Hathersage Swimming Pool

Catch the Hope Valley line train from Piccadilly to this picturesque Peak District village for a dip in Hathersage Swimming Pool, a heated lido built in the 1930s.

It’s a simple set-up; no slides, fountains, or water jets here. The charm is the open-air setting with its solarium, bandstand and views of the hills.

You can go there for lane swimming, family sessions and public swimming with a mix of drop-in and bookable sessions. Check their timetable for details.

Although they heat the pool, the temperature fluctuates with the weather; don’t expect a nice balmy soak in December for example (or May for that matter). Their website tells you the water temperature for that day.

There are hot showers, changing facilities and the Pool Cafe next door. If you’re visiting from Manchester and making a day of it, combine your dip with a walk up to Stanage Edge. Or for a shorter stroll, go and find Little John’s grave in the village churchyard.