The leisure centre at Portavadie in Argyll is believed to have the biggest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland. Photograph: portavadie.com View image in fullscreen The leisure centre at Portavadie in Argyll is believed to have the biggest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland. Photograph: portavadie.com Swimming Winter warmers: 10 of Britain’s best heated lidos From an infinity pool with sauna in Scotland to a restored Victorian gem in Bristol, here are 10 great spots where you can swim in comfort year-round
Prefer the Guardian on Google Portavadie , Argyll Portavadie, on the banks of Loch Fyne on the west coast of Scotland, was originally earmarked as an oil rig, but plans fell through. Today it is a marina with holiday homes, a restaurant and bar, a gift shop, and a leisure centre with what is believed to be the biggest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland. There are also outdoor spa pools and a sauna, an indoor pool and a gym; treatments such as massages and facials are available. The facilities are powered by a woodchip biomass generator, and have views across the loch and over to the Isle of Arran. £14 for a 90-minute swim, sauna and hot tub
View image in fullscreen Photograph: Adam White/Beccles Lido Swimmers have long taken dips in the Waveney, and in 1894 an enclosed “bathing place” was dug out of the river at Beccles, a market town on the southern edge of the Broads national park. In 1959, this was replaced by an unheated riverside pool, which 50 years later became a three-pool lido. This year, the pools will be heated to 28C in winter for the first time, initially until 3 January, then, if popular, through to the end of March. The 30-metre main pool has a springboard and slide; there are also toddler and splash pools, a wood-fired sauna and a cafe. The timetable is yet to be finalised but there will be lane swimming, family fun swims and aquacise classes. From £7.40 adults
View image in fullscreen Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA In July, the Peak District village of Hathersage celebrated the 90th anniversary of its 30-metre outdoor pool. It was given to the village by a local philanthropist, George Lawrence, who was killed in the Sheffield blitz. The original coke boiler, which heated the water to a maximum of 20C, has been replaced with a modern renewable heating system (temperature at time of writing: 27C). It is open daily year-round – hours are reduced from November to March – with hot poolside showers, and a sauna from October. There are regular night swims with live music, and a cafe serving hot drinks and homemade food. £8 adults
View image in fullscreen Photograph: Andre Pattenden The riverside pool on King’s Meadow, Reading was fed by the Thames when it opened in 1902, originally for ladies only. It was converted to mains water in the 1950s, closed in the 70s, and finally reopened after a three-year restoration in 2017. Today, the 25-metre pool is heated to 20-24C year-round; there is a hot tub (38-40C), sauna and steam room, and a cold-water drench bucket and “ship funnel” shower. Swimmers can also book a massage. The high-end poolside restaurant opens at 9am for breakfast (homemade granola, bacon butties, Turkish-style eggs) and serves lunch and dinner daily (such as crab tagliatelle or Ibérico pork). From £25 for a two-hour swim, sauna, steam and hot tub
View image in fullscreen The pool at Chesham Moor sports centre is believed to have begun as a deep puddle used for bathing in the 1890s. Today it is…