(Heated) outdoor pools in winter - talk me through it please

[shepherdsangeldelight]

Planning a trip to Hathersage outdoor pool in the near future. The pool is heated and I have no issue about the swimming bit (I'm assuming as the pool is heated I can wear a normal swim suit).

What I can't work out is how I get from changing area to pool and back again to change out of wet cossie, without freezing? Do I need to go to the poolside in towels and footwear and leave by side of the pool? Do I just expect to go home slightly damp as the onus will be on pulling clothes on as soon as possible?

I'm sure it will be obvious once I've done it once, but at the moment I'm just imagining freezing :)

Unless it’s a mile walk, you won’t freeze. I swim in Hampstead lido and just walk back to the changing rooms in my costume and straight into a warm shower.

??? I've never been but have been to other lidos, looking at photos it seems like the changing rooms are literally right next to the pool. In which case I'd just get out of the pool (at the end nearest the changing rooms) and....walk two metres?

You're making it sound like some sort of north pole expedition!

I mean you probably could put flip flops or something somewhere at the side if you wanted to but by the time you'd walked over to them (because having multiple pairs of shoes right next to the pool would be a tripping hazard) and put them on then walked back to the changing room it would take you twice as long than just walking straight there.

If the pool is heated and the changing area is heated you might be mildly cold in the intervening twenty seconds but aren't going to freeze!