The 10 best British lidos to visit this summer
With pools now set to reopen following lockdown, we look at Great Britain's long love affair with outdoor swimming and celebrate 10 historic lidos — centrepieces of local communities for generations — that have survived to the present day.
Meet the adventurer: ice freediver Kiki Bosch on the transformative power of the ocean
Dutch diver Kiki Bosch plunges to extreme depths in the world’s coldest waters as a form of therapy, helping her to deal with the trauma of sexual assault. Now her story is revealed in the award-winning documentary, Descent (2020).
Notes from an author: Christopher Beanland on Sydney's best lidos
Hanging out at lidos is a great way to experience Australia, and the outdoor pools that dot the Sydney coast offer a watery way to get under the city’s skin.
Salalah: Say goodbye to the desert
For a few months each year, Salalah, in southern Oman, is transformed by monsoon rains. The hills are verdant, the rivers swell, and deserted natural pools beg to be swum in
Swimmers Rescued by Drone from Raging Ocean Waves
Lifeguards in Australia used a drone to rescue two swimmers from drowning this week, the first such rescue in the world, according to local government. Two teenagers were caught in a rip tide at Lennox Head, a coastal town in northern New South Wales. On the beach, someone saw their struggle, and alerted lifeguards. As it happens, they were just then in training with the drone, called a Westpac Little Ripper Lifesaver. Supervisor Jai Sheridan piloted the unmanned craft to drop an inflatable pontoon. Holding the device, the swimmers returned to shore unharmed. Deployment took just one or two minutes, Sheridan reports, faster than a traditional rescue.
Do it now: Open-water swimming
Rising demand for open-water swimming holidays means it's easier than ever to swim in loads of exotic destinations — even in the Arctic.
Australia: Swimming with crocodiles
In the sweaty, sapping heat of the Northern Territory, a refreshing dip in a pool would usually seem like a fabulous idea. But not this pool. This is Wendell's pool, and I'm not quite sure how kindly he'll take to sharing it.
