Strand Lido in Gillingham, Kent, will reopen for the summer season on Saturday, May 23. The unheated saltwater pool, fed by the River Medway, is the only riverside saltwater lido in the UK and has drawn comparisons to Mediterranean resorts for its bright blue water and white concrete surrounds.
Originally opened in 1896, the lido features six 25-metre swimming lanes, a toddler paddling pool, water fountains, and a 300-metre lazy river. Visitors are encouraged to bring rubber rings, and inflatables are also sold on site. The pool will operate at weekends until the school summer holidays, when it opens daily, and will close in September.
The complex includes sunbathing areas, a café, picnic spots in shaded parkland, and changing facilities. The adjacent Strand Leisure Park offers a miniature railway and riverside walks. Tickets must be booked online via the Medway Council website.
One visitor from Suffolk described it as a 'lovely day out', while another said it 'looks like we are on holiday'. The Lido Guide called it 'a riot of Mediterranean-resort-style colour and fun', noting the water's hue is 'more reminiscent of Greece than Kent'.
