If you’re spending all, or part, of the holidays at home this year checking out one of the UK’s 120 or so publicly accessible outdoor pools should be high on your holiday hit list. With local authority cost-cutting threatening closures, many of these pools are now run by volunteers, having been saved by their communities.

And don’t be deterred if the heatwave doesn’t last – many of these pools are heated, and swimming in the rain can be a glorious experience. Southern England has by far the greatest density of lidos in the UK, but here are 10 lesser-known gems across the country, all near or on the way to holiday hotspots.

Mount Wise, Plymouth, Devon

There are very few lidos that are free to use, but Mount Wise is one of them. Right on the harbour wall at the very bottom of James Street, it is a complex of three pools in a sheltered sun trap. All three are heated, from the main tank right down to the free-form paddling pools with fountain and lazy river. There are sun-loungers, sea views and salt air; it’s the sort of pool that’s ideal for a day out but also, like Hilsea (below), worth remembering for a dip after a long ferry crossing.
• everyoneactive.com

Jubilee Park, Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire

Tucked into the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside, Woodhall Spa has a charm that harks back to simpler times. At its heart is Jubilee Park, featuring recreation grounds, rose gardens, a bandstand and a heated 33-metre pool that sits in its own immaculately manicured grounds. There is a lovely campsite in the park, right next to the pool, so campers can practically roll out of bed into the water. Next to the main pool is a baby pool, and there’s a slide and a fountain to entertain younger swimmers. While lounging on the grass with a good book and some cake from the excellent on-site cafe is another option.
• jubileeparkwoodhallspa.co.uk

Stratford Park, Stroud, Cotswolds

If holidaying in the Cotswolds, a visit to Stratford Park is a must. This vintage, 50-metre, unheated pool sits in beautiful grassy grounds, with sun terraces and a listed diving platform – sadly, no longer in use but still soaring elegantly above the pool. This pool is perfect for less confident swimmers, as it has two shallow ends, with the deep water running across the middle of it. The indoor pool on the same site has some catering facilities, but taking a picnic to eat on the grass is highly recommended.
• everyoneactive.com

Severn Centre, Highley, Shropshire

The Shropshire Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is rightly popular with walkers. Within easy reach of the area lies Highley and its heated 25-metre outdoor pool. The pool has been refurbished recently and sits alongside modern facilities. An added bonus is that swimmers can get to the lido on the scenic steam train on the Severn Valley Railway.
• haloleisure.org.uk

Haltwhistle, Northumberland

If you find the North Sea a little chilly for a holiday dip then look no further than Haltwhistle. This small community, on the southern fringe of the Northumberland national park, boasts a fine outdoor pools complex. There are three heated pools, set in grassy grounds that are ideal for picnicking or snacking from the on-site cafe. The cherry on a very fine cake is the huge flume that runs alongside the pools. Water slide lovers young and old will be enchanted.
• haltwhistleleisure.co.uk

Tamar Manoukian, New Cumnock, Ayrshire

For those heading north for a holiday in Scotland on the A74(M)/M74, the detour to New Cumnock, is a breathtaking drive. New Cumnock itself isn’t a holiday destination but the newly renovated outdoor pool makes the detour very worthwhile. It has benefited from significant investment, and now provides a heated, modern, almost spa-like experience with chic tiling, muted colours that mirror the hills beyond and the smartest changing rooms imaginable. A swim as the sun sets over the town is a particular feast for the senses here, and there is a train station just 10 minutes’ walk from the pool for those using public transport.
• dumfries-house.org.uk

Ingleton, North Yorkshire

Ingleton sits in a fairytale-like glen, approached via a wooded path to the valley floor, where the pool sits in what feels like a secret grotto. This community-run pool has been invested in, and improved, in recent years and is now 20 metres of heated heaven. One side of the site is given over to terraced seating, with tables and chairs above it from which guests can look down onto the pool, while enjoying a snack from the kiosk.
• ingletonpool.co.uk

Portishead Open Air Pool, Somerset

Millions use the M5 every year, travelling to the clear seas, sandy beaches and rugged bluffs of Devon and Cornwall. But those who fall foul of the holiday traffic jams might want to break the journey for sanity’s sake. Portishead pool, just 10 minutes off the M5 near Bristol, is the perfect place. A suntrap on the banks of the Bristol Channel, it has superb views, a recently refurbished 33-metre heated pool, extensive sun terraces with a Mediterranean colour scheme, a tuck shop and a community cafe.
• portisheadopenairpool.org.uk

Brightlingsea, Essex

Brightlingsea is making a splash in 2018, as the most recent lido to come under community stewardship after threatened closure. It sits on a seafront garlanded with beach huts of all hues, so the holiday vibe is all around. The vibrant blue-and-white colour scheme would be at home on a Greek island. Swimmers of all abilities will enjoy this unheated pool, with its gently sloping shallow end and a separate baby pool, which heats up quickly in the sun. The sun-loungers are ideal for snoozing off all the activity, or enjoying a snack from the kiosk.
• brightlingsealido.org

Hilsea, Hampshire

Portsmouth is a popular jumping-off point for holidays on mainland Europe and the Isle of Wight, and travellers should consider a refreshing swim at Hilsea before, or after, sailing. At 67 metres, this is one of the longer lidos in the country, and its mid-section is one of the deepest at 4½ metres. The diving stages at Hilsea are still in use, so put that depth to good use and jump in repeatedly. Hilsea has recently been taken into community stewardship and, while the water is unheated, the welcome is very warm.
• hilsea-lido.org.uk

Emma Pusill is co-author of The Lido Guide, to be published by Unbound in 2019