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  1. #1
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    Lidos and Open Air Swimming In the UK

    The sun came out in the UK for the first time since 2005 (or was it 1976) and the idea of swimming in refreshingly cool water whilst catching some sun made some brief sense, without the risk of bits falling off.

    My local is in Cheltenham - the Sandford Park lido. It's a bit of an historic gem, what with councils slashing budgets to pay for translating the benefit forms into Slovak etc.

    How many of these places are still left? Are they worth preserving? Or do you prefer swimming in a perspex cage with the chlorine fumes mingling with the unwashed?


  2. #2
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    I reckon you could chart average temp in Cheltenham better using the attendance numbers at the Lido than asking Michael Fish

  3. #3
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    This is My local outdoor pool.The Strand in Gillingham. I am yet to swim there.Looks cool though.

  4. #4
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  5. #5
    Being chased by sloths DJ Pat's Avatar
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    Hampstead ponds are quite nice, good chance of getting 'cruised' by a gay man as well

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi View Post
    This is My local outdoor pool.The Strand in Gillingham. I am yet to swim there.Looks cool though.
    Been in there a few times but a lot of rough people who do not meet my standards use it.

  7. #7
    Being chased by sloths DJ Pat's Avatar
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    Trouble is in the UK lidos and the sea are bloody cold.

    Apart from the lido in Wandsworth, heated and a wave machine!

  8. #8
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    Trouble is people pee in those pools, in fact I've done it myself, the last time I nearly fell in when the lifeguard blew his whistle at me.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi
    This is My local outdoor pool.The Strand in Gillingham. I am yet to swim there.Looks cool though
    I learnt to kayak in that pool as a kid, and swam there quite a few times, but haven't been in it since. All I can remember is feeling sick as a parrot after swallowing so much salt water.

  10. #10
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    ^ it wasn't the salt in the water, nor probably the 'pee'...

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi View Post
    This is My local outdoor pool.The Strand in Gillingham. I am yet to swim there.Looks cool though.
    Fantastic day today,a dream came true,I swam in here today,brilliant.

  12. #12
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    Well remember one in Fleetwood as a kid. So cold it turned your manhood into something resembling a peanut.

  13. #13
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    ^ that was part of the joy,My nuts last looked that good when I was ten.

  14. #14
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    refreshingly cool water tried by some leads to cramp and death around the UK in old gravel pits and rivers ,around 6 so far this summer

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by wasabi View Post
    This is My local outdoor pool.The Strand in Gillingham. I am yet to swim there.Looks cool though.
    Fantastic day today,a dream came true,I swam in here today,brilliant.
    Swimming in there is a 'dream come true'?
    You're taking the piss surely.











    Dreams come true maybe.

    But this?



    I don't think so (unless you have very dull dreams)
    “If we stop testing right now we’d have very few cases, if any.” Donald J Trump.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lostandfound
    My local is in Cheltenham - the Sandford Park lido. It's a bit of an historic gem, what with councils slashing budgets to pay for translating the benefit forms into Slovak etc.
    I think I might have used this lido back in 1976...very hot year that brings back a memories. Nice to see that it has had a recent refurbishment; I may take a look when I am over later in the month. I did all my training in Pittville Park swimming pool though....

    Thanks for sharing...

  17. #17
    Thailand Expat
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    ^ looks foreign. Horrible food, gassy beer and they only speak Getman or local patois. They dont even use proper money.

  18. #18
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    Ruislip Lido was nice, as I can remember.

    I wasnt there in 1976 or 2005 so I can't comment on any swimming.

  19. #19
    The cold, wet one
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    Didn't know they still had lidos. Used to go to one in Hilsea in Portsmouth as a kid. Great fun. Then we moved to HK and had all the beaches, as well as the pools in HMS Tamar and our Forces schools and our block of flats. Sort of spoilt lidos for me after that...

  20. #20
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    I preferred the one in BKK between Vibhavadi Rangsit & Lad Prao..

