Ilkley, England, United Kingdom
Ilkley Lido
Ilkley's 1935 lido is an unheated, mushroom-shaped pool: a shallow area for children and a deep circular basin 46 metres across, with its original fountain and Ilkley Moor rising behind. It opens from May to September and can draw thousands on hot days, so book ahead. If the weather turns, the heated indoor pool on the same site is a fallback.
Photo: OAnick · CC BY-SA 4.0
Latest reading · SwimScore 64/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 12°C, wind 7 km/h, UV 0. Updated .
Know before you go
- Getting in
- Lido sessions are booked through Bradford Council's Leisure Hub. The outdoor pool can close in adverse weather, so check before travelling in poor conditions. Glass, alcohol, barbecues and sharp objects are not allowed on site.
- Parking & transport
- Pay and display car park at the pool (2 m height barrier). From Ilkley town centre, cross the River Wharfe on New Brook Street and turn right onto Denton Road.
- Lifeguards
- Lifeguarded public pool; swimmers are asked to follow lifeguards' instructions, and under-8s must be supervised by an adult in the water (maximum two children per adult).
- Water quality
- A managed pool rather than open water. For context, the nearby River Wharfe bathing water at Cromwheel, Ilkley, was classified Poor by the Environment Agency in 2024 and 2025.
- Season
- May to September; the 2026 season opened on 9 May.
- Who swims here
- The lido has hosted the Ilkley Triathlon since the early 1990s, won in 2004 and 2005 by Alistair and Jonny Brownlee. Ilkley Swimming Club trains at the pool complex. The lido is Grade II listed.
- Watch for
- Unheated water whose temperature follows the weather
- Facilities
- Unheated outdoor lido with a children's shallow area and slide · Heated 25 m indoor pool · Art Deco café dating from 1935 · Picnic area and tennis courts · Ramped access
Sources: bradford.gov.uk, visitbradford.com, en.wikipedia.org, assets.publishing.service.gov.uk
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Details
- Location
- Ilkley, England, United Kingdom
- Type
- pool
- Coordinates
- 53.9319, -1.8201