If you would like to spend sometime imagining that you’re in Spain, Portugal or the South of France when really you’re just in Guildford, the Lido might just be the perfect place to head in the summer months. Set in four and a half acres of landscaped gardens, the Olympic-sized swimming pool is the idea spot for meeting up with your friends for a relax, having a picnic or, more importantly, going for a swim. Located just a minute off the A3, next to Guildford College, it is one of the areas best-kept secrets, which is some going when it averages 60,000 people a season and is used for the likes of community galas and competitions.
What Is Available?
First and foremost, a trip to Guildford Lido is a chance to go for a swim. The 50-metre, Olympic-sized swimming pool presents you with the opportunity to do some lengths, push yourself or even just have a paddle if the weather feels as though it demands getting wet. The swimming pool is obviously the key thing that the majority of visitors are going to want to take advantage of, but it isn’t the only thing there. For those of you that love to do something a little bit more exciting than just swimming, there are three different slides available for your amusement and your entertainment, each offering something different.
If you are there with someone else and fancy a bit of friendly competition, for example, then the Multislide will offer just that, promising side-by-side lanes to see which one of you is the fastest. The Kamikaze is the slide that the braver amongst you will no doubt want to take on, being one slide that goes straight down and lets you pick up some speed. Meanwhile, the Anaconda is a more gentle meander down towards the pool, with corners that can help you to pick up some speed if you wish to. Should you be there with young ones then you can head to the paddling pool area, which also boasts a mini slide and interactive toys.
Gym & Mini-Golf Course
The pool and slides are obviously where most people are going to want to spend their time, but they aren’t the only things that visitors to Guildford’s Lido can enjoy. If you’re something of a fitness bug, for example, then you can head along and enjoy the workshop gym. Available for both fitness fanatics and those that simply enjoy trying to stay fit, there are 22 dedicated workstations on offer. Whether you want to push yourself with the five Olympic bars or take on the free weights to see how much you can lift, the option is open to you. Add in the resistance machines and the cardiovascular section and you can see why it’s so popular.
There is also a mini-golf course available for those that like to spend their time doing something other than just sitting around or splashing in the pool. If sitting around is the sort of thing that you love to do then you’re in luck, given the fact that the area surrounding the pool allows for just that. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to have a picnic or you just want to engage in a bit of sunbathing when the weather is at its best, the Lido is the ideal place to head along to. Turn up on the right day and you could end up watching a competition or a society making use of the excellent facilities on offer.
Private Hire
Should you be in charge of a group or looking for somewhere to host an event, you will no doubt be delighted to know that Guildford Lido is available for private hire. Whether you’re looking for somewhere to hold a brilliant birthday party or you’d like to host an aqua-thon, the Lido has everything you could wish for. There have been numerous special events held here over the years, including 24-hour sponsored swims and corporate get togethers. You can have catering and a licensed bar included, should those sorts of things be important to you. Schools, swimming groups and galas can all take part at the Guildford Lido.
It isn’t just the pool and surrounding area that can be hired, either. If you’re particularly keen on getting involved with some lane swimming then that is an option that is available to you. Given the fact that the Lido is one of the last 1930s pools left in the country, it is not a surprise that it is an immensely popular place for people to head along to. More importantly, it has all of the modern adaptions that you’d expect from somewhere in the 21st century, so your private party can be even more special when you take advantage of the newly-installed boilers that work to keep the water nice and warm for the swimmers.