Scours Lane River Lido – Reading. A hot spot for swimmers
Scours Lane River Lido
A hot spot for swimmers above agj
Quote from Mrs Colleen Thatcher…
‘Scours Lane River Lido was near the boat house west end of the Thames. The river was cordoned off with pieces of wood about about 30 feet long and 1 foot square.
They were chained together for the length out into the river and again to the posts which were about 30 feet from the bank. There was a diving board covered by jute to prevent slipping.
The weeds were kept down within the confines but depths were very uneven. Swimmers jumped or dived off the wooden blocks and swam across to the north bank. There was about half a dozen favourite swimming places between there and the Reading bridge where the kiddies paddling pool was.’
Scours Lane Lido Reading – The way in for a swim! agj
‘The Lido changing rooms were about 40 to 50 feet beyond the towpath with a path running between the lawns. Bathers sat, laid or picnicked. The end of the path were the cubicles, women’s to the right, men’s to the left. There were about four with wooden doors and one long one without, with forms around to sit on (you could also leave your clothes.)’
Scours Lane Reading Bathing Station Site today. Dismantled and closed 1974 agj
‘There was the usual tap and mangle near the entrance. Just to the east between the Lido and the boathouse, was “Alf’s Cafe”, a wooden one storey building, selling crisps, biscuits, sweets, teas, cold drinks and lovely bacon or sausage sandwiches. Alf Macdonagh lived in the original mobile house next to the cafe.
He was always friendly and talkative. He did a good trade and even in the cold weather, teenagers spent a lot of time there. It was always warm and cosy inside, and to see a storm brewing over the river from the inside was something to see….’
Quote from Reading Review
” Bathing to be allowed at View Island and Scours Lane, Tilehurst, on Sundays between 10am and 9.30pm during such time as such bathing places shall be open to the public” July 1936
OUTCOME: Around 1974, Scours Lane was no longer a recognised bathing place due pollution of the river and health and safety regulations. The area is now a pleasant picnic area.
The only swimmers today – returning to their nests for the night
More River Bathing in the River Thames Reading …‘Freebody’s’
Kentwood Deeps? – that is very appropriate! Yes, it must have been a very pleasant spot. Had a wonder around the other day – very tidy and pretty, but the only swimmers – the swans! Thank you Richard for your memories. Anne
Interesting valuable information about the river and social history. I enjoyed reading it and imagining what your upstream swimming was like. I lived in Caversham and remember in the 1950s seeing people swimming off View island and dare devil teenagers would jump off near the weir and sometimes Reading Bridge. It was pretty hazardous. That Scours Lane location was known as Kentwood Deeps.
Remember it well, use to swim there in the late fifties and sixties. Sundays was a popular day for families to picnic on the lawn while their children swam in the sectioned off area. Having been born in Tilehurst the River Thames played a big part in my growing up. Remember the winter of 1963 when I walked across the frozen river Thames, man that was a cold winter. Most of the time I came to the river via the Tilehurst station, through the penny toll gate. Though I doubt much money was collected as we drilled a hole through the top of the penny and attached fishing line so that we could retrieve it once the gate was open.
What a lovely story. Thank you Julian. Yes, Scours Lane was a very popular swim! and held many events. All river swimming was stopped during the 70s in Reading, so therefore Scours Lane became a beauty picnic/ hikers/fishing spot, It does remain very lovely walking along the riverside. Anne
Hello,
School holidays Aug 2023. We grandparents looking after our two grandchildren. Young Alex having a passion for steam, GWR in particular, memories of my own childhood in the mid 1950’s and visiting Scours Lane on a hot summers day for a dip in the Lido come to mind. I learnt to swim there and fondly remember the GWR expresses heading west with eight coaches behind. The Scours Lane straight embankment provided a magnificent spectacle. I too bought crisps and soft drinks at the cafe, but do not know whether it was run by Alf at the time. I remember fondly the wooden motor pleasure launches that were for hire close by and their beautiful varnished finish and flat launch rear going right down to the water. Memories – my senior family gone I have no connection with Reading now and now live 55 miles away.