The main Lido building period was in the 1930s, when outdoor swimming became popular, and 169 were built across the UK. In this period, it became as essential for a seaside town to have a lido as it had been to have a pier in the late 1800s.
The popularity of open water or wild swimming is growing all the time. However, those nervous about swimming in the open sea are embracing the opportunity to swim in coastal tidal pools or lidos.
Sadly, many lidos and tidal pools fell into decline decades ago, losing favour with swimmers, but now many are being revived due to the new demand for open-air swimming. Often, the revival is led by local groups operating as charities and through volunteer work.
Swimming Pools & Lidos Near Me!
Here we list original lidos, tidal seawater swimming pools, and newer open-air swimming pools that are still running and at the mercy of the UK weather. We have restricted our list to coastal counties in the UK, although some pools may still be far from the actual sea.
Aberdeenshire
Ayrshire
Bristol
Channel Islands
Cheshire
Cornwall
- Bude Open Air Sea-Water Pool (picture at the top of the article)
- Hayle Swimming Pool
- Jubilee Pool
- Mousehole tidal pool
- Newtrain Bay seawater rock pool (picture above)
- Portreath Beach rock pools (multiple cut into the rocks, although not for the serious swimmer)
- Porthtowan Tidal Pool
Cumbria
- Askham Swimming Pool
- Greystoke Open Air Swimming Pool
- Shap Open Air Swimming Pool
- Hunsonby: Swimming Pool
- Lazonby Open Air Swimming Pool
Devon
- Ashburton Open Air Swimming Pool
- Bovey Tracey Open Air Swimming Pool
- Shoalstone Outdoor Sea-Water Pool
- Buckfastleigh Swimming Pool
- Chudleigh Community Swimming Pool
- Chagford Swimming Pool
- Clyst Hydon Swimming Pool
- University of Exeter outdoor pool (Cornwall House on Streatham Campus)
- Kingsteignton Swimming Pool
- Plymouth Mount Wise Swimming Pool
- Plymouth Tinside Art Deco Lido (picture above)
- Moretonhampstead Swimming pool
- Salcombe Outdoor Pool
- Teignmouth Lido
- Topsham Pool
Durham
Dumfries and Galloway
- Powfoot Tidal Pool (Historical, not open for swimming)
East Sussex
Essex
- Black Notley Outdoor Pool
- Brightlingsea Open Air Pool
- Chelmsford Riverside Outdoor Pool
- Tollesbury Woodup Pool
Fife
- Pittenweem Tidal Swimming Pool
- Castle Tidal Pool, St Andrews
- Step Rock Tidal Pool, St Andrews (visible but not accessible)
Gloucestershire
- Sandford Parks Lido, Cheltenham
- Lydney Bathurst Swimming Pool
- Stratford Park Outdoor Pool
- Wotton Pool, Wotton-under-Edge
Hampshire
Inverclyde
Kent
- Faversham Swimming Pool
- Gillingham Strand Leisure Pool
- Tonbridge Swimming Pool
- Walpole Bay Beach Tidal Pool
Lancashire
Lincolnshire
North Yorkshire
Somerset
- Shepton Mallet Lido
- Greenbank Swimming Pool, Street
- Langport Swimming Pool
- Portishead Open Air Pool
- Clevedon Marine Lake
- Wiveliscombe “Wivey” Open Air Pool
- Weston-super-Mare Marine Lake
Suffolk
Swansea Bay and The Gower
The Scottish Highlands
West Sussex
Looking for the nearest location for an outdoor swim, whether a newer pool, tidal pool, or Victorin Lido? Then use our interactive lido/pool map.
We recommend checking the opening details, as lidos often struggle to stay open and are frequently run by volunteers, with opening hours dependent on staffing availability.
If we don’t utilise these facilities, we risk losing them, as many struggle to stay open and rely on local community support. Please support the lido and outdoor pools.