The lido is a beloved outdoor swimming pool for families, and with its Mediterranean-inspired design and 300-metre lazy river, it’s reminiscent of a luxury hotel pool abroad
This vast lido is the perfect place to cool off(Image: Dan Kitwood, Getty Images)
A lido that is often likened to pools found in Greece and across the Mediterranean has opened its doors for the summer season, just in time for the third expected heatwave to hit the UK.
The pool has been loved by local families ever since it first welcomed visitors in 1896, and nowadays draws tourists from far and wide too. It’s not difficult to understand why.
One glance at the lido, with its strikingly blue waters, splashpad and 300 metre-long lazy river, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you were lounging at an overseas hotel pool.
Yet this dazzling blue pool is actually tucked away in Kent, just over an hour from London. The Strand Lido in Gillingham also holds the unique distinction of being the only riverside saltwater pool in the entire UK.
Fed directly from the River Medway, the water is filtered and chlorinated to ensure it’s perfectly safe for swimmers of all ages. The Lido Guide wrote about the Strand: “Nothing about the exterior gives away what lies within. What lies within is a riot of Mediterranean-resort-style colour and fun. Any children in the party will be completely unable to contain their excitement.
“The whole thing is a freeform riot of bright white painted concrete, edged in royal blue, that gives the treated river water that fills the pool a hue that is more reminiscent of Greece than Kent.”
There are six 25-metre long lanes for swimming, alongside a paddling pool for toddlers and enjoyable extras such as water fountains. As the pool is unheated, it operates on a seasonal basis only, and it reopened for 2026 on May 23.
The pool then opens at weekends until the school summer holidays, when it operates daily before closing at some point in September. Tickets must be booked online through the Medway Council website to secure your spot at this much-loved pool.
During opening days, the pool offers two sessions: the first from 10.30am to 1.30pm and the second from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. There’s also a free to use Splash Pad in the park that has the same opening hours as the lido.
Alongside the pool itself, the complex boasts sunbathing and relaxation areas, a café serving food — though you’re more than welcome to bring a picnic and enjoy it in one of the park’s shaded spots — as well as play areas. There are changing rooms, poolside showers and a shop stocking inflatables, though you can also bring your own rubber ring.
The Strand Leisure Park is also home to a miniature railway that operates seasonally, trundling around the park on sunny days, along with plenty of riverside walks to explore.
One glowing review read: “We travelled from Suffolk and booked the afternoon session. Stopped for some lunch on the way. Lovely day out. Pool has a lazy river, kids pool and adult pool, changing rooms, toilets, café. Lots of space to set up camp for the afternoon but not a lot of shade.”
Another visitor commented: “Very good few hours. Looks like we are on holiday. Lazy river all around the outside (take a rubber ring). “
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