Anyone built a natural swimming pond?

[featherdownfarmer]

I'm obsessed with getting a digger in and digging a pond to swim in (I know I am lucky as I have the space). Anyone created their own rather than getting the professionals in - I've seen people saying they cost £100k to have put in... I can't stretch to that! Is it really just a giant pond or am I simplifying it?

Bump as I’m a bit obsessed with this. There’s YouTube videos of people doing this. Not sure if they just turn into murky swamps eventually though.

Sarah Beeny had a show on channel 4 about building her house etc, there was an episode where they were building a big natural pool/pond and you have to have the correct clay to stop the water leaking out. Maybe have a watch of that it may be useful as they had someone in lining it with the clay.

There's a grand designs episode where they do this, this the most recent series. It was amazing but very very complicated and expensive!

These are totally amazing but I think more complicated in terms of the balance of plant life etc to keep them clean and clear. They are definitely more complicated than just a normal pond.

I'd love one too but it's much more complicated than just getting a digger in , planning aswell needs to be factored in .

A colleague was making a pond in his garden last year and I was shocked by how complex a big pond is and that wasn't even for swimming. The filters needed, types of liners, balance of pond plants etc just to keep it from turning into a big stagnant puddle was surprising.

I like you was a bit more of the 'don't you just dig a hole and fill it with water' type of person.