Penzance, England, United Kingdom

Jubilee Pool, Penzance

Penzance's 1935 art deco lido is a vast triangle of seawater on Battery Rocks. The main sea pool is unheated and runs close to the sea's own temperature, while a smaller geothermal pool is held at 28–30°C, and a sauna sits alongside for warming up after a cold dip. Book geothermal sessions ahead in summer and check for the fortnightly drain-down closures.

Directions

Photo: Kernow Skies · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Latest reading · SwimScore 68/100 (Good swim) for a typical swimmer: air 14°C, wind 11 km/h, UV 0. Updated 23 Sept, 22:00 UTC.

Know before you go

Best conditions: The sea pool tracks the sea temperature (usually 1–2°C above it, according to the operator); the geothermal pool is the warm option on cool days.
Getting in: Ticketed; pre-booking strongly advised, walk-ins accepted when there is space. 2026 prices: sea pool £7 adult per half day; geothermal pool £16 adult per 55-minute session (includes sea-pool access), with discounts for Penzance and TR-postcode residents. Everyone going poolside pays; wetsuits are allowed.
Parking & transport: Paid parking at St Anthony's Car Park opposite the pool, plus free first-come on-street parking along the Promenade. Penzance railway station is about half a mile away (10–15 minutes' walk) and the Mousehole bus runs along the Prom.
Lifeguards: Lifeguarded pool; the operator says staffing levels decide how much of the sea pool is open, and quieter periods may be shallow end only.
Water quality: Sea pool is filled with natural seawater with no mechanical filtration and minimal chemical treatment, refreshed with the tides and drained for cleaning roughly every two weeks; the geothermal pool has automatic filtration plus UV. The adjacent 'Penzance' bathing water was rated Excellent by the Environment Agency in 2025 (Good in 2024).
Season: Sea and geothermal pools open 31 March–1 November 2026 (Tuesday–Sunday in term time, daily in the summer holidays and on bank holidays); children's pool 25 July–30 August.
Who swims here: Run as a community-owned social enterprise with around 1,400 shareholders; offers a Cold Water Swim Club membership (April–November), swim lessons and AquaFit.
Watch for: Cold water in the unheated sea pool
Sea-pool depth (about 0.9–2.25m) changes with the tide
Exposed site: closures and cancellations in bad weather
Facilities: Unheated sea pool and summer-only children's pool · Geothermal pool heated to 28–30°C · Sauna (16+) · Changing cubicles, unisex toilets, hot and cold showers · Café, takeaway and shop · Accessible changing room, ramped access and pool hoist · Water refill station