The outdoor pool re-opened for its 101st summer on May 1. Here's a piece from The Herald to mark the occasion, by Barry McDonald and Lesley Quinn.

Against a backdrop of art deco splendour and views to the Argyll hills, children and adults are relishing their first open-air swim of the year at Gourock, Inverclyde.

After the town's historic, 101-year-old outdoor swimming pool re-opened for an 18-week summer season, daytrippers, tourists and locals have been flocking to dive in.

Only one of two remaining heated saltwater pools in Scotland the other is in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire the open-air pool, or lido, takes its water from the Clyde. The water is filtered and cleaned before filling the 33m pool, where it is maintained at a comfortable temperature of 29C.

Last year Inverclyde Council invested £1.8 million to refurbish the lido, which includes a gym and a toddler's pool. It will remain open to the public until September.

Stuart Boyle, facilities manager at the pool, says it holds a place in the hearts of many locals. He said: "On a sunny day it's like being on holiday. We have sun loungers around the pool and it's a great atmosphere. A lot of the customers grew up here and learned to swim here. "It's a very social thing. Some of the older ones will come in at 10 o'clock in the morning and, on a sunny day, stay until five or six at night. We see the same faces every day." Julie Cassidy and her four children are regular visitors to the pool and see it as vital part of the area. Julie explained: "It is not just a pool it is part of the community spirit here in Gourock. I have come swimming here for the last 37 years and I bring my children every day, even after school.

"The children love it and have made lots of friends here. They can't wait for it to reopen each year, we even have a countdown calendar that runs from Christmas until it opens." Built in 1909, the Gourock pool was partially refurbished in 1935 before the installation of a water-heating system in 1969. Mr Boyle says it is the luxury of heated water that keeps the pool open in all weathers.

He added: "Some people actually prefer to swim when it's raining or even hail. The only time we close is when there is thunder and lightning." Anna McIntrye has been coming to the pool for nearly 60 years. She said: "I came here as a child, brought my children and now my grandchildren come. That speaks volumes for how good a place this is. This is the next best thing to swimming in the Mediterranean Sea it is very therapeutic and sometimes the sun shines. What more do you want? "The best time to come though is when it is raining or for a midnight swim, that is fantastic." Open-air pools like the one at Gourock appeared all over Britain during the wars to cater for a new taste for fresh air, swimming and sunbathing.

Tidal pools like ones at Tarlair on the Moray coast and North Berwick also sprung up. Many have since fallen into disrepair but Kate Rewe founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society and author of Wild Swim believes lidos may be experiencing a resurgence.

She said: "Outdoor pools were incredibly popular because they provided safe places to swim. "Scotland has a lot of tidal pools, which means you get all the freshness of swimming underneath the sky in fresh natural water or salt water without any of the dangers.

"When we got heated pools in the Forties and Fifties we saw a drop-off in lidos and river bank clubs but we're seeing a reversal in fortunes. More people are going back to it. I think there's great hope for lidos."