Open Water Swimming in Bristol
Open Water Swimming Bristol – Freshwater Lake at West Country Water Park
The best outdoor swimming Bristol has to offer – a freshwater lake set in stunning North Bristol countryside in Winterbourne. Just 8 miles from Bristol city centre and 4 miles from the M4/M5 junctions, with RLSS-trained lifeguards, on-site facilities, and sessions for all abilities. Whether you’re a confident open water swimmer or a complete beginner, our lake offers a welcoming, well-managed environment. Furthermore, wetsuit and equipment hire is available on-site, plus a café and sauna to warm up afterwards. Whether you prefer Aqua Park thrills or paddleboarding, you can combine activities on the same day.
Bring
- Wetsuit if you have one, with hire available on site
- Tow float and a brightly coloured swim cap, both available to hire
- Towel and a change of clothes
- Warm layers for afterwards
- Goggles if you like. They are permitted
- Your booking confirmation and a padlock for a locker
We Provide
- RLSS-trained lifeguard supervision throughout
- Safe lake entry steps
- Buoyancy aids which we will provide if you do not want to wear a swim cap and towfloat / wetsuit.
- Changing rooms, hot showers and toilets
- Café and sauna to warm up afterwards
- A live water temperature reading on our website before you travel.
What To Book
- Adult Swim, Child Swim, Buoyancy Aided Swim or Care Giver Admission
- Sessions are a 2-hour window swim as much of it as you like
- Cheapest booked online in advance. Walk-ups cost more and depend on availability
- 10-session bundles, 3-month passes and annual membership all available
- Membership gives unlimited swimming, one session per day
- The sauna is a separate booking and is not included in membership
In The Water
- You must either wear a wetsuit with a brightly coloured swim cap, or use a tow float or a Buoyancy Aid which we will provide
- Swimmers must be 6 or over and able to swim 25 metres unaided
- Loop length depends on water temperature: 200m below 12°C, 400m from 12 to 16°C, 750m at 16°C and above
- The swim zone is around 1.6m deep. There is no shallow or standing area
- You will very likely see fish. They are harmless and pose no risk to swimmers
- The green tint is natural clay in suspension, not algae. See our Water Quality page
- You can swim loops or just plod around in the swim zone.
Swim in Bristol’s Most Beautiful Lake
For outdoor swimming Bristol and the surrounding area, our freshwater lake in Winterbourne measures 200m × 210m – proper open water distances in a safe, lifeguarded environment. The loop length depends on the water temperature: a small 200m loop below 12°C, a medium 400m loop from 12 to 16°C, and the full 750m loop at 16°C and above. Lifeguard discretion always applies.
We Offer the following Open Water Swimming sessions:
- Adult Open Water Swim (Towfloat/Wetsuit/Swimcap) or
- Child Open Water Swim Ages 6+ (Towfloat/Wetsuit/Swimcap) or
- All Ages Buoyancy Aided Swim (We provide the Buoyancy Aid)
- Care Giver Admission
200m x 210m
Freshwater Lake
750m
Full Loop
RLSS
Trained Lifeguards
5* Water
Perfect Clean Water
Pricing
Open Water Swimming (2-hour session)
£8.50 pp
Open Water Swimming (2-hour session) On the day
£10.50 pp
Open Water Swimming (2-hour session) Purchase at Reception
£12.50 pp
Buoyancy-Aided Swimming (2-hour session)
£8.50 pp
10 Session Bundles
From £70
From £120
From £350
To guarantee your slot, pre-booking is essential – as a result, walk-up bookings are subject to availability and may incur an additional charge.
Equipment Hire & Sales
Fortunately, all the kit you need is available on-site, to hire or to purchase. We got you covered.
Item
Hire
Buy
Wetsuit
From £8.00
From £15.00
Swim Cap
From £3.00
£10.00
Tow Float
From £3.00
£22.99
Towels
NA
£19.99
Water Bottle
NA
£24.99
Lock
NA
£4.50
Prices are more expensive at Reception.
Swimming Communities & Partners
We have an amazing number of swimming communities that boast the West Country Water Park as their home. We love supporting these wonderful people and their communal spirits.
Other Activities You May Like
Aqua Park
Paddle Boarding
Triathlons
Frequently Asked Questions
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The lake itself is wonderful for swimming and the Aqua park looks a lot of fun. There’s plenty for everyone to do including paddle boarding and of course the go-carts !
The staff are very attentive and will happily help with any of your needs.
I was happy to find a vegan sandwich in the restaurant which many places don’t have.
Will definitely be back for more.
All the children had an amazing time from start to finish. They went on the aqua park first which they all throughly enjoyed ,one child needed help but with a quick shout to the life guard they had help immediately. They were all given very clear instructions by the staff before going on, there is a lot of mixed ages together which I was a little worried about but once on they are all spread out and it was fine. They all then went on the go karts! Most of the children were a little worried to try but the staff were brilliant helped with anything they needed and answered any questions they had and put them at ease.
It was an absolutely brilliant day had by all. One thing I will say is maybe there needs better signage everywhere as if it is your first time coming you might get a little confused on where to go for things.
I will definitely be back again real soon
The staff have a great deal of patience and contribute to the fun; it’s a great team.
We loved our recent SI event and will be back for sure🙂