  21. #21
    Thailand Expat klong toey's Avatar
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    We have Saltdean lido near us in the UK,not been water to bloody cold.
    Saltdean Lido

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by klong toey View Post
    We have Saltdean lido near us in the UK,not been water to bloody cold.
    Saltdean Lido
    Back in the days when it was England for poms and a pint or two was the heroin of the day.

    It's such a pity that it's all over now.

  23. #23
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    Cheltenham lido opens for 2014 season



    Families braved intermittent rain to be at the opening of the Sandford Parks Lido on Saturday.

    One of the jewels in Cheltenham’s crown, the 1935 heated open-air pool welcomed visitors for the first time this summer in a day of activities.

    Among the day’s entertainment, British diving champion Jack Laugher opened the gates as the Cheltenham Silver Band played.

    Jack also met and greeted visitors and trained with children, with who he shared the diving techniques of champions.

    To herald the turning back of time for one day, staff dressed in traditional navy white’s uniform.

    The traditional ‘Sandford Sprint’ saw swimmers racing a length of the 50 metre pool. This was followed by a water polo exhibition match between ASA British Gas National Champions,Cheltenham Water Polo Club and the London Polytechnic Water Polo Club.

    Visitors were also able to make use of free canoeing sessions.

    On the opening day only, the entrance fee was two pence, to resemble the equivalent price at the facility when it first opened in 1935.

    The lido’s cafe, now rebranded as Café Lido, has undergone a major revamp, and is now being run by In The Park Ltd, as well as the Park Café will now be open all year round.

    It will be run by Susannah Moffat, the woman behind the Cheltenham Coffee Co Ltd, who also runs the Central Cross Café and Boathouse in Pittville Park.

    And it was here that families sheltered from the intermittent showers and blustery winds, which peppered outbursts of sun.

    Acting chief executive, Keith Norris said the opening day had been a success after a tough deadline of repairs to meet.

    He said: “People have been really happy to get in and get swimming.

    “There have been lots of friends meeting up again Jack Laugher was showing the children how to dive. It was absolutely freezing.

    “There’s been a lot of positive comments about the cafe. People have been saying it looks really fresh.”

    The lido, which is the most complete of its kind in the country, has gone from strength to strength, say organisers,which last year attracted more than 200,000 visitors.

    Keith added: “It’s loved among the people of Cheltenham. It’s the only outdoor 50 metre pool registered as a training venue with the Amateur Swimming Association.

    “Once you walk through the doors, you see the trees and the surrounding hills and you could be anywhere.

    “A few years ago, we did a survey and asked people what the lido meant to them.

    “It’s a place where they met their girlfriends or used to play with their mates from school. It’s a healthy environment.

    “It’s a unique facility which is special for a lot of people. They have a sense of ownership.”

    Sue Vickers, 68, from Charlton Kings, has been coming to the lido since she was 10 years old and was on her way into the pool for a swim.

    She said: “I’ve been waiting for it to open all winter. I’ve been looking forward to the first day. It’s a fantastic facility for Cheltenham, a wonderful space.”

    Charlotte Kidner, 43, and her sister Louise, 40, were at the lido with their friend, Vicky Stipling, 35, and their children.

    Vicky, a mum of two, from Bishops Cleeve, said: “I come in the summer with the children. We wanted to see what the coffee shop was like.

    “It used to be a bit grim, but it’s really nice now. It has a nicer feeling.”

    Charlotte, a graphic designer, from Charlton Kings added: “It’s nice to be able to have a nice cup of tea on your doorstep.

    “It’s very free and relaxed here.”

    Louise, a nurse, from St Lukes, said: “We support the lido because it’s a beautiful building.

    “I used to live nearby and get up every morning and come here for a swim.

    “It’s such a community thing.”

    Due to refurbishment, the children’s pool area will not be for a while, although the heating to the main pool has been increased until the children’s pool becomes operational.



    Read more: The jewel in Cheltenham's crown -Sandford Parks Lido opens for its spring season | Gloucestershire Echo
    Read more at The jewel in Cheltenham's crown -Sandford Parks Lido opens for its spring season | Gloucestershire Echo

  24. #24
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    When it is better weather i shall show you the lido in the lake here.

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