Stonehaven Open Air Pool, Aberdeenshire

[Gorecki]

This art deco Pool is the only functioning 55 yards filtered heated sea water open air facility known to survive in the United Kingdom.

It was first opened by local public subscription in June 1934, when the townsfolk showed remarkable foresight in building it to full Olympic standards.

Massively patronised from the 30's to the 70's with attendance figures reaching 65,000 annually, its popularity dwindled in the 80's as people tended to seek holidays abroad. With attendances dropping to under 15,000 and its fabric showing its age, its was earmarked for closure by the Council in 1994.

This threat, however, saw the formation of the "Friends of the Pool", a local conservation body dedicated to saving it.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the pool and when I found out it was currently closed, I spoke to the locals and asked for permission to take photos.

My first question:
"Is it empty?"

So off I went on a lovely sunny afternoon to meet the old men from the "Friends of Stonehaven" who are currently making it look pretty again for its birthday.
They were sooo cute, reminded me of Jack & Victor off Still Game....

 

[mr_bones]

I really like the look of this. The only other place I know of where they filter sea water was at a waterpark I went to in Tenerife. Shame this one's closed down.

 

[Gorecki]

It's not closed down!!!

It only opens for 3 months in summer June - August or something.

But I sneaked in Because I love empty swimming pools

 

[Badoosh]

Great pics you have there, thanks for sharing. It's brilliant to hear that a group have preserved something like ths, i hope they get a lot of support in the future!

 

[Black Shuck]

xcellent shots there! The colours around the walls are very gaudy! Trrific site. well done Hun!

 

[Foxylady]

Ooh, this is lovely! I didn't expect it to be so colourful and seasidily quirky.
Great to see that it's being maintained and used.
Cheers, 8. That's so cool.

 

[klempner69]

seasidily quirky.

Isnt Portishead a bit like this,where they only open a couple of months during our alleged summer..Foxy,just love your Seasidily quirky saying!

 

[Foxylady]

..Foxy,just love your Seasidily quirky saying!

I can't always find the proper words to say how things feel to me...so I just make 'em up!

 

[Lightbuoy]

I can't always find the proper words to say how things feel to me...so I just make 'em up!

You go Girl!

Great place is this. Those colour shouldn't go well together -but somehow do!!!

Thanks for sharing your piccies. Good to see an Open Air Pool still open

 

[spacepunk]

Lovely pics.
My Dad used to swim there!

 

[smiffy]

An open air pool hey ? In Brittain?
Not only that ................an Open AIr Swimming Pool in Aberdeenshire !!!!!!!!!!!????
Correct me if I am wrong ..............but isn't Aberdeen in the very top last sorta bit of Scotland ????????????
............. and isn't that only about a hundred yards or so away from Iceland ???????????????????
An open air swimming pool !!!!!!????????????????????????????
There ain't no wonder in it only being open three months of the year ..........the wonder is that the ice thaws for long enough up there for it to be open at all.........heheheheheh!!!!!!!!!!
Open air swimming in Aberdeenshire my arse !!!!!!!!!!!??????????????
No way no how says I . Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shiver !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Things shrivelling up !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Important appendages falling off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Seahorse]

Ah, but 'tis HEATED Smiffy. So at times you just don't want to get out, cos it's feckin freezin once you do, even for the short dash to get changed.

There's pools up the coast a bittie that used to be filled by the sea. Now THEY were nippy.

 

[Smellycat]

Here's a photo of the old outdoor pool just down the road in Arbroath. I only swam there once and it was baltic.

it was demolished years ago and only a small section remains today

this is whats left today. It is now part of a nightclub......shame really

 

[20vturbo]

nice pics,and a hottie as well!

 

[fire*fly]

oooh I love a lido great pictures

 

[spacepunk]

I swam in the Arbroath pool as a youngster, and it was so cold I was sick!
Good pics there SC.

 

[freebird]

Brrrrrr I'm shivering at the thought of swimming in that even if it is heated! Great explore though! Nice one.