Things are hotting up! Britain's best outdoor pools for heatwave swims

As British summers become increasingly stifling – sometimes reaching Med-level temperatures – our pools are coming sharply into focus. Traditionally, we haven't done outdoor swimming baths as well as mainland Europe, where municipal offerings often involve snack kiosks, sun umbrellas and whole families setting up for the day (while hotel versions come with sunscreen butlers and plenty of fluffy towels). 

But the UK versions have improved vastly over the last decade or so and now you can cool off in chic lidos and buzzy city pools, as well as some gloriously old-fashioned variants.

Here are the best outdoor pools across the country to cool off in during this heatwave. 

The game-changer

London

© Mike Buck

Just in time for the UK’s slightly-delayed summer, Londoners now have a new place to swim in the open air. The Capital’s first floating natural water swimming pool opened in Canary Wharf on June 12 – and it’s a very special place for a dip.

Opening times of 6am until 9pm during the week make pre- and post-work swims doable, while 7am until 7pm weekend hours are made for mini-breakers. Later in the summer, Sea Lanes also plans to run paddle-boarding, free diving and open water swimming in the water beyond its pool too (lane swimming from £10 per session, monthly membership from £75pp; age 8 plus; sealanescanarywharf.co.uk).

The chic lido

Reading

Could this be Britain’s poshest pool? In an unlikely Berkshire location, Thames Lido is a sympathetic restoration of a turn-of-the-century outdoor pool that closed in the 1970s. Grade II-listed and surrounded by pretty trellis work, it comes with in-house shower products, a small spa and even a seasonal restaurant (a Sunday night Swim & Small Plates package costs £45pp). The menu is more high-end holiday than pool caff  – expect whole burrata and mussels with fino and sweet herbs. There’s a hot tub and sauna too.

Swimming is available as part of a package, the cheapest of which is the £40pp Swim & Breakfast one: Thameslido.com.

The hidden one

Cornwall

© Getty Images

The sandy Blue Flag beach of Porthtowan in northern Cornwall is an absolute stunner, but it comes with the type of waves that attract surfers rather than laid-back soakers. For everyone else, there’s the town’s tidal pool, which appears between the cliffs when the tide is low and makes an idyllic spot for a wallow with the waves crashing below. Built in 1908, it now looks like it’s been there since the beginning of time. Wear water shoes to navigate the rocks and be prepared for chilly water: it’s worth it.

Entrance is free but check the tide times before visiting.

The hotel pool

Eastbourne

Making waves since 1875, The Grand Hotel is princess-y and palace-y (expect soaring ceilings, myriad period features and genteel afternoon teas). Despite all this, it’s a fabulous place for kids due to the careful service, games room and an outdoor pool that’s surrounded by greenery and steps from the seafront. It’s one of only a scattering by the seaside on the South Coast. 

Bath-warm and not too deep, the pool is great for dips between walks towards the pier and mini-golf at Treasure Island adventure park. As you’d expect from a five-star, there’s pool service and a profusion of fluffy towels, too.

Swim & Dine packages run Sunday-Thursday and include two hours’ pool access and a two-course meal, from £65 per adult and £35 per child; doubles from £175 per night, including pool use (grandeastbourne.com).

The art installation

Edinburgh

© Peter Summers/Getty Images

In a fairytale setting of silent woodland and sprawling meadows just outside the Scottish capital, Jupiter Artland is a sculpture garden in the grounds of Bonnington House that’s scattered with specially-commissioned works by Anish Kapoor, Anthony Gormley, Tracey Emin and more. Among them is Joana Vasconcelos’ bright and beautiful Gateway, a flower-shaped splash pool tiled in trailing ribbon patterns that’s surrounded by Alice In Wonderland-like topiary; and it's pre-bookable for groups of up to 12 to wallow in. Afterwards, have lunch at whimsical Cafe Party, with its pink walls, floral motifs and spacey rainbow cakes.

An hour in the pool costs £28 per adult and £23.50 per child. Age six plus, competent swimmers only. Note that some installations are not suitable for children (jupiterartland.org).

The summer bargain

Yorkshire

For a dose of old-fashioned holiday fun, Helmsley’s volunteer-run open-air pool is hard to beat – with the added bonus that kids' tickets cost less than £4. On the edge of the market town of Helmsley, with views over bottle green, sheep-dotted fields, it has everything you need when things start hotting up including a drinks kiosk, basic changing rooms and fun kids sessions with inflatables. Celebrating? You can even hire it for private pool parties. Book in advance during peak summer months when the water is heated as it can get busy. Check opening hours in advance (the pool is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday and open at different times on the other days).

Sessions cost £6.25 per adult and £3.95 per child (helmsleyopenairpool.org).