Henleaze Lake
WHERE
Bristol
What it’s like
Open water swimming and springboard or high diving in a spring-fed lake, but only if you can swim 50 metres unaided.
This is a members' lake for swimmers who can actually swim, not a splash-about spot for beginners. Before anyone gets in the water they need to pass a 50-metre swim test, and once you're through that you've got open water swimming plus springboard diving and, if you're brave, high boards at 5 metres and 7.5 metres. It's a proper wild swimming setup rather than a lido with lifeguards watching your every stroke.
Sessions have to be booked in advance, and you're allowed up to two a day when it's quiet, dropping to one when it gets busy. Last entry is half an hour before each session ends, so turning up on a whim doesn't really work here. Opening hours shift a lot through the year, stretching to 7am starts on summer Fridays and narrowing right down through October as the season winds towards the winter swimmers-only stretch.
There's no car park on site, so you're parking on the surrounding streets and asked to do it considerately, which is fair enough given it's a residential spot. Buses stop within a couple of minutes' walk on several routes, and there's an electric scooter station close by too if that's more your speed. On site there's indoor seating and food, plus toilets including an accessible one with a RADAR lock.
If you fancy something calmer than diving off a high board, there are 30 minute silent sauna sessions running most days, with longer hours when the weather's good. Community access spaces are currently full with a long waiting list and ballot system, so this one's really built around its existing membership rather than casual visitors.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 30 minutes before the end of each session
- Booking
- Must book a session. Up to 2 sessions daily when not busy, limited to 1 when busy
- Parking
- Small number of reserved spaces for Blue Badge holders and temporary access needs
- Wheelchairs
- Accessible toilet with RADAR lock
- Getting there by bus or train
- Buses 2, 2a, 10, 11, 13, 76 within 2-15 minutes' walk
- You must pass a 50-metre swim test before you can use the lake, and tests stop after 18th September
- There's no car park, so street parking near a residential area is the norm
- Sessions must be cancelled if you're not going, as a courtesy to others waiting
- Winter swimming needs its own subscription on top of the standard swim test
Plan your visit
Do I need to be able to swim well to use the lake?
Yes, there's a 50-metre swim test required before you can join, and swim tests stop after 18th September each year.
Can we just turn up?
You have to book a session in advance. You can book up to two a day when it's quiet, but only one when it's busy.
Is there parking on site?
There's no car park, so you park on nearby streets considerately. A small number of spaces are reserved for Blue Badge holders and those with temporary access needs.
What are the opening hours?
They change through the year, from early 7am starts on summer Fridays down to short winter-swimmer-only sessions from April. Worth checking the specific season's hours before you plan a visit.
Can beginners or non-members join?
Community access is currently full with a long waiting list and a ballot system for when new spaces open up.
Is there a sauna?
There are 30 minute silent sauna sessions most days, with extended hours during good weather and events.
What can you do in the water?
Open water swimming, springboard diving, and high diving from 5 metre and 7.5 metre boards.
Is winter swimming available?
From 1st November to the end of April it's for adult members and community access swimmers only, and you need a completed swim test plus a winter swimming subscription.
Is it accessible for wheelchair users?
There's an accessible toilet with a RADAR lock, and the club asks you to contact them directly about specific access requirements.
How do we get there without a car?
Buses 2, 2a, 10, 11, 13 and 76 all stop within 2 to 15 minutes' walk, and there's an electric scooter station about 2 minutes away.
Is there food on site?
There's on-site food along with indoor seating, so you don't have to head straight home after a swim.
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