Get in. The water’s lovely.

Lengths, at your own speed

Slow, medium and fast lanes from 6.30am. Swim for ten minutes or an hour; the clock on the wall is only a suggestion.

A swimmer doing lengths between dark lane lines, seen from above

Floats out, shallow end roped off

Weekend afternoons for families and friends, with a lifeguard on every side of the pool and the inflatables out of the shed.

Friends on inflatable rings waving from a sunny pool

Learn to swim, at any age

Small groups for children and adults, including a beginners’ class for grown-ups who never had the chance to learn.

Children in goggles getting ready to jump in beside an instructor in the water

A gentler swim

A calm session with the music off, the lanes wide and plenty of time on the steps. Popular with older swimmers and early birds.

An older couple talking and smiling in a pool

Cold, clear and brief

Weekend mornings from November. Short swims, warm drinks and a lifeguard who has seen every kind of gasp.

A swimmer doing lengths in an outdoor pool in the snow

Suggested prices keep the water warm. If you cannot pay, swim anyway: nobody at the gate will ask why.

Fair prices. No small print.

PAY WHAT YOU CAN

Suggested prices keep the water warm. If you cannot pay, swim anyway: nobody at the gate will ask why.

Single dip

£4

Suggested. Pay less if you need to.

Ten swims

£35

Suggested. Valid for the whole season.

Under 16s

£0

Always. Under-8s swim with an adult.

Grown-ups who never learned

Small, patient classes with your feet on the bottom for as long as you like. Many of our best swimmers started here.

A swimmer in a blue cap and goggles holding the pool edge

First strokes for kids

Splashing, floating and the first brave width, taught by qualified instructors in the shallow end.

A boy swimming underwater in a sunlit pool

Confidence for older swimmers

For anyone returning after a long break or an operation, at a gentle pace with steps and a hoist.

The practical bits, answered before you reach the gate. Details describe a fictional lido; a real pool would publish its own rules.

Shower first. Smile second.

BEFORE YOU SWIM

Between 22 and 26 degrees in summer, thanks to the sun and a heat pump. In winter it is unheated and very much not.

How warm is the water?

In the striped huts along the east side, with a step-free family changing room by the kiosk.

Where do I change?

Yes. Stay in the shallow end, ask a lifeguard for a float or try a lesson. Everyone starts somewhere.

Can I swim if I am not confident?

Always. Qualified lifeguards watch every public session, from the first lane swim to the last splash.

Is there a lifeguard?

Of course. Under-8s need an adult in the water with them, and under-16s always swim for free.

Can I bring my children?

Coin-free lockers by the huts. Bring a padlock or borrow one from the kiosk.

What about lockers?

Ask about lessons

LESSON DESK

Pop by the gate or drop us a line. We will find a class that suits you, whatever your age or experience.

lessons@fernhill-lido.example

Email

Saturdays, 9 to 11am, all season.

At the gate

Lessons are free for anyone who cannot afford them. Just ask, quietly or loudly.