Lymington Open Air Sea Water Baths, Historic lido in Lymington, England
Lymington Open Air Sea Water Baths is a spacious outdoor swimming facility that uses seawater drawn from nearby coastal waters and treated for safety. The facility includes multiple swimming areas and has served the public continuously for over 150 years.
The baths were established in 1833 and rank among the oldest still-operating open-air pools in Britain. The original structure has been preserved over decades while operations and water treatment have adapted to modern standards.
The baths show how Victorian society organized leisure time and separated swimming areas by gender. This division reflects the social customs that visitors can still observe reflected in how the space is arranged.
The facility operates during warmer months with trained lifeguards present to ensure safety for all visitors. Visitors should note that exact opening times may vary depending on weather conditions and the season.
The facility maintains a 19th-century filtering system that draws seawater directly from nearby Solent waters and processes it using the original design. This aging system represents a rare example of how Victorian engineering principles still support modern swimming operations.
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