West Country Water Park - Bristol

Anthony E.

I have been enjoying swimming in the water park for the past months now. It’s so easy to book and to park, the changing room is great, especially nice when it’s cold and windy after your swim. What an amazing place. The views were outstanding. A wonderful place to go with friends and relax enjoying their delicious sausage rolls. The staff were very helpful and highly trained making it a great experience for the sports activities you can take part in.

sharon W.

I have been swimming at West Country Country Water Park for 18 months now. 3 months in I became a member. I love the inclusivity of the water park. The staff are amazing and genuinely care about your experience. The owners are building an amazing place and are keen to learn from those who visit and use the park. They consider every bit of feedback and have the willingness to try and meet every ‘demand’ we the general public make. My husband and older adult children have also visited and used aspects of the park. Paddle boarding, kayaking and swimming and all have been great and well organised….can’t comment on the aqua park as none of us have used it.
The changing rooms are spacious and clean, there are outdoor showers (these are natural drainage so no fluids ie shower gel etc can’t be used) there is a sauna which is an amazing addition - currently this is only for members while they work out charging and the running of it (members are basically the Guinea pigs at the moment!😁)
There is a cafe and Hannah makes a mean hot chocolate 😁 and they get ‘home made’ cakes in from a local baker which is a lovely touch, although can mean that sometimes they may have had a run on cakes and you sometimes miss out.
Currently they sell bought in paninis which are ok and fill a hole😁 and have homemade sausage rolls which are bought in locally. Again these can be limited but taste divine. They are looking at developing their food range (cafe style not ‘hot dinners’!)
As we move into the cold water swimming season there isn’t a place I’d rather be. I know I’m safe and looked after -seen this in action last winter where the lifeguards and cold water community really check in with you to make sure you’re ok and not experiencing afterdrop. The guards always talk to you as you get out to make sure you are coherent and even talk as your swimming.
If you’re looking for a supportive, inclusive friendly place to take up open/cold water swimming then the water park is fab.
If you do visit please remember to enter your reg for parking. The comments on parking and the charges should not affect your experience. We have to pay for parking in lots of places we visit now and if you are using services (cafe included) you get the parking for free 😁
Go visit and make your own mind up but I think you’d be pleasantly surprised.

Pete G.

Early morning swim in the lake was awesome. The water was cold 11°C. The sun was shining beautifully across he lake. If you go early it's not too busy. Also went for a walk around the lake after to warm up. The scenery is lovely. You can sometimes see herons, gannets or seagulls. The shop is well stocked with coffee, cakes and hot food. Plenty of parking. Note: Make sure you register your vehicle or you might get a fine. Beautiful swim in the sunshine 🌞.

helen D.

I absolutely love coming here! I started swiming here with open minds active through social prescribing and I’ve never stopped! It’s my fave place to come! Amazing staff! Amazing cake! Amazing coffee! And absolutely bliss even in the cold! It’s a beautiful place to be! So glad I found this gem!

JumpStart F. A. F.

Stunning lake right in the middle of Bradley Stoke, 12 minutes drive from the city centre. Lots of activities for different ages including open water swimming, paddleboarding, aqua park and a sauna. Peaceful surroundings, friendly and super clean facilities, with the option of special events such as windsurfing and triathlons at certain times of the year. Discovered this place at the end of the summer and wish I had earlier!

Gareth N.

Fantastic open water swimming and water sports facility. Visitors can stand up paddle board, swim the 750m lap of the lake, or there’s a brilliant and huge inflatable obstacle course ideal for kids.

The water was warm in summer (23 degrees C) and felt clean and fresh. Wet suits can be hired if wanted though.

There’s a great coffee / snack / food bar. Plenty of seating. A big and free car park. Decent changing facilities etc etc

Would thoroughly recommend.

Ian C.

Edit. “I have just read the response to negative reviews, wow, ‘say anything you like, unless its negative’, Shaun, take on the constructive criticism without being so defensive. I write a lot of positive reviews, I don’t write this lightly, I want WCWP to be a success, like it was for Mike, but with the attitude of ‘you are right, everyone else is wrong’, I will not be coming back, you have an opportunity to change my mind.”

I have withheld judgment since this beautiful man made lake changed hands, I had been to the lake many times when Mike was owner.
I went to the ‘Hunter Moon’ Event this evening, I have been to other events and times.
The lake remains conveniently located and in itself, I love the water, its beautiful on sunny day, with consistent year round water quality.
The intention of the West Country Water Park is clear and I admire the vision.

This evening it started when I got in the water, I was told, in a rather direct fashion, ‘I needed to go in on the steps as directed’, now these steps dig into your feet and have a very sharp decline into the water, I likened them to something from a Coal Mine, they have been marginally improved by plastic grass, so no I did not descend in down these steps, but using the ‘exit steps’ as they do not hurt my feet. At Clevedon Sea Lido, its publicly owned, their steps have a gradual decline and do not hurt your feet, could these be sourced?
I was then told curtly, that I needed to listen to the safety instructions, I felt like a fool and ‘10 years old’, I was already starting to feel irritated, again I understand safety, but it was the way it was done, please train staff on customer relations? Edit “Yes it’s subjective, but one dissatisfied Customer tells many more people than a positive one, if you respond without humility, I will probably doubly do so.”

I swam round the loop and then wanted to try the new sauna, it was nearly empty, but was told I needed a band, so I went to reception and was told that I was ‘not a member, I had only purchased ten swims, therefore I was not allowed in, in any circumstances’ despite it being empty, which seemed strange honestly, can one not purchase entry or is this impossible?
Anyhow, I was naughty and in the darkness I snuck in, as not one person was in there, (Being talked to like I was stupid in the beginning, had spurred my insolence) I was underwhelmed, it was the coldest sauna I had ever been in.
I left promptly, then as I took my swim shoes off, one of the many young men came over and counselled the other young man checking the wrist bands, to not let ‘commoners’ without a wrist band on.
To the young mans credit he explained that the Sauna had the wrong parts, this is why it was cold, these were awaiting delivery, plus they had problems with the generators, they apparently don’t have mains electricity, he also explained that people prefer it cold, after a swim, which is true, going too hot, too quickly is not good, however still strikes me as strange.
Which leads me to that the power kept on cutting out all evening, obviously not planned, these things happen, but a bit disconcerting. What unsettled me further was the sea shanties playing so loud you couldn’t hear yourself think, I love a sea shanty, but ‘power out’ music and ‘lights off’, ‘power on’ cue loud sea shanties from the speakers, the young lady did turn down the booming sea shanties when I asked, however it was all a little stressful.

We had a booked a curry on the first evening swim, the food came late, as if they had not known about the event planned for weeks and even later if you wanted vegetarian, the food was just ‘okay’. The strange thing was upstairs where they served food, a beautiful long bar, full of drinks, but as our group ate, no one was available at the bar, extremely strange indeed.
I can commend the music, it was fantastic, very well done.

The most grating thing, there appears to be no showers, why?

The lake itself remains excellent, shame about the points mentioned, I know people are probably trying really hard, but it is a no from me, so far.

Tina T.

I highly recommend this location for open water swimming.
Wonderful swim at the lake again today. It’s so nice to be able to turn up as a lone swimmer and know you can enjoy a swim in a safe clean environment.
I’ve been swimming in this lake for many years and am so impressed with what Shaun and the team have done since they took it on from Mike.
It’s a joy to have a lovely environment to change, swim and then enjoy sitting and people watching over a hot drink and snack...especially on a sunny day like today. Although I am also looking forward to getting back to cold water swims in the winter too!