visiting in the evening. No lifeguards. The beach (can) get covered in small rocks, which can make it difficult to access if you’re not too steady on your feet / have balance issues. Always best avoiding the harbour entrance. The activities centre also do windsurfing lessons, so worth staying out of their way. Roskilly’s just around the corner,for a coffee, drink, ice cream and/or food.

HELFORD :

Good and fairly safe swimming off either Durgan Village or Grebe Beach. Both are fairly sheltered and safe but I’d still avoid an outgoing spring tide, stay fairly close to shore and watch out for boats. The car park can get fairly busy, so don’t leave parking until late morning! Bit of a walk down the hill but nothing too steep. You could also check out Trebah Gardens…as they have a private beach.

KYNANCE :

I’d be really careful swimming at Kynance. It can be a nice safe swim and it can also be quite a dangerous one. There are no lifeguards. I’d also avoid an outgoing current. Especially on a spring tide. On an incoming neap, you should be fine. I’d stay in the main bay and not get too adventurous. Swim with a friend(s). There is an overflow car park but I’d still get there before 10am in the summer months. Again, you could visit after 5pm when it calms down. A ‘bit of a walk’ seems to be a running theme with this blog post! Uneven, steep in parts and remote. Great swimming though! Avoid moderate + W/SW wind and swell.

LAMORNA :

Beautiful swimming. Seaweed has a tendency to get stuck in the cove from time to time. Car park can be an issue in summer…so before 10am or evenings. I’d again aim for an incoming tide and avid a moderate + S wind. No lifeguards.

MOUSEHOLE :

High tide dipping / shorter swim in the harbour. Just be sensible and avoid the odd boat moving…and you’ll need a high-ish tide. If you avoid an E/S wind of moderate strength you could swim outside of the harbour. I’d never advise swimming through a harbour mouth, so you can get to the beach on the south side of the harbour wall and swim off there… Parking can be nightmare-ish peak summer after 9.30-10am!

*Winter time especially you’d do well to check the SAS app for any pollution.

PENZANCE SEA FRONT / BATTERY ROCKS :

Lovely in a northerly wind, especially towards high tide. Avoid moderate to strong S/SE/SW winds. Parking in the generally area is good, although very busy on the sea front, in summer months. Only ever get swell in a storm and minimal tidal movement in the bay.

Always best towards high tide. Can get rocky, weedy and very shallow at low tide.

POLDHU COVE :

Lifeguarded through the summer but that’s because it can and does get swell. Swim on an incoming tide and between the flags. Parking at Poldhu and Church Cove (with a mile-ish walk across the coast path). Fairly easy access…just sand to negotiate. Avoid W / SW wind and swell.

PORTHCURNO :

I always think this is best on a low tide. It’s safer, shallower and the colour of the water is far more beautiful. Lifegaurded in the summer months. Parking can be nightmare-ish after 9.45am… Swim on an incoming tide. Avoid moderate-to-strong S / SW / SE winds…and swell.

PORTHALLOW / PORTHOUSTOCK :

Lovely and always fairly safe swims. Avoid easterly winds and very strong S / N wind. Always ample parking, regardless of season and time. Both rocky beaches, so avoid if you have mobility/balance issues. No lifeguards on either.

PORTHMINSTER :

So, so busy in the summer and winter. You can park at Carbis Bay or St Erth and get the train across. You could also walk from Carbis Bay in the summer. Too shallow to swim at low tide, so pick an incoming mid-high tide. Lifeguarded in the main summer seasons.

ST MICHAEL’S MOUNT / MARAZION :

Always best to swim in the morning or evening and avoid the boat traffic to the island. Boats operate from around 9.45am - 5pm. Parking needs to be done before 10am, on the weekends / peak summer, 10-11am midweek. Limited boat traffic on a Saturday. Never swim into the Mount’s harbour! Minimal tidal movement. If you want to swim around the island, don’t go by yourself and take a tow float. Avoid moderate-to-strong S / SW / SE wind.

Somerset Lidos

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Another list of the lidos you’ll find in a particular county…this time Somerset.

CLEVEDON MARINE LAKE

Salt water tidal pool, found on the Somerset coast. Currently charity run and open year round. No set entry fee but charitable donations are appreciated.

CLICK HERE for video footage.

Website - CLICK HERE

CLEVELAND POOLS

dating back over 200 years and currently in the process of a major restoration job…thanks to the determination of 3 local legends. River fed…

Check out the video - CLICK HERE.

Website link - CLICK HERE

CLIFTON LIDO

…aka Bristol Lido, is unsurprisingly found in Bristol. Heated through the year, at a very manageable 22-25 degrees. Post-swim there are a number of spa facilities, such as a sauna, hot tub etc to warm up and relax.

