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The lake water levels are simply not high enough at the moment to deliver the fantastic swimming experience you've come to expect from YokeHill. Like many natural lakes across the UK, our water levels rely on nature to replenish them. Unlike a swimming pool, we can't simply turn on a tap and fill it back up. Our lake is naturally recharged by a combination of groundwater & rainfall. During prolonged periods of warm, dry weather, evaporation increases significantly while very

During periods of hot weather, we understand the natural desire to cool off, enjoy the water and spend time outdoors. However, YokeHill is not a general recreational lake or splash venue. YokeHill is a peaceful open-water swimming space, created for calm, respectful swimming in nature. To protect the experience for swimmers, visitors and the surrounding environment, we ask everyone to observe the following site rules. Please respect the tranquillity of the lake This is a quie

We’re proud to share that Yoke Hill has been featured in the June 2026 issue of Outdoor Swimmer magazine. “Yokehill: Establishing a New Open Water Swimming Venue”, tells the story of how YokeHill has grown from a simple idea into a welcoming open water swimming venue in the Northamptonshire countryside. For us, this feature is a lovely moment to pause and recognise how far YokeHill has come. What began as an established lake with potential has gradually become a safe, friend

There are some moments at Yoke Hill where you can see the next chapter taking shape right in front of you. This is one of them. Our brand new sauna has arrived, and she is a beauty. Set beside the water, looking out across the lake, the new sauna is already starting to feel like it belongs here. The new decking, the new steps are now in the water, and the whole area is coming together exactly as we hoped: natural, calm, simple and connected to the landscape around it. This ha

Over the last few weeks we’ve been making a number of changes across the Yoke Hill Leisure website to improve the overall experience and make things simpler, clearer and more reliable for everyone using it. One of the biggest areas of focus has been the checkout and booking experience. We know some of you experienced issues during booking and payment, particularly around checkout flow and account management. While technology is never perfect, we’ve worked through a number of

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been quietly working behind the scenes on a few improvements, (you may have noticed some improvements on our website, let us know your thoughts) Well, over the next few weeks you will also see some updates to our lake area. We wanted to make changes to make the experience here feel even better for you. We’ve been planning, measuring, … and making lots of trips to builders’ merchants. One of the projects currently underway is a new decked area th

Open water venues are often criticised when people notice the water has been “dyed blue” or treated in some way. The assumption is usually that it is cosmetic designed to make the lake look cleaner or more appealing for social media photos. In reality, at many managed swim venues, water dye is used as part of a wider pond and lake management strategy focused on safety, ecology and swimmer health. For venues that support regular swimming, particularly during warmer months, unm

For us, Yoke Hill Leisure was never just about creating a place to swim, sauna or unwind. It started with a much simpler idea. To create somewhere people could breathe again. This year, we were honoured to be named New Tourism Business of the Year at the Northamptonshire Tourism Business Awards 2025, held at Silverstone Museum and organised by Discover Northamptonshire. Receiving this award means a huge amount to us not simply because we won, but because of what it represents

Why these small volcanic stones have become a meaningful wellbeing ritual There is a reason lava stone bracelets continue to appear in wellness spaces, yoga studios, therapy rooms and slow-living communities. On the surface, they are simple porous black volcanic stones threaded into jewellery. But underneath that simplicity sits something more practical and more human. Lava stones create a small physical ritual. A reminder to pause. A way to carry scent intentionally. A grou

Most people experience the Summer Solstice without noticing it. The day arrives, the evenings feel longer, people spend more time outside, and then life carries on as normal. But historically, the Summer Solstice has always carried deeper significance than simply being “the longest day of the year.” It marks a transition point. For thousands of years, cultures across the world paused to acknowledge the Solstice because it represents light, energy, renewal, movement and connec

Most people do not actually stop anymore. They pause briefly between tasks, scroll while resting, answer messages while walking, or sit physically still while mentally remaining switched on. Even leisure has become optimised, scheduled and performance-driven. The result is that many people are spending long periods in a constant state of low-level stimulation without real recovery. That eventually shows up somewhere: mental fatigue irritability poor sleep emotional reactivity

Yoke Hill Leisure & Wellbeing is tucked away between Corby and Oundle, made up of two special spaces: Yoke Hill Leisure, which we lease, and Yoke Hill Wellbeing, which we proudly own. Together, they create something unique where the outdoor wild meets peaceful, grounded care. There was no big investor, no neat plan. Just me, my husband Steve, and a wild belief that we could create something honest something healing. Yoke Hill Leisure sits on a quiet patch of land with four la

Mental Health Awareness Week often gets reduced to social posts, slogans and reminders to “take care of yourself.”Most people already know they should look after their mental health. The harder question is: when do they actually stop long enough to do it? For a lot of people, the answer is rarely. Modern life rewards constant output. Notifications, deadlines, responsibilities, training plans, caring responsibilities, work pressure and social comparison all compete for attenti