Gourock Outdoor Pool

Gourock Outdoor Pool is a heated salt-water lido beside the Firth of Clyde in Gourock, Inverclyde. Opened in 1909, it is Scotland’s oldest heated swimming pool. The water comes straight from the firth, is filtered and kept at a steady 29 °C. A gym and a small children’s pool sit alongside the main pool. The pool is 33.3 m long so water-polo goals can be fitted at each end. The site has been improved several times. In 1969 a heating system was added. After the 2010 season the pool closed for a major upgrade finished in late 2011. New changing rooms and a larger gym were built, with lifts from street level down to the pool. A 2004 photograph by Martin Parr became the cover of Blur’s 2023 album The Ballad of Darren. Visitors find a long, warm pool framed by modern changing facilities and a gym. The salt water keeps skin and hair in good condition. Outside, views stretch across the Clyde to the hills beyond. The children’s pool offers safe paddling for younger swimmers. The whole complex is managed by Inverclyde Leisure.