Stunning facility…check out some video footage - CLICK HERE

Lidos website - CLICK HERE

GREENBANK SWIMMING POOL

Glorious 30m outdoor swimming pool, heated to 30 degrees. Found in the middle of Street. Surrounded by a lovely grassy area for picnics and general R&R…

Some old footage of the pool - CLICK HERE

Website - CLICK HERE

PORTISHEAD OPEN AIR POOL

Heated, outdoor 33m long swimming pool. Run by a local trust and a number of wonderful volunteers.

View the lido - CLICK HERE

Pools website - CLICK HERE

SHEPTON MALLET LIDO

25m outdoor heated pool, open over the summer months. Catering for all swimming abilities and has a kids pool. Plenty of room around the pool and a kids play area.

Photos give you a good idea of the facilities - CLICK HERE

Shepton’s Website - CLICK HERE

TINTINHULL SWIMMING POOL

A small, local swimming pool originally built and now run by local volunteers. Open in the summer season only.

VIEW WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

THERMAE BATH SPA

More of a spa than a lido. ‘Adults only’ spa, set in Bath.

Video footage - CLICK HERE

Facitlities website - CLICK HERE

WIVEY POOL

aka Wiveliscombe Community Swimming Pool, is a beautiful little outdoor pool in Somerset. Run by members of the local community and lots of fantastic volunteers. At the time of writing they’re approaching their 100 year anniversary. Set in a stunning rural village.

Slightly lacking in the video department, this does give you an idea of the local area - CLICK HERE.

Wivey’s website - CLICK HERE

For a full list of the UKs lidos, click the button below :

Sea Swim Cornwall have also put together their own Top-Trumps style game, featuring a number of the UKs lidos. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Penzance by night

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I obvious take and post lots of photos of Penzance and west Cornwall. Focusing on the coastline and beaches. Over the last few years however, I’ve started noticing how beautiful various parts of Cornwall are at night. It’s so easy to walk past these places after work or hurrying to the pub and completely ignore them. Penzance is absolutely no exception. So…before the high street and all of the old, charming buildings in the area entirely disappear (in the name of progress…or profit!), I thought I’d start trying to capture it.

I’ve been working on a little photography project over the last few months in Penzance. I still have plenty of work to do before I’ve finished…but to start, here are a few of Fishboys Pz. Looks stunning at night!

Devon's Lidos

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We’ve compiled a bit of a list of the lidos that you can find in Devon. Hopefully we’ve got them all. There are quite a few!

ASHBURTON

smack bang in the middle of the ancient stannary town of Ashburton. 21 x 9m in size, with lovely views. You’ll need to park 5-10 minutes away from the pool but this gives you the perfect opportunity to check out lots of the independent, local shops in the town on the way through. Another pool run by fantastic volunteers, from the local community.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

BOVEY TRACEY

A heated outdoor swimming pool, slightly on the smaller side, compared to most lidos…at 25 x 9m and has a smaller kids pool. Found in a very green and leafy village. Run by a team of local volunteers.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

BUCKFASTLEIGH

Found on the edge of Dartmoor National Park, it’s a 21m open air, heated swimming pool. They have a cafe and ‘sunning area’.

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CHAGFORD POOL

Community run pool, on the bank of the river Teign. You have a 1930s lido, filled with UV treated river water. Water temp is kept at around 27 degrees and is 34m in length.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CHUDLEIGH SWIMMING POOL

A registered charity and community project. Chudleigh is a 4 lane, 20m pool, heated at 28 degrees through the summer season.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

CLYST HYDON SWIMMING POOL

A small pool, full of character. Run by volunteers. This is an unheated outdoor pool, in a gorgeous part of the world.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FACEBOOK PAGE - CLICK HERE

CORNWALL HOUSE OUTDOOR POOL

Part of Exeter University, this 4 lane, 25m outdoor pool is heated to around 29 degrees and surrounded by a delightful grass verge…

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

DARTMOUTH LIDO

This is a community pool, run by a local charity. The pool measures 25 x 8.5m in size and is heated to around 28 degrees. Open from roughly May - Sept.

THEY HAVE A LOVELY WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

KINGSTEIGNTON SWIMMING POOL

Heated 25m outdoor pool and toddlers pool. Lots of room aroud the pool for pre/post-swim relaxation and a spot of sunbathing.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

MORETONHAMPSTEAD

Run by volunteers, through the summer months. Heated by air source pumps and solar energy! You’ll find it on the edge of Dartmoor.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

MOUNT WISE SWIMMING POOLS

Right on the water. Salt fed 25m swimming pool. Pool is open during the summer months and isn’t heated.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

VIDEO FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TEIGNMOUTH LIDO

A 25m heated outdoor swimming pool. Sat right on the coast, overlooking the sea.

