Yahoo News Summer swimming has begun at Plymouth's Mount Wise and Tinside pools: What you need to know
Plymouth's outdoor pools at Mount Wise and Tinside have welcomeed their first visitors of the summer season this weekend. Both pools will be open every day from midday to 6pm during term time and 10am to 6pm during school holidays.
Entry to Mount Wise, which features a 25-metre main pool, fun pool and children's paddling pool and offers fantastic views across the River Tamar, will remain free of charge to help families make the most of the summer months.
Entry to the Grade II listed Tinside lido on Plymouth Hoe, overlooking Plymouth's spectacular seafront, costs £6 for Plymouth residents and £8 for non-residents, with concessionary rates for people aged 67 and over, anyone in receipt of benefits, NHS blue light staff, armed forces and ex-armed forces personnel and children. Under-fives go free.
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Season tickets can also be bought for Tinside at www.plymouthactive.co.uk/centres/tinside-lido, the Plymouth Life Centre or Plympton Pool. (Concessionary season tickets must be bought in person.)
Special 'early bird' swims for are making a welcome return at Mount Wise on Monday and Thursday mornings and Tinside on Wednesday and Friday mornings (both 6.30am to 9am). Charges of £6 for adults and £4.80 for children apply at both sites for these sessions.
Swimmers can also enjoy a refreshing early morning dip and a breathtaking sunrise as Tinside once again celebrates the longest day of the year. The Summer Solstice swim will take place at 4.45am on Thursday 20 June.
Visitors to Tinside on opening day will be treated to performances by young musicians from the Plymouth Musical Activities Club between 10am and midday (as long as the weather allows).
Scaffolding has been put up at Tinside for maintenance works, as well as refurbishment of the first floor and terrace but this will not interrupt anyone's enjoyment of the pool and will eventually create a multi-purpose event space, with panoramic views of the National Marine Park.
The regeneration works form part of the five-year Horizons Project programme, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and designed to open up the lido and welcome a greater number of people to the site. It will see:
a revamp of the single-storey building between the lido and Tinside Cove to provide a space for young people and a place to run ranger events to introduce opportunities created by the National Marine Park
a renovation of the terrace on top of the main building to include a new public seating area, with a coffee pod and multi-purposed event space overlooking the sound
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member with responsibility for sport and leisure, said: "We are so lucky to have these fantastic outdoor pools on our waterfront and I really hope everyone makes the most of them over the summer.
"We are proud to be keeping Mount Wise free of charge again this year, providing a valued space where people of all ages can take a dip, spend time in the sunshine and enjoy the lovely views.
"We're also really excited to see improvements get under way at Tinside as part of the Horizons Project. Many already see it as the jewel in Plymouth's waterfront but the transformation of this site will create an even more amazing space that can be enjoyed by even more people, as well as truly celebrate the city's relationship with the sea.
For more information about Mount Wise and Tinside pools visit www.plymouthactive.co.uk.
Details of the Horizons Project can be found at https://plymouthsoundnationalmarinepark.com/latest-news.
