SUNSHINE, water to splash around in, a playground and a beach – who needs a screen to stare it?
There’s even an ice cream kiosk for well-behaved youngsters and their mums and dads at Swansea’s Blackpill Lido.
The free council-run facility has been packed on certain days this summer, and as the evenings just start to draw in and plants cling to whatever moisture they can find, families were once again making the most of it on August 21.
It was the first time Claire Daniel, of Port Talbot, had visited the lido and adjacent playground. She was there with her son, Noah Dunlop, aged 7.
“I will definitely come back, maybe tomorrow,” she said. “It’s just nice to have different scenery. Even though it’s busy it doesn’t feel too packed. You can see kids perfectly. I think it’s just right.”
Visiting from Skewen was Craig Williams and his son Zachary, aged 11, along with various relatives.
“We are down here fairly regular,” said Mr Williams. “The area is nice, clean and popular. Everyone is quite friendly. And you’ve got the beach right there.”
There is a cafe a few metres away and public toilets, and parking options across Mumbles Road.
“We come down here on hot days to cool down,” said Robert Worth, of Sandfields, Swansea, who was there with his three-year-old daughter, Maya.
“It’s perfect for kids, they all play with each other,” he said. “It’s also close to home, and free.”
“I think it’s fab,” said Tiffany Evans, of Skewen. “Everything’s in reach, and you can keep your eyes on the little ones. You’ve got everything here, and parking was easy.”
Her niece, Disney Evans, 11, gave the lido the thumbs-up. “It’s amazing, it’s sunny, and a lovely park to enjoy,” she said.
Michael Ely-Sandiford, his wife Joanna and her friend Helen Airey drove down from Herefordshire to Swansea with their children and, with the tide out on Swansea beach, took a picnic to the lido.
“We were looking for something to do and saw this place,” said Mr Ely-Sandiford. “It’s the perfect activity for the kids, and you’ve got the beautiful backdrop. Best of all it’s free.”
The council added a soft surface at one end of the lido over the winter, and the swings, climbing frames and zipline on the adjacent park are relatively new.
Nikki Day, who runs The Junction cafe by the lido, said the adjacent kiosks she also operates benefited in particular from the lido footfall.
“They have the pool, the beach, the toilets,” she said. “It’s a fantastic location.” She added: “We get different clientèle. It’s always weather-dependable down here.”
The lido will be open from 9am to 5pm every day of the week until September 28.
“We’re delighted that Blackpill Lido is enjoying another fantastic summer,” said Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, cabinet member for investment, regeneration, events and tourism.
“Families love its facilities, its spectacular location, its accessibility and the fact that it’s free.”
