The UK is starved of outdoor swimming opportunities, but it's looking like a huge new swimming spot might be coming to West Yorkshire.
Plans are in place to turn a disused reservoir just outside Bingley into a natural swimming pool, right in the heart of St.Ives regional park.
If it all goes ahead - and we're praying that it will - the ambitious project will transform the Kettlewell Reservoir.
Yorkshire Swim Works will feature a large lake area for swimming, splashing, dipping and more as well as a six lane 50m pool for more serious swimming and classes.
The body of water used to supply water to Bingley residents, but several years after it was built in 1909 it developed leaks and was abandoned.
Now nature has taken over and a lot of people don't even know it exists.
Yorkshire Swim Works are hoping to put the spot back on the map by turning it into a massive natural swimming pool.
The water-neutral development will allow nature to flourish in what is already a wildlife-rich location.
The natural pool will be just a 30 minute walk from Bingley, which itself is a short train ride from Leeds.
Plans to turn a disused reservoir into a natural swimming pool have been revealed. Credit: Yorkshire Swim Works
Speaking of the impact the plans could have on the local area, director of Yorkshire Swim Works Russell Bowman said: "It’s huge isn’t it. Ambitious is the word that I’ve heard a lot!
"The benefits of swimming and in particular outdoor swimming are now well proven. The boost it gives to mental and physical health and its ability to create social cohesion are documented and building something of this scale that sits so naturally in the environment is a project that deserves support.
"With a young family myself, seeing investment in the area, new opportunities for them and the potential economic boost of tourists coming to the area fills me with excitement.
"I believe that YSW can be (we’re all using this word sorry!) a catalyst for the next stage in Bingley’s evolution and an incredible boost to the St Ives Estate that has struggled in recent times."
You can take part in a survey about the plans for Kettlewell Reservoir here.
Have alookat this stunning, futuristic family home that's currently on the market.
If you've ever wanted to live in a home that resembles a spaceship, then boy oh boy have we got the home for you.
This is Bennetthorpe House over in Doncaster, a truly impressive architect designed family residence that's so swish it even featured on one of the very first episodes of Grand Designs.
Now that's an accolade.
Images: Rightmove
Set across three floors, the home has a whopping five bedrooms and three bathrooms as well as a gorgeous light-filled reception room. In fact, the whole home is flooded with light due to the sheer abundance of windows.
Designed to impress, the entrance hall doubles as a dining area and showcases some of the property's most eye-catching architectural features, including a striking glass staircase and a dramatic floor-to-ceiling glass block wall.
Images: Rightmove
Upstairs, the lavish bedroom suite comes complete with a walk-in dressing area and a sleek en-suite shower room.
The lower ground floor features a large bedroom, dedicated sitting area, en-suite bathroom and provides direct access to the property's double garage.
Certainly, it's not the sort of home to snuggle in front of the fire with a good book and get all cosy - but if you're a fan of all things modern and contemporary then it doesn't get much better than this.
Images: Rightmove
The best part? It can be yours for just £850,000...how can one resist? It's a small price to pay to feel like you're the star of Grand Designs every single day of your life.
To have a proper nosey at this one-of-a-kind property then take a look at the listing on Rightmove here.
Featured image - Rightmove (Fine & Country, Bawtry)
The Sheff
The best restaurants in Yorkshire named at prestigious National Restaurant Awards
Clementine Hall
The best restaurants in the UK have been named at the National Restaurant Awards – and Yorkshire has done pretty well for itself.
The prestigious awards took place last night, listing the top 100 places to eat in the entire UK.
Four restaurants in Yorkshire managed to make it into the top 100 of the country’s best restaurants.
Coming in at a very impressive number 13 is Sheffield restaurant JÖRO, who's year has gone from accolade to accolade after being awarded none other than a Michelin star back in February.
Often hailed as the city's best restaurant, JÖRO is run by husband-and-wife team Luke French and Stacey Sherwood.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
They recently relocated into a bigger space near the edge of the Peak District in Oughtibridge, which has allowed them to expand their offerings.
Here's what the judges had to say: 'A much larger and better-equipped kitchen has allowed French - whose CV includes Midsummer House in Cambridge - to evolve his already finely-tuned and distinctive cooking style.'
JÖRO announced the news to Instagram, saying: "To be sat in a room filled with incredible people from across the industry is truly inspiring and being listed is something our younger selves only dreamed of achieving."
Over in Leeds, beloved neighbourhood bistro Bavette placed at number 83 where owners Sandy and Clement stated they were "Over the moon" to have made it onto the list.
Elsewhere in Yorkshire, The Angel at Hetton came in at number 47 being declared as a 'Yorkshire institution' whilst The Star Inn at Harome took number 78 as one of the first pubs in England to be awarded a Michelin star.
Daisy Jackson -
24th May 2024 
