Little-known UK lido has heated pool and evening parties – and a campsite right next door
FAMILIES wanting both a lido visit and holiday should head to Eden Valley this year.
Lazonby Lido is one of the few in the UK to be right next door to a campsite, meaning you can easily spend the night after your swim.
Having opened in 1964, the lido is heated so you don’t have to worry about the chill, especially for younger swimmers.
Open from May to September, there is not just a heated outdoor pool but also a toddler pool.
Along with lifeguards, there are hot showers.
Visitors don’t have to book ahead but it is advised to during the summer, with a capacity of just 60 people.
There are lots of events on too, such as adult water polo, swimming galas and end of season parties, as well as evening pool parties.
Swimming tickets cost £6 although under two’s go free, and there are both public swim sessions and adult swim sessions.
Fancy the pool to yourself? You can rent it by the hour, which starts from £52.
An on-site kiosk serves food and drink too, including snacks and ice creams.
One previous visitor wrote: “What a beautiful little gem of a place.”
Another said: “This is a cracker of a site in scenic Cumbria.”
The Lazonby campsite is right next to the River Eden, and is surrounded by woodlands.
Along with pitches for tents, caravans and campavans, is also has access to the shower and toilet block used by the lido, as well as a play area with swings and climbing frames.
Open from Easter, pitches starts from just £18 a night.
It’s also a great base to explore the Lake District, being a short drive from Penrith.
Lazonby Lido isn’t the only beautiful outdoor swimming pool in the UK.
An 126-year-old lido in the UK has been compared to Greece, and even has it’s own lazy river.
Swimming safety advice
Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer:
How to stay safe at the beach
Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: “If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety.
“If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard.”
How to stay safe at the swimming pool
Tiny Hearts Education, former paramedic and CEO Nikki Jurcutz said: “Always put your little one in bright or contrasting colours that would be easy to find in an emergency.
“It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life”.
An Auqabliss spokesperson added: “Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool.
“Children may try to grab these from the pool’s edge and fall in.”
How to stay safe at a waterpark
Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, said: “Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult.
“And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently.
“Waterparks are often very busy places and it’s easy to lose sight of a child in a split second.”
Another lido in Devon has been compared to Australia, being built right on the edge of the cliff.
And new plans hope to reopen a lido after 26 years, following a multi-million pound project.