VIEW THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

SHOALSTONE POOL

This is a saltwater Lido, overlooking the Brixham sea front. Another lido that’s run with the help of committed volunteers. Runs from May - Sept. There isn’t an entry charge but they do ask for a voluntary entry fee.

THEIR WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TINSIDE LIDO

Once voted one of the top 10 lidos in Europe! Grade II listed and has a beautiful art deco design. Sat right on the waters edge…

VIEW WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

TOPSHAM SWIMMING POOL

Heated outdoor pool. Open over the summer months and heated to ‘at least’ 28 degrees.

VIEW WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE - CLICK HERE

For a FULL LIST of the UKs lidos, click the button below :

Sea Swim Cornwall have also put together their own Top-Trumps style game, featuring a number of the UKs lidos. CLICK HERE to find out more.

 

Cornwall's Lidos

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Cornwall has 3 lidos to choose from in Bude, Hayle and Penzance. Here’s a little rundown of each.

BUDE SEA POOL : is a sea pool at Summerleaze Beach. The pool is currently run by a local charity - Friends of Bude Sea Pool (FoBSP). It offers free entry and there’s no need to book. The pool itself is around 91m x 45m in size and holds 4 million litres of water.

MORE INFO & WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE OF THE POOL - CLICK HERE

 

JUBILEE POOL : is the largest salt water art deco lido in the country. Again, run by a local community group. The Jubilee Pool offers cold water swimming, has a geothermal pool and cafe/shop. Tickets can be purchased online or bought in person, on the day. It’s approx 98 x 56m and holds around 5 million litres of water.

MORE INFO & WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

FOOTAGE OF THE POOL - CLICK HERE

 

HAYLE LIDO : is a small outdoor pool, sat on the bank of the Hayle estuary. Typically opens in May and offers swimming until the start of September. The pool is run by Hayle Council. As a smaller outdoor pool, with an overnight thermal cover, the pool regularly reaches temperatures of 20-24 degrees through the summer.

MORE INFO & BOOKING : CLICK HERE

 

UNA LIDO : is a very new, high end lido in St Ives, Cornwall. Onsite spa and a number of facilities. Open year round.

MORE INFO & BOOKING : CLICK HERE

As well as shorter list of various counties lidos, we also have a comprehensive guide to the UKs lidos. Simply follow the button below :

Sea Swim Cornwall have also put together their own Top-Trumps style game, featuring a number of the UKs lidos. CLICK HERE to find out more.

Which swim events are you suitable for...in 2024?

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On this blog post we’ll explore which swims and/or swimming activity you are best suited to and you’ll enjoy the most. We’ll go through all the categories of swimmer out there and tell you what’s available. Simply scroll down and find the section relevant to you.

If you’re in a swimming group or have swimming friends or are simply coming to Cornwall by yourself, you have the option of booking private swim/s. Whether it’s a one-off or you’d like to book a series of swims…or you’d like to book in a group for your own private holiday or event…get in touch. Unlike the set-date swimming holidays on the website, you have more of a say regarding times and locations if you book in as a private group.

SLOW / NEW TO SEA SWIMMING

If you’re an inexperienced sea swimmers, just starting out with sea swimming, want to improve technique, comfortable with sea swimming just a bit slower and/or prefer to take your time and do a bit of ‘sight seeing’ on your swim. We’re talking head up breaststroke, slow front crawl, slow-to-middle lane of your public swimming pool session… We have plenty for you. You can start with our sea swim-specific coaching (there are elements of front crawl swimming that are specific to sea swimming) - either a coaching session or series of coaching sessions. CLICK HERE for more info.

This year we’re running a series of short swims and coaching sessions, with sauna activity! As well as Full Moon swims (at night)…we’ll announce these dates later on. For general calendar - CLICK HERE.

We also host water safety / first aid courses. These cover rip currents, planning swims, reading the conditions, as well as first aid, basic rescue techniques and have no restrictions on entry (provided you can swim at any level). CLICK HERE for more info. As well as set-date courses, we also host private group courses.

SLOW SWIMMING HOLIDAYS - swimming holidays that cater for slower swimmers. Swims are tailored to the group and will offer a variety of different swim lengths over each swim. We’ve had swimmers attend and swim head-up breaststroke the entire time, one gentleman in 2023 suffered a stroke (before the holiday!) and could only move the left side of his body…and completed all of the swims! Swims are typically 200m-1500m depending on how far you want to swim. *We can put on additional distance at the end of a few of the swims, if any of the swimmer want to get in some distance. We never have ‘set’ swim holidays, as we choose the swims based on the conditions.

ASSISTED SWIMS - if you’d like to attempt a swim like St Michael’s Mount, you can book a private session and we’ll tow an additional rescue board with us, which acts like a taxi. You can get a tow for parts of the swim and complete the sections you fancy.

