With a mini heatwave on the way, what could be better than cooling off in an outdoor pool, enjoying all the thrills of a Mediterranean holiday without even having to travel too far from home?
As the MET office predicts temperatures of up to 23°C, Manchester is set to sizzle in the sun in the first week of June offering a welcome change for school children on their half-term holidays, and excited city dwellers looking to enjoy the first flush of summer.
Ahead of the long, hot days to come, Hathersage Open Air Swimming Pool is just a 90-minute drive from the city centre and is the perfect place to dip a toe (or more) in the water.
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Surrounded by picturesque Peak District countryside, the pretty Derbyshire village of Hathersage is home to a large, heated open-air swimming pool.
With incredible views out across the Stanage Edge and the surrounding hills, swimmers can take in a vista that could rival those found in the rolling hills of Tuscany or the green fields of France, all just an hour and a half outside Manchester.
The 30-metre pool has been a feature of the Derbyshire countryside since 1936 when it was commissioned as a part of the King George Fifth Memorial Field, and the original ornate bandstand still casts a watchful eye over swimmers today.
The pool is open all year round and sits at a rather refreshing 28°C during the milder months, and is available for a bracing cold water dip during the winter.
Managed by Hathersage Parish Council facilities include hot poolside showers, an on-site cafe serving hot meals, snacks, cakes, pastries and drinks, a play area and well-manicured lawns.
Tickets for non-members go on sale every Friday at 7am for sessions taking place the following week. Admission costs £7.50 for adults, £4 for juniors, £6.50 for concessions and £21 for a family ticket. Session times vary by day and season, check the timetable before your visit. Visit hathersageswimmingpool.co.uk for more information.
Regular swimmers think very highly of the outdoor pool set on the hillside, with one review on Tripadvisor saying: "I swim all season at this pool. It is an amazing facility, you have views of the peak district hills while going down the pool" while another referred to Hathersage as "a hidden gem."
Getting there
By car: The journey takes around 90 minutes by car. The address you'll need for your sat nav is Hathersage Swimming Pool, Oddfellows Road, Hathersage, S32 1DU.
By train: Hathersage has a train station with hourly services from Manchester Piccadilly via stations including Reddish North, Brinnington, Bredbury, Romiley and Marple, with a journey time of under an hour. Visit The Trainline website to plan your trip.
It's not just Hathersage that offers Manchester residents that chance to make a splash. Other local swimming establishments include:
Marbury Pool, Cheshire
Located on the outskirts of Northwich less than an hour from Manchester, this open-air pool features two diving boards, a children's paddling pool, a play area and picnic tables.
Set in lawned gardens, surrounded by woodland in the heart of Marbury Country Park, the pool is open from the middle of May, but entry to the pool is only available to members and their guests and tickets must be booked before visiting.
Visit marburypool.co.uk for more information.
Getting there
By car: The journey takes roughly 50 minutes from central Manchester. The address for your sat nav is Marbury Country Park, Comberbach, Cheshire, CW9 6AT.
By train: The nearest train station is Northwich, just over two miles away. There are direct services from Manchester Piccadilly and the journey takes just under one hour. Visit The Trainline website to plan your trip.
Nantwich Outdoor Brine Pool, Cheshire
If swimming in the briny water is more of your thing, the lido in Nantwich is one of the few remaining inland brine pools left in the UK.
The water is maintained at a refreshing 22°C but is usually warmer thanks to the warmth of the sun on hot days and snacks and drinks are available from the on-site cafe and vending machines.
The pool is open from April to October, with a timetable of morning and afternoon public swims and adults-only sessions. The pool will be open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am – 5.30pm Saturday and Sunday. You can view the new timetable, here.
Admission costs £6.85 for non-members and £18.00 for a family swim. Cheaper options are available for members as part of the Everybody Health and Leisure Group.
Visit the website for session times and more information.
Getting there
By car: The pool is around an hour and 20 minutes from central Manchester by car. The address for your sat nav is Nantwich Swimming Pool, Wall Lane, Nantwich, CW5 5LS.
By train: Nantwich train station is around a 12-minute walk from the pool. Direct services run regularly from Manchester Piccadilly, calling at Stockport, Wilmslow and Crewe. Visit The Trainline website to plan your trip.
Ilkley Pool and Lido
Just a little over an hour from the northern side of Greater Manchester, this West Yorkshire pool has undergone renovation work in the last few years and is now a great place to splash about with the kids.
Swimwear, towels, goggles, armbands and sun cream can be purchased from the reception and balls, floats and pool toys can be purchased from the café.
You can visit Ilkley Lido without pre-booking, but it can get very busy at peak times, during school holidays and during spells of hot weather. The pool is open from 12pm until 6pm Monday to Friday, and at weekends and bank holidays 10am until 4.30pm.
Tickets for adults during peak times cost £9.50 and £4.90 for juniors at OAPs. Off peak - before 10am and after 6pm, Monday to Friday - adult tickets cost £5.60 and £2.90 for juniors.
Plan your visit at bradford.gov.uk/lido
Getting there
By car: The journey from Manchester city centre takes around 90 minutes but is much less if you live in Rochdale, Oldham or Bury. The address to navigate to is Denton Road, Ilkley, LS29 0BZ.
By train: It's just over a 10-minute walk from Ilkley train station to the lido - you'll need to get a train to Leeds and then change for a Northern service to Ilkley. For information on train times visit The Trainline website.
Carden Park
If you want to upgrade your cool down to something a little more luxurious, Carden Park is an upscale country hotel, spa and golf resort that has a stunning indoor swimming pool and an outdoor vitality pool nestled away in the grounds of a glorious Cheshire estate.
Perfect for enjoying a long hot sunny day with the ladies, visitors can take advantage of all the hotel's facilities including the gym and fitness suite, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi and a smart restaurant.
Spa experiences start from £69 for a three-and-a-half-hour twilight session and you can find out more about the packages on offer on their website.
Getting there
By car: The journey from Manchester city centre takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes via the M56 and Whitchurch Road/A41. The address for your sat nav is Carden Park, Broxton Road, Chester, CH3 9DQ.
By train: The nearest station is Chester which is just over an hour from Manchester Picadilly. There is no direct transport from Chester station to Carden Park, but it is a 20-minute drive in a taxi. Find train times on The Trainline website.
David Lloyd
Leisure clubs run by the David Lloyd group offer swimming pools in upscale surroundings. The David Lloyd Club at Manchester Trafford City has a 20-metre outdoor pool located at the heart of the city.
The pool is open to families at various times throughout the day, with other time slots limited to adult swimmers only.
There is also a David Lloyd club in Middleton that has a 22-metre outside pool on offer, it also has a paddling pool for kids, an outdoor terrace and a bar - perfect for lazing away hot summer days.
David Lloyd facilities are only available for members. They offer individual and family memberships and sometimes they have promotions available for discounted memberships or offer free trial day passes.
Find out more about David Lloyd swimming pools in Manchester, here.
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