There’s nothing quite like the serotonin that hits when you find yourself immersed in natural water, surrounded by magnificent landscapes – and it’s no secret that taking a dip outside works wonders on our mental health. But with growing concerns over the state of Britain’s bathing waters, going au naturel often isn’t so appealing.
Now, though, the UK’s first naturally filtered pool could be one its way, offering all the benefits of wild swimming without the icky bits. Yorkshire Swim Works has launched a campaign to turn the abandoned Kettlewell Reservoir in St Ives Regional Park into a lido complex.
The main natural pool would be 50 metres long with six lanes, and kept clean and hygienic without the use of chemicals. The idea is that the water will flow through biological filters to a regeneration zone where it will be cleansed by ‘carefully selected aquatic plants and mineral gravel layers’.
The complex, which would be a 20-minute train journey from Leeds, would also have sauna pods, a cafe and spaces for yoga and pilates classes. There will also be lodges built for visitors to stay in overnight.
At this stage, Yorkshire Swim Works is still gathering funding, combining both social and private investment. If the project gets sufficient finances, it’s thought that work will get going in late 2025. It’s hoped that once the lido is complete, similar projects could be planned for other parts of the country.
Here’s a peak at what it could look like:
Just keep swimming
Consider yourself a water baby? Dive into our pick of the UK’s most spectacular outdoor swimming pools and most beautiful wild swimming spots. If that’s not enough choice, there are several other new swimming spots set to appear over the next year. London could get a floating lido in the canal and the UK’s deepest lido will reopen next summer.
ICYMI: The UK’s first floating sauna is coming to Liverpool.
Plus: A Paddington statue trail has popped up across the UK: full list of locations.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.