SLOW AND STEADY SWIMS - we have a series of one-off swims, designed for swimmers that aren’t the fastest or that simply prefer to take their time. CLICK HERE - for event calendar.

SLOW SWIMMING DAYS OUT - a non-event event. We specify a set area and then let you know where to meet us 2 days before the event. This is because we pick the swims based on the days conditions. This is a very informal, very social day of swimming. We take on 3-4 shorter swims of the course of 1 day. Swim distances are between 200-800m, depending on the swimmer. Very leisurely day of exploring… CLICK HERE for info.

FULL MOON SWIM – you’d be perfectly placed to attend one of our full moon swims. We have a mixed bag of swimmers on these, from head-up breaststrokers to front crawl swimmers that get excited and try and get in a 2km swim!

 

MEDIUM PACED SWIMMERS 

It’s really tricky conveying what we mean by medium/average pace. Often people are put off or anxious booking our ‘standard’ holidays. Our ‘slow swimming’ activity books up far better. By medium pace we’re talking holding approx. 2 ½ minutes per 100m / 20-25 minutes per km. So…you’re generally looking at the whole of the middle lane of an average public swimming session. We’re simply happy with you covering the distances, rather than too worrying about pace. With our holidays and larger events we have multiple people on water safety, so it’s easy for us to split up and manage a group of swimmers with varied speeds. We also get faster swimmers to double back – they cover a little extra distance and the group stays together.

All of the activities above (slow section) are open to medium paced swimmers. You’re also more than welcome on any one-off swims, as well as our standard swimming holidays. Swimming MOT coaching sessions may be more appropriate, although you’re welcome to book a full coaching session. CLICK HERE for info.

EVENTS – the 10K or 5K events (broken up into a series of swims over the day) are open to anyone that comfortable swimming that distance. They’re more of a challenge, than an event, avoiding mass starts and tight turns around buoys. CLICK HERE for more info.

 

FASTER SWIMMERS 

Standard (non-slow swimming) holidays would be ideal, along with the 5 & 10k Day events. You can also book one-off swims, for both individuals and small groups. We also book ‘special’ events, like sauna swims and full moon swims. You’re welcome to sign up to any of these. CLICK HERE for event info.

FLEXIBILITY 

We pride ourselves on our flexible approach. If there’s an idea, activity or service you’d like that we don’t currently offer, get in touch. In the past, we’ve supplied a client with a swimming itinerary (for example)…a list of swims and which conditions to swim them in. CLICK HERE for contact page.

Why Tremorvu Campsite near Helston?

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This year we’ve based a holiday from Tremorvu Campsite (although there’s no requirement to stay here, if you like your creature comforts). We’ve held holidays here in the past and we’ve only ever received great feedback. Well kept, quiet, great value for money and….more importantly, it’s a short drive to everywhere (…everywhere you’d want to swim!).

As my sketch of a spider demonstrates… There are a lot of options! With the longer drives, we’d pick two swims in close proximity, to minimise driving.

5-10 minutes : 3 Different cave swims and lovely beaches/coves, like Prussia Cove.

10-15 minutes : St Michael’s Mount, Marazion, Porthleven, Perranuthnoe

15 - 20 mins : Church Cove, Poldhu Beach

20-30 mins : Carbis Bay, Porthkidney, Mousehole

30-45 mins : Kynance Cove, Coverack, the Helford / Durgan Village / Grebe Beach

We typically offer dining options in Penzance. With this holiday and it’s location, we have easily accessible additional options, like Porthleven or Praa Sands.

*at the time of writing Tremorvu didn’t quite have all of their pitches published on their website. If this is still the case email them and they’ll handle your booking.

tremorvu@hotmail.co.uk

Informal Safe Swimming Talks

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We’ve designed an informal safety talk for beginner swimmers, new open water swimmers or anyone interested in safer swimming. We’ll pick a comfortable coffee shop and take you through the theory. This option is available through the winter and spring months. Simply get in touch to book. We’ll go through :

  • planning your swim and looking at the conditions online. Go through the tides, tide sizes and types, wind direction and strength, swell…where to swim in which conditions

  • we’ll then go through additional checks at the swim and what to look out for

  • how to stay visible in the water and alert rescue services, if required

  • general safe swimming practises

  • worth bringing a pen and paper to take notes

The course is carried out by Tom, from Sea Swim Cornwall. Tom was a professional lifeguard for a total of 11 seasons, covering every beach in the Newquay/Restormel area, as well as a number of beaches in the Penwith area and Manly Beach, in Australia. He’s also been in charge of water safety for Sea Swim Cornwall for 8 years.

Course cost is £20 (includes a coffee) for a one-on-one, £35 for a 2-person group or £40 for a 3-person group.

For Booking - CLICK HERE