We’ve been blessed with weather actually resembling summer recently, and it’s getting pretty tempting to throw ourselves into the nearest body of water to cool off. Unfortunately, the one thing missing from the city centre is an outdoor pool. Thankfully, our neighbours across Greater Manchester and beyond have more than enough to go around… Here are the most refreshing outdoor swimming pools in and around Greater Manchester. Please take care when swimming and only swim in safe, supervised waters.
Outdoor swimming group Uswim hold open water swimming sessions in Dock 9 of Salford Quays on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. With measured 400m, 750m and 1km swim courses, Uswim provides full safety cover in quality-tested water as well as changing facilities, bag store, refreshments (vital) and wetsuit hire. Tow floats are compulsory.
The sports centre run open-water swimming sessions all year round in the regulated water of the Quays, with three sessions taking place each week right through until October. With 300 and 500-metre length courses, the sessions are open to swimmers of all abilities with safety cover provided by the centre’s professional water safety team. Changing rooms, showers and wetsuit hire are also available at the sports centre.
Open Swim UK run four sessions per week between May and September in the lake at Sale Water Park. Dedicated to promoting open water swimming, the group help swimmers improve their technique while providing a safe, friendly environment to share the joy of open water swimming. They also have indoor changing rooms with lockers, hot showers and wetsuit hire.
For those who don’t fancy roughing it in a lake, Hathersage swimming pool offers year-round swimming in its open-air heated pool. Nestled in the Peak District, the pool is over an hour’s drive from Manchester, but provides the comfort of chlorinated water, hot poolside showers and breathtaking views of the surrounding hills.
Another Uswim pool but further afield, Boundary Water Park is one of the loveliest outdoor swimming venues near Greater Manchester. Known for its relaxed family atmosphere and warm, shallow lake, it makes it the perfect spot for novices. Sessions are overseen by qualified coaches and run on Thursdays 5.30pm until 7.30pm and Sundays 10am until 12pm. It’s £7 to swim when booking online and £10 on the day and there is free parking, changing, toilet and shower facilities, with wetsuit hire available for £10 for adults.
Nantwich Outdoor Brine Pool is believed to be the only inland brine pool in Britain today and it is just an hour away from Manchester by car or train. The outdoor pool first opened to the public on 1st July 1935, and the temperature of the pool water is now maintained at 22ºC, and through solar gain is usually much warmer. Boasting six lanes, members can book 8 days in advance, and 7 days in advance for non-members. A general standard swim costs £7.25, and a family swim costs £19.75.
Pennington Flash, a 70-hectare lake nestled in Greater Manchester, is part of Pennington Flash Nature Reserve, which Natural England officially designated as a National Nature Reserve in October 2022 (the first and only National Nature Reserve in the whole of Greater Manchester). The lake is formed from mining subsidence – characteristic of any body of water called a ‘flash’ – exemplifying how areas can recover from industrial impacts. Pennington Flash is the second largest body of water in Greater Manchester, after Hollingworth Lake in Littleborough, and hosts the Bolton IRONMAN, where competitors swim a 1.9km course before transitioning to the tarmac.
Swim Pennington, a NOWCA registered open water swim venue operating from Leigh and Lowton Sailing Club, is situated at the western end of Pennington Flash, in the vicinity of Leigh. The Greater Manchester site is perfect for outdoor swimming, offering simple access to the water, ample free parking and changing rooms with toilets and shower facilities.
