Henleaze Lake — Attraction in Bristol

Ah, Henleaze Lake. The shimmering jewel tucked away in Bristol’s north, surrounded by trees, tranquillity and a silence that promises serenity. But make no mistake, what appears to be an oasis is in fact a fortress. A selfish, smug little fortress.

I arrived curious, hopeful even, eager to witness the lake I'd heard whispers about. A natural beauty, they said. A place to escape the heat, to swim, to breathe. And yet, as I approached the gates, I was not greeted with open arms or even polite disinterest. I was greeted with a sign. A sign so bold, so unapologetically elitist it may as well have read you are not welcome here.

Members only.

This is not a luxury hotel. This is not a spa. This is a body of water carved by nature, not privilege. And yet, Henleaze Lake guards it like it is a private vault handed down through aristocracy. The sense of exclusion here is palpable. The kind of pompous gatekeeping that makes your blood boil. The idea that something so simple and healing as swimming in a natural lake should be kept under lock and key for a few select residents with the right postcode or the right connections is nothing short of absurd.

What are we protecting it from exactly? The working class? Teenagers? The very community it sits in? If a lake cannot be shared, what can?

This is not stewardship. This is hoarding.

Henleaze Lake may pride itself on being pristine. On being untouched by the masses. But purity without access is not beauty. It is vanity. And if this place wants to be remembered as more than a snobbish relic clinging to exclusivity, then it must open its gates. Let the public in. Let the public splash. Let people swim without needing a golden ticket.

Until then, Henleaze Lake will remain what it is now, not a sanctuary, but a monument to exclusion. A lake drowning in its own...

Gorgeous, tranquil, refreshing.

I have been a member for a few years now and it is by far my favourite thing to do in Bristol.

Getting membership involves a bit of work.

Look at the website in March/April and see if they are accepting entries into the ballot that year Send off an email or postcard with your details Applications are selected at random until available spaces are filled Successful applicants are invited to join as a community access member (pay per swim at less popular times) and/or join the waiting list for a full place (swim all sessions, bring up to 2 guests per visit). Unsuccessful applicants can choose to have their details retained for next years ballot. It took me 1 year on the waiting list before I was offered full membership. It can take up to three.

A bit of admin but well worth it and a pretty fair and efficient way of managing access to an oversubscribed facility.

They are now offering monthly lake tours if you want to have...

My wifes dream came true, after years of waiting on an endless membership list she got community access. Apart from the politics and notoriety surrounding the lake and difficulty to get access, membership list that never moves forward and random selection process that noone likes, I'll leave a review of the lake for swimming.

It's OK. That's all really, water isn't clear, the changing area is akin to a school gym changing rooms, you're only allowed on site if you are a member, so if your husband/wife etc swim and you wanted to watch, you can't. Parking is limited and jams up the local streets and the cafe on site is poor. It's less of a swimming pond than an elitist social club to brag that you swim here. After writing all that I've downgraded to 1 star. For outdoor swimming, there are better options: Vobster Quay, Clevedon Marine Lake and Cromhall Quarry...