Lidos with the lah-de-dah factor! Round and About • Round & About Magazine

Here comes summer! We have a whole host of lidos to enjoy here in the South East…

Often featuring Art Nouveau (and Wes Anderson vibes), few summer settings could be more quirkily, quintessentially British that a lido (that’s an outdoor pool, by the way!)

There are lots of amazing public outdoor lidos here in the South East, with many being built in the 1930s. What’s your favourite?

A real stunner is the gorgeous Wycombe Rye Lido in the heart of High Wycombe, with its fabulous heated outdoor main pool, heated children’s pool, new café plus grass and terraced sunbathing areas. Adults can swim for just £9 and juniors for £4.50 and you’ll also find all the latest gym & fitness equipment, group exercise classes such as yoga and Pilates, indoor cycling studio and football pitches.

Another beauty is the Thames Lido, the result of a painstaking and sensitive three-year restoration of the disused King’s Meadow swimming pool by the river Thames on King’s Meadow. Until 29th September, the bar and restaurant will be open on Sunday evenings for you to enjoy the longer days and hopefully warm evenings, so why not book a table in the restaurant or indulge in the Swim and Tapas package? There’s also a spa, so you can book in for a massage, too!

Northcroft Lido is a newly refurbished 50m heated outdoor pool set in the grounds of Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury, which opened last year. It is now open for the 2024 summer season.

One of Hampshire’s largest outdoor swimming pools, Aldershot Lido features a huge leisure pool with flumes, lane swimming space and picnic areas. You can even enjoy a dip with your doggie, thanks to dog days on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September!

These are just a handful of our favourites – and we have competitions coming soon – what are your favourite lidos & why?