Beautiful outdoor heated swimming pool in Chagford, Dartmoor
Chagford Swimming Pool, Rushford, Chagford, Devon, TQ13 8DA
Heated freshwater outdoor pool
Open daily in warmer months
Check timetable before travelling
Not pre-bookable – turn up on the day with cash or card
Snack hut
Free parking
Toilets
Devon lido
Outdoor pool Devon
Chagford Pool caught my eye after seeing a tempting photo of its blue waters and pretty surroundings on Facebook – it’s the largest open-air freshwater pool in the South West and well worth a visit with any water-loving kids.
Situated half a mile out of Chagford, a small village in the rolling hills of Dartmoor in Devon, this community-run lido was hand-dug by villagers in the 1930s and has been a valuable facility for locals and visitors ever since. It has come a long way from its original form, when it had a mud bottom and the unfiltered waters saw the occasional visit from river fish!
The 34m pool is still fed by water from the river Teign, but is now sparkling clean and heated to around 27 degrees celcius with a deep end and a shallow end. Non-swimmers are required to stay within the shallow end, which is marked off with a rope barrier during open swim sessions, and was just the right depth for my 5 year old to touch the bottom throughout. Little ones are also well catered for, with a separate toddler splash pool (complete with rubber ducks!) Lifeguards patrol each session.
Open daily from mid-April to October (please check the website for dates, opening times and the most up-to-date session timetable), there is no need to pre-book but please note that swim sessions have fixed start and finish times. For example, if you choose the 2.15 – 3.15 session and you arrived at 2.45, you’d only be able to stay for half an hour – so arrive in line with the start time to get the most from your session.
Prices are very reasonable and allow you an hour in the pool – see price list here. Cash or card payments accepted.
In the afternoons, the tea hut is open to serve drinks and basic snacks – we were a little chilled after 45 mins in the pool and handmade hot chocolates were just what we needed!
Benches, tables and chairs and poolside platforms provided plenty of places to sit, spectate or enjoy some refreshments post-swim. Picnics are permitted (but no glass bottles allowed.)
Wetsuits for younger ones or those who particularly feel the cold may be advisable on chillier days despite the lovely heated water.
There is plenty of free parking on-site, the poolside is level and buggy-friendly and there are poolside toilet facilities. The showers and changing facilities were closed during our visit due to ongoing COVID-related restrictions – please check the website for current info on what’s open. We arrived pool-ready and took poncho-style towels to dry off and change poolside.
Pool rules:
Full list here but worth noting in advance that children under 8 must be supervised directly in the pool (not by a spectator) and there is a maximum of two under-8s in the pool to each supervising adult.
What’s nearby?
Extend your day by combining with one of these great nearby attractions:
Fingle Bridge riverside walks, pub and beauty spot
Castle Drogo National Trust historic building and grounds