Portishead Open Air Pool
ENTRY
from £5
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Portishead
What it’s like
An outdoor heated 33m pool with its own toddler pool, open April to September in Portishead.
The main pool is a proper 33m outdoor stretch, heated from April to September, so it's got room for serious lengths as well as splashing about with the kids. There's a separate toddler pool for babies and crawlers, kept apart from the big pool so nobody's dodging front crawl while they're still working out doggy paddle.
It's not lifeguarded in the toddler pool and shade is limited there. General swim is £6.50 for adults and £5 for kids, with a carer paying £5.50 to bring an under-3 into the toddler session. If you fancy something different there's Twilight Swim in the evening and a Full Moon Swim under the sky, plus calm and quiet sessions for children with autism or special educational needs.
This is a volunteer-run pool, which explains some of the charm and a couple of the faffs. Lockers are there but you need your own padlock, and the whole place shuts for the winter from October to March bar some heated Christmas sessions. Parking is free and generous, right outside and along the seafront on Esplanade Road, and the café does barista coffee, homemade cakes and award-winning ice cream if you want to make a morning of it.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- Ample free parking outside the Lido and along Esplanade Road seafront
- Food
- Community café with barista coffee, homemade cakes, sausage rolls, soup, paninis, teacakes, sandwiches and award-winning ice cream
- Bring your own padlock if you want to use a locker
- The toddler pool has no lifeguard and not much shade, so it's on you to watch them
- The pool shuts October to March, with some heated Christmas sessions as the exception
- It's volunteer-run, which is part of why it's a rarer setup than most UK open air pools
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£6.50 for an adult and £5 for a child on general swim. Spectators pay £4, and a carer bringing an under-3 into the toddler pool pays £5.50.
Is the pool heated?
Yes, from April to September. It's cold outside that window, though there are some heated sessions over Christmas.
Is there a pool for toddlers?
There's a separate toddler pool for babies, crawlers and toddlers. It isn't lifeguarded and has limited shade, so you'll need to watch them yourself.
Is there parking?
Free parking right outside the pool and along Esplanade Road on the seafront.
What food is there?
A community café with barista coffee, homemade cakes, soup, paninis and sandwiches, plus ice cream that's won awards.
Do I need to bring my own padlock for the lockers?
Lockers are available but you'll need your own padlock to use one.
Is the pool open all year?
It closes from October to March, apart from some heated sessions at Christmas, and it also closes during gales.
Is there anything for children with autism or additional needs?
There are calm and quiet swim sessions and sensory-friendly swimming aimed at children with autism and special educational needs.
What is Full Moon Swim?
It's an evening swim event under the moonlit sky, priced at £8. There's also a slightly earlier Twilight Swim at £7.25 if a full moonlit dip isn't your thing.
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