The only further thought I have on this is:-

It is a rocky foreshore (sandstone at that point) and I do not know when the hole was dug. It is possible that the 18th/19th century Volunteer battery had an underground magazine. The top of the yacht club slipway is made up of sandstone blocks of a regular shape which could be remnants of the battery but are unlikely to have come from a WWII excavation which I would imagine have used explosives.  We will probably never know.

Forgive me for asking what may may be obvious, but it's not explicitly noted... was this a completely outdoor pool?

I made the assumption that the additional work in the 1970s implies that was open to the elements until the later structure was added.

As far as I know yes but I would expect it to have been as all pools were outdoor in those days.  People were tough then.  Our school used to take us to the local outdoor unheated seawater pool once a week.  If as this year Easter was early then 'Tough' because that was when swimming started.

Careful now, not "all" the pools.

The Victorians loved their indoor baths, Rothesay's Victorian baths (now flats) led to the rapid demise of the outdoor pool there (which was used as the NAAFI - well, the building was, not the actual pool), and Glasgow has celebrated baths preserved from the time.

Gourock has obviously managed to survive, even though I saw a couple of kids to a TV short about it a few years ago, and when the actually swam in it for the camera, they were A. freezing, and B. just as wet out of the water as in, since it was pouring with rain when they filmed. Good old Scottish climate.

Stonehaven has also managed to preserve a very fine example of an outdoor pool.

Going over the info on the pool, is it possible to clarify the location?

The words suggest that the remains of the pool lie beneath a building, and the only modern building on the shore is the sailing club, unfortunately, the description refers to a building and walls, but doen't state where these are, Toward Sailing Club only gets a mention when referring later to McAlpines, so is the pool now under the club building?

The marker is almost 100 yards east of the club building, and almost on the road, so I'm guessing that this is not the intended spot.

If the spot is indeed the club building, I will place the spot precisely if you can confirm

Yes the pool is right underneath the sailing club building.

Ta, I hate making what appears to be an obvious tweak, and it turns out to be a "strange but true" correct item.

I better do a word fiddle to mention the spot too.

Also mentioned above, Gourock's outdoor pool featured on the BBC's Reporting Scotland tonight, May 15.

It's the pool's centenary.

Unfortunately, as with Reply 3-6 above, the good old Scottish climate (yes, we have climate here, not weather ) meant that the item was shot in the rain with a howling freezing gale, with the surface of the pool being swept by the wind and whipped into hefty ripples - since it's too small for waves to build up.

Gourock is a salt-water heated pool, so those in it enjoy warm bodies to go with their cold heads, and since they're already wet, they say they don't notice the rain

A £1.8 million refurbishment is set to fall into place at the end of this year's season, hopefully starting another 100 years of life for the pool, which is one of only two currently remaining in use.

I remember Gourock Pool before the previous upgrade when it was unheated seawater which was changed/ topped up everytime the tide came in.  Often the tide brought in more than just seawater.  School swimming started in March some years.  It was more than a bit on the cold side whether you were under the water or out of it.  The current generation do not know they are living.

What crossed my mine is - how much does it cost to heat it?

Just noticed. Today, May 16, was the season opening day.

Could be an FoI (Scotland) enquiry

Get your tenner out

All I know at the moment is the brief history:

Gourock Pool was partially refurbished in 1935, and then more work in 1969 included the installation of a water heating system. Inverclyde Leisure Trust initiated the upgrading of various systems to maintain excellent water quality and service for the customers.

A rare surviving example of a lido in Scotland, the Gourock Outdoor Pool overlooks the West Bay from Albert Road in Gourock, a half-mile (0.8 km) southwest of the town centre and is open daily between May and September. The pool includes a spectators' gallery, sun deck and diving board. As of 2009, it also offers kayaking and Scuba sessions.

Opening its doors in 1909, which makes it one of oldest lidos in Britain, this is a heated saltwater pool, drawing its water from the River Clyde. The water is filtered and maintained at a minimum temperature of 30°C (86°F). The pool was refurbished in 1935, when it was increased in size, again in 1969, with the addition of the water-heating system and in 2003 when the retaining wall was strengthened and repaired.

Operated by Inverclyde Leisure, on behalf of the local council, the pool continues to be a popular facility with locals, day trippers and tourists, attracting approximately 35,000 visitors in 2006.

I wouldn't worry about the cost of heating the pool, as they have £23 million to play with:

GOUROCK’S historic outdoor pool will open to celebrate its centenary year on Saturday 16 May.

Extensive work has been carried out over recent weeks to make sure the season goes with a splash for the thousands of people who flock to Inverclyde every year to enjoy the oldest outdoor heated seawater pool of its kind in Scotland.

Regeneration Committee Convener Jim Clocherty said: “This is an important milestone for Gourock Pool and one which heralds a bright future thanks to the massive refurbishment programme planned later in the year.”

Gourock Pool has been a popular attraction for locals, day trippers and tourists since it opened in 1909. This year should prove no exception with a programme of pool parties, music and inflatable fun sessions planned.

Inverclyde Council has earmarked £1.8 million to refurbish the pool at the close of the current season as part of its £23 million investment in leisure facilities.

The council has earlier said the pool would open in April, on a five day a week basis until the holidays.

Regeneration Committee Vice-Convener Councillor Ronnie Ahlfeld said