Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions: (Winter edition)
TOP 6 Most Asked Questions
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Lost property is placed on our shelves in the staff area, you are welcome to come back and ask any team member if you can look for anything you have left. We keep lost property until the end of the month then it is sold in a pre-loved sale to raise money for manfulness.
We keep jewellery/watches/valuables for 3 months.
If you contact us we will keep your items in a safe place for 2 weeks to allow you to collect.
We do not post out items they must be collected.
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It varies throughout the year and from day to day- it often reflects the air temperature.
In Summer it is around 18-25 degrees, and in winter generally below 10. Spring and Autumn are usually 12-18 degrees. We display the temperature on a board at the entrance. We do not publish it on the website or on social media.
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Everyone MUST book a ticket before arriving on site, this includes children (when the season permits) and those not wishing to swim. Some tickets are free (under 3 in the summer and spotters in winter, carers all year round) but regardless of price tickets and waivers must be held by all that visit us. If a ticket or a time slot is not available it has indeed sold out, Please do not call to check we can not add on any extras.
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We are a nature reserve and a dog free venue. Registered guide dogs (wearing something to identify them) may be brought onto site but they must be on lead at all times and are not allowed in the water
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In winter No, in the warmer months Yes when accompanied by a parent or guardian. Children’s tickets will become available when the water consistently reaches 12 degrees, However please not this is still very cold and only the hardiest child will enjoy swimming at this temperature. Please read our families and children page and our health and safety page for guidance on children. A child is anyone under 18.
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for the safety and privacy of our swimmers everyone on site must have a ticket you are not welcome to just come and look around
My Booking
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We have chosen to make all tickets non-refundable due to the amount of admin time this was taking; therefore please make sure that your booking is correct at the time of making it. You can move the date/time of your booking in your online account as long as there are more than 5 days to your booking. You can, however, give your ticket to others if you can no longer attend in person. Everyone attending must have a valid waiver.
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Log in to your booking system with your email to do this. Follow the instructions here: Reschedule My Booking.
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When you book a ticket, they are automatically linked to your email address. These then stay in your account, and you can edit and reschedule (up to 5 days before the booking date). If you have a monthly pass, this will not appear in your online account after the start date, so please save it to your Google/Apple wallet or keep the email to hand. Follow these handy videos to help you use the system:
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At Pool Bridge Farm Ltd, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. For full details, please read our full Privacy Policy (link to full version).
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At Pool Bridge Farm Ltd, we strive to do our best to help out where we can. However, tickets are non-refundable and can only be moved (by yourself within your online booking account) if there are more than 5 days before your booking. (link to full version).
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We offer an NHS staff discount on swimming tickets and monthly passes. We do not offer a generic blue light discount- this is a family choice based on personal reasons, and we thank you in advance for understanding. We do not offer this discount on sauna bookings. To use the discount, simply purchase an NHS ticket and bring your ID along with you.
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Parking is included with almost every ticket. You only need to worry about parking when your ticket options are “with parking” or without parking”. This is only for events such as moon swims. If you are driving a car please book with parking, if you are a passenger book without parking. No more than one ticket with parking is to be purchased in any order. Parking can not be bought separately.
Swim Related Questions
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We open at 8 am and close at 8 pm (everyone must be out of the water by 7:45 pm). The exception to this is when there is an event on, such as a full moon swim, when we open for longer.
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If you are an inexperienced cold water swimmer then do not swim on your own, please come with friends or join our Social swim group on Fridays at 9 am, or arrange to meet another swimmer. We have a Facebook group called Pool Bridge Farm Swimmers and this is a great place to find a friendly swim buddy. You could also book an introduction to cold water with our fabulous coach Carrine (Find her details here ). Another alternative is to book a sauna and have an immediate group of new friends.
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Yes. In fact, you don’t want to swim in a lake that doesn’t have fish, as that’s a sign it’s not very healthy water. However, we don’t have any massive fish. Carp are the largest we have in M-lake and Horseshoe, and we definitely don’t have any fish that will bite you. Generally, the fish will give you a wide berth. You might see them jumping, but they are no more a fan of you than you are of them!
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In winter you need to come prepared. From October onwards the water can dip to single figures so keeping warm once you are out is vital. You don’t need a wetsuit, you can swim in a costume, however, if you wish to wear a wet suit that is fine too. Neoprene gloves and boots help keep you warm as does a woolly hat. You will need a towel to dry off after and lots of layers, a flask of hot drink and maybe even a hot water bottle to out down your top.
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Item YES. Everyone loves an ice swim. However, you must follow the guidelines and only dip in ice holes or entry points specified by our team. Under no circumstances should Q Lake be used when it is iced over.
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Q Lake is open fully for swimming before 10 am every day and all day Tuesday. During these times you can not launch paddleboards or kayaks. If there is no one paddleboarding in Q lake you can swim in the paddleboarding section, however, if a board is then launched please get out. From November 1st to 1st April Q lake will be completely for swimming.
Sauna Related Questions
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Mon-Thurs our first Sauna session is at 10am and our last session starts at 6:30pm.
Fri-Sun our first session is at 9am and our last session is at 6:30pm.
ALL sauna sessions must be pre-booked.
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The sauna experience is a 55minute sauna session where you will alternate between heat and cold. It is vital you cool down in the lake between sessions of heat.
In the winter, our sauna ticket inlcudes all day acces to the lakes.
In the summer months, you will need to add a day pass to your sauna ticket; this can be added as you head to the checkout.
Winter season is Otober-March
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Sauna sessions are 55 mins long, this allows for approximately 4 rounds of alternate heat and cold dipping. If you are late, you will still be able to join the sauna session but we can’t extend your time. If there is room in the next sauna when you arrive, the team might be able to move you to the later session, but no promises.
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No. Swimwear must be worn at all times please.
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A bottle of water
A towel to sit on
Footwear (to get to and from the change rooms and/or to swim with)
A towel to get dry with
A swimming costume/shorts
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NO.
Not only will you overheat, but it will create an unpleasant odour for everyone else in the sauna.
This includes wetsuit/neoprene shorts or jackets
Health & Safety Questions
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As with most things in life, there are always risks, swimming is no different. Please check out our safety information. However, the shape of the lakes makes them safer than many other lakes, as you will always be relatively close to the bank. We ask that every swimmer do their research before coming to the lakes
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We continually monitor the water quality through visual inspection as well as through a 3rd party specialist water quality tester. There are also no water run-offs into any of the lakes. To help prevent algae, the lakes are dyed using a natural colouring, which gives the lakes their colour. The dye is safe, with more than 60 times the amount of dye per given volume being found in a popular energy drink than in our lakes!
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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. Please 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.
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Yes, we light up Monet Lake in the dark so you are able to swim here during opening hours when the dark mornings and evening draw in. If you have a sauna booked after sunset, you will be able to swim in M-Lake by the saunas throughout your sauna session. We also allow swimming in the dark on our Moon swims- in fact they'd be pretty rubbish if you weren't allowed to swim! Other than what's mentioned, no other swimming is permitted in the dark.
Our FAcilities
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Yes, We have a change barn with separate male/female/unisex changing for our sauna users. We have a communal change pod on the Monet Lake. We have a change shelter on horse Shoe Lake. We also have male and female change barn up at the Q lake.
We do not have any individual change cubicles.
You are also welcome to change lakeside
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We have lockers by the saunas and by Monet lake. These need padlocks which you can purchase £3.50) on site or feel free to bring your own.
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We currently have a toilet block in the main yard and a larger toilet block at the Q lake. (Male/Female/unisex/accessible toilets)
More toilets coming soon to Monet Lake and Sauna Corner
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We have showers, these are available to use if necessary but DO NOT use the shower to warm up after a swim as this is dangerous. Our lakes are pretty clean almost like having a bath.
We have outdoor showers by Q lake and some showers coming this summer to Sauna Corner.
All our showers are for rinsing off, we are not luxury spa leave your shampoo and conditioner at home please its not good for our eco system here at the farm.
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No we are not a luxury spa
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No, we are not a luxury spa.
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Please contact Ian and Alison on 07751 542928 or email poolbridgecafe@gmail.com for anything relating to the café.
In the Summer months our café is for ticket holders only
Business FAQs
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We do not allow anyone to include PBF as part of a wellness or coaching package without consulting us first. No business is able to sell our tickets on to their clients without prior agreement, and no coach is allowed to lead a group anywhere on our property without the correct paperwork, insurance and agreements in place. If you would like to bring a team for a day out/team building, please contact us, and we can help you arrange this.
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We work with a local artist called Lucie who has some paintings on display around the lakes, and a lino print artist (Jen) who has a sauna-specific print on display in the sauna cabin. Unfortunately, we do not have space available for everyone who swims at PBF and makes beautiful art to display. We allow people to post their art on the first Friday of every month in our Facebook group. We hope to have an art event once we have a dry indoor space.
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We have a couple of instructors who work closely with us. At present, we have no indoor space for people to use. We hope to develop our indoor offerings and wellness aspect next spring but we like to work with people we know well and trust. If you are a regular swimmer and would like to work with us speak to one of the team.
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At present we do not offer any corporate packages, we may do in the future so keep your eye out.
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No this is not something we offer
