IT'S a rare treat for me to take a dip without the kids, which makes taking to the waters at an adults-only geothermal lido sheer bliss. The geothermal lido, which lies in the shadow of the impressive limestone cliffs of the Derbyshire Dales, is about to celebrate its 90 th year. The New Bath Hotel in Matlock Bath also boasts a spa where you can warm up in the sauna or steam room.
Guests can also book a treatment or savour a cream tea after a dip in the outdoor pool. The lido is open to both members of the public and hotel guests . It draws water from the natural springs underground to maintain a constant temperature of between 15C and 23C throughout the year, without needing any extra heating.
It's also chlorine-free as the water is constantly being replenished by the springs. I will warn you that while the temperature is fairly constant and even though the lido is open year-round, the water does feel chilly - especially, if you're used to heated pool temperatures. Even on the warm spring day I visited, when the water was about 19C, I was glad to be wearing a woolly hat and neoprene gloves and boots to keep my extremities warm.
It's for this very reason that children are usually not permitted to swim at the lido , as their body temperature drops quicker than adults. The pool depth is also a concern for smaller children and non-swimmers. However, family-friendly sessions do run during the school holidays.
The sessions, which run at 4pm on most days, are where youngsters aged .
