To think there is a severe lack of outdoor swimming venues in the UK?

[pinkmagic1]

I love swimming but hate sweaty indoor pools.
Today we went to Rutland water which has a man made beach and an area, watched by a life guard where you can swim. It was absolutely heaving.
We travelled over 30 miles to get there as there are no such places near where we live. All the lidos have closed and there used to be a lake with similar facilities nearby when I was younger but these are long gone. The lake still allows open water swimming clubs which is great, but nothing for a family wanting to enjoy a day in the water. People do still swim there but they get in trouble if caught.
Aibu to wish there were more places for safe and permitted outdoor swimming?

The problem lots of people don't take sensible precautions adaline ,we live near some reservoirs they look very inviting in weather like this but every year it seems there ,s s tragedy last year a young man in his 20,s drowned in one .

Can think of nothing less appealing than swimming in the Manchester Ship Canal!

I think they should open lidos again, weren't there a lot of them a few decades ago?

Yanbu
I would love to swim in a nice lake or river that was safe.
Faversham Pools is fine during the week until the kids break up. We were talking about it today PotatoCity saying it must be rammed
Last year loads of people we in the sea when we visited the Isle of Sheppey. It was ridiculously warm and full of jellyfish.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-22843481 this is about a dangerous lagoon people kept flocking to

@x2boys

I live in a reservoir dense area of the NW, people drown in them every year, they are pretty dangerous to swim in as they are very deep and very cold, and have machinery in them too. Some have fenced off sections for outdoor swim events though.

The worst is the ladybower plughole, which freaks me out no end.. anyone fancy a swim?

Reservoirs are very different from natural lakes and bodies of water though....

I’m a member of a year round Lido and I love it. There is a new book called the Lido guide which documents all the open ones. There are quite a few.

Erm we live on an island, swim in the sea

I was just thinking today what a shame it was so many lidos closed. This was prompted by DDs delight at discovering after 2 years at uni that there's a lido, she's working in that area this summer and intends using it, lucky girl. I grew up by the seaside and adore outdoor swimming but don't know of anywhere near me ... the coast hereabouts is crap for swimming.

It pisses down with rain 98% of the year it's not worth it.
Why does rain matter for an activity where you're immersed in water?

I can think of 3 in Cornwall alone plus a few beach pools

@Wenttoseainasieve I live not too far from ladybower and it scares the hell out of me.

Swimsafe do open water safety sessions every summer for free. My DDs did it last year in Lake Windermere and it was really good.

I cannot think of anything more disgusting than swimming in a lake.
At least in a swimming pool you don't put your feet down into sludge 🤮

I've been swimming in the sea today, but it was an hour away. I miss being able to walk down to the beach after work.

Lots of lidos near me but I wish there were more accessible lakes. I am ages from the coast but grew up by the sea. I miss it, so this year have bought lido membership and a 10" paddling pool for the garden! On the plus side it is usually better weather here. And at the lido you can properly swim. It is so refreshing and wonderful! Can't beat the sea on a hot day though.

• I cannot think of anything more disgusting than swimming in a lake. At least in a swimming pool you don't put your feet down into sludge*

IME lakes aren't sludgy - I've mostly only been swimming in them inadvertently while doing watersports but the edges are usually sandy and/or rocky.

For the same reason as there are not enough snow plows... they don’t get used often enough to be viable.

Da fuq @Wenttoseainasieve?

I think it's because you are never more than 40 miles away from the sea in the UK. Probably. That's what I was told as a child.

@tunnocksreturns2019 Ciren outdoor pool is wonderful. In the glorious, boiling, never ending summer of 2003 I lived round the corner. I would walk round at 7am in my dressing gown, do 50 lengths then go to work. May-Sep, didn't miss a single day. Good Times.

I did tend to pop home and get dressed before work though...

I think it's because you are never more than 40 miles away from the sea in the UK. Probably. That's what I was told as a child

Whoever told you that was wrong, it's more like 70 miles.

OP, there are several lakes set up for scuba diving in the UK that also allow open water swimming. There's one near Leicester, and a few others if they're any good.

But most of the year, it's too cold for most people to want to swim outside, so little incentive to operation of commercial facilities.

YANBU

Whoever told you that was wrong, it's more like 70 miles.

Still very close.

It may "only" be 70 miles to the coast but its a good 2+ hour drive to the nearest beach from where I live. Longer in hot weather when loads of people head in that direction

@MrsElizabethShelby lakes aren't sludgy at all.

However I wouldn't swim outdoors in bare feet in the UK - too much risk of broken glass or sharp rocks. We found jellies on the beach last week too!

It’s only hot for 5 weekends a year !

It’s colder in Iceland Andy their national sport is swimming outdoors. Every small town or village has a pool that is used year round. Healthiest lifestyle in the world, I believe.