New open swimming lake venue to open in Northamptonshire: ‘An idyllic, lovely, and calm place to swim in’

A family-run business is set to open a wild water swimming pool in the middle of the Northamptonshire countryside.

The recreational spot at Bare Hill Lakes offers a spring-fed 250m loop lake for outdoor swimmers.

The lake at Bare Hill Farm, in Badby, Daventry, is set to open for the public at 9am on Saturday, August 5, with more than 60 people booked in for the first three hours.

Vikki Bickerton, 44, manager at Bare Hill Lakes, said: “It exploded. We had no idea that everyone would be so keen. We’re so pleased that so many people are enthusiastic to enjoy our surroundings.”

The family-run farm, Bare Hill Farm, has been in the Bickerton family for three generations.

“We’ve been looking for new and different ways to utilise the land we’re so grateful to have. We thought it would be wonderful to invite people to share the lake,” said Vikki.

Vikki and her husband are keen open water swimmers. In June 2023, they decided to share their plan on Facebook with the community.

“We’re so excited to be welcoming everyone to Bare Hill Lakes. We can’t wait for you to join us. It’s sunny today and it looks absolutely glorious,” said Vikki.

Julie Young, 50, Bare Hill Lakes swimming coach and swimming teacher for the last 13 years, said: “It’s a beautiful venue. The lake is pristine. An idyllic, lovely, and calm place to swim in. It’s like swimming in a dream to me.”

On June 9, the water quality of the lake, which is spring-fed from the River Nene, was tested and found to be one of the best in the area.

“Our main aim is to keep people safe. We want everyone to have a lovely time and enjoy it.

“For us, mental health is really important. Wild swimming is very beneficial and relaxing for people,” said Vikki.

Because the team prioritises safety, briefings are scheduled a few minutes between each booking slot, with the fully qualified open water coach and lifeguard, Julie, and a few open water swimming safety recommendations for people.

“We’ve got an absolutely fantastic lifeguard who I’ve known for 11 years. She has taught my children since they were little. They are both fantastic swimmers now,” said Vikki.

In her spare time, Julie travels to Zanzibar to teach women and children, working as seaweed farmers, how to swim and be safe during floods.

“It is truly my passion. I’m very passionate about teaching people how to swim. I think it is a very important life skill. My happy place is being in the water,” said Julie.

The Bare Hill Lakes team follows the advice of the national governing body for swimming in England.

The prices are £8 an hour for adults and £6 an hour for young people under 16 years old. Children can enter if they are strong swimmers over 10 years old, subject to the lifeguard assessment.

People can check the schedule and booking hours on their website. The team offers exclusive hiring too.

Only 20 people can swim at the same time in one hour in order to not get overcrowded.

Swimming with a tow float and a brightly coloured head gear is compulsory. Tow floats can be hired on the day for £2. Wet suits are recommended.

The Bare Hill Lakes team can be contacted at [email protected] or on their Facebook page.