ocean, lakes, Pools?

Where are there places to go swimming in the UK? 
Are there beaches (too cold?), lakes, rivers, or even public pools?
I love swimming and want to teach my daughter!

This is one of the things that makes me miss Phoenix the most...  I absolutely LOVE to go swimming.  Used to do it pretty much daily for 7 months of the year.  There's a public pool here in Shrewsbury at the Sixth Form college, but it's always crowded and not the same as having the sun beat down on you outside as you swim around by yourself.   

Like Jemima said, I'm sure you'll find something fairly nearby.

This is one of the things that makes me miss Phoenix the most...  I absolutely LOVE to go swimming.  Used to do it pretty much daily for 7 months of the year.  There's a public pool here in Shrewsbury at the Sixth Form college, but it's always crowded and not the same as having the sun beat down on you outside as you swim around by yourself.   

Like Jemima said, I'm sure you'll find something fairly nearby.

Aww, yeah. I miss my pool at home.

We have an international pool in Leeds. Pretty big but I loathe going to public pools.

I've not swam in any of the rivers but I was warned against it. Jon told me of a friend he had when he was a kid. The friend was drowning in one of the rivers and his father when to save him. A few days later the father died of poison. Apparently the water isn't too clean here. Whether that's true or not I don't know but I'd rather not take the risk.