Outdoor Swimming Information
Pool Bridge Farm is an unlifeguarded venue; however, we have rigorous safety and risk assessments in place, and we allow you to make the decisions.
You need to come prepared and do your own research.
What we have onsite:
Throw ropes and life rings at least every 50m
Safe entrances and exits to all lakes
Jetties where it’s deep enough to jump
First Aid Kits (including burns, eye wash and hypothermia kits)
2 Defibrillators (and onsite staff trained in how to use them and deliver CPR)
Air horns to raise alarms
Regular water testing- sewage-free swimming and an industry-leading marine biologist who leads our water quality programme.
Thermometers so you can check the water temperature
Watercraft and swimmers don’t mix. We have a separate area for SUP and Kayaks.
A swim coach who can provide an intro to cold water swimming sessions if you require (See our What Else Is On page)
Rules for child ratios, supervision and PFDs
Access to a phone for calling the emergency services
All the team members have radios for raising alarms
Designated First aiders onsite from 8am-8pm (in fact, almost every member of the team is trained in emergency first aid and CPR)
The team are trained to use all our water rescue equipment, and videos of how to use it yourself can be found on our socials
The Team are all trained in recognising and dealing with hypothermia
Emergency location posters all over the site (What3words etc)
Posters and information, including the whereabouts of all our emergency equipment
Fire extinguishers and an external Fire Risk assessment carried out
An Emergency action plan (you can find this in the information hut)
A Full site risk assessment, which has also been externally verified
All our H&S has been checked and approved by the City of York Council H&S team.
Regular safety checks are carried out by the team
What we don’t have:
Lifeguards - we are a wild swimming venue, not a supervised swimming venue.
Strict rules on wetsuits/tow floats - you need to decide what works for you
Please do your research:
The Outdoor Swimming Society - Great advice for those swimming outside all year round
RLNI - Ice swimming advice
RNLI - Float to Live
RLSS - Cold water swimming advice
Hypothermia - What happens when you get too cold and what to do
Transient Global Amnesia - A rare side effect of cold water
Swimmer’s itch - a potential annoyance of summer swimming, especially for those swimming long distances. Ideas of how to prevent and what to look out for.
Swimming with Toddlers - advice for those with little ones
RLSS - Paddleboarding Safety
British Heart Foundation- Using a Defibrillator
Please also check the locations of our water safety equipment before swimming and ensure you know how to use it.
We have throw lines, life rings and air horns at least every 50 m around the lakes and at all the saunas, please do make sure you know their locations and watch our hand videos on how to use them.
Swimming and Saunas Whilst Pregnant:
Little is known about the safety of sauna-ing and wild swimming during pregnancy and their effects on the mother and/or the baby. Whilst a sauna and fabulous wild swim may have many benefits to both your physical and mental health, pregnant women need to understand that contrast therapy (hot sauna/cold water) comes with risks. It can raise core temperature, affect blood pressure, cause dehydration and increase the risk of fainting. Little is also known about the risks to the unborn child. Below are some UK-based articles on saunas during pregnancy, but we suggest you speak to your midwife and do your own research before using a sauna when pregnant. If you swim or use the sauna during pregnancy, you need to accept that this may also come with increased risks for you and your baby.
BBC article on saunas whilst pregnant
Preparing for pregnancy & saunas