St Monans Tidal Pool

St Monans Tidal Pool was created in the 1930's, in an age when outdoor pools were all the rage.

During this interwar period, there was a huge health push that encouraged physical fitness and promoted outdoor activities. It was also a time where it became acceptable for men and women to bathe together.

Tidal Pools are controlled by the nature. At high tide the sea water fills the pool and as the tide recedes, the water in the pool is heated naturally by the sun. Tidal Pools and Lidos were relatively cheap to make and maintain and they became popular for allowing families to enjoy outdoor activities together.

The UK was adopting the Italian lido experience with many public outdoor pools having sunbathing areas, kids play areas and a poolside cafes. At St Monans there's a kids play area next to the pool, it appears to have been there since the pool was built but has evolved over time.

The setting of the pool is something quite special, the natural rock formations made it an easy to blend the natural with the manmade. Let's face it, you don't get views like these down at your local swimming pool.

As wild swimming has once again fallen into fashion, the tidal pool has seen an upsurge of its use.

The pool has not been maintained by the council for since around 1980. However in 2021, some of the local community got together and went about cleaning the pool by removing bottles, cans and other waste that had found its way into the pool. Swimmers are advised that they use the pool at their own risk and it is recommended that they wear protective footwear.

I am not a outdoor swimmer, so I enjoyed watching the sun reflecting in the rippling water from terra firma. However, I did speak to a lady swimmer who mentioned how the half of the pool that remained in sunlight was really quite pleasantly warm. I will take her word for it.

Fife is blessed with a further three tidal pools. One nearby in Pittenween, one in Cellardyke near Anstruther and slightly further afield there is one at Castle Sands in St Andrew's.

There is a parking around 300m west on the coastal path.

As you are there, remember to pop over to see the St Monans Windmill and St Monans Salt Pans.