West Bergholt Lido

The lido sits on the eastern fringe of Colchester, a throwback to when outdoor swimming pools were the summer pilgrimage for half the county. West Bergholt's version is a proper 1930s affair - the kind of place where families actually cooled off before every suburb got its own leisure centre and everyone stopped going.

What you get is a traditional open-air pool with the sort of gently faded charm that makes it either endearingly retro or a bit tired depending on your mood. The surrounding grounds have grass, some trees for shade, and the sort of sedate atmosphere you'd expect from a place that's been doing the same thing for nearly a century. It's the kind of landmark you visit less for the spectacle and more for the experience of swimming where your grandparents probably swam.

Families with young kids will find it manageable - shallow end, predictable layout, no flash and thunder. But it's not a destination in itself. You'd pop here if you were already in the area, not drive specially to Colchester for it.

If you're staying at The Huts at Woodthorpes just six miles away, the lido makes a decent wet-weather afternoon or a cooling dip on a proper hot day. Worth knowing about rather than worth planning around. Check locally for current opening hours and admission fees - these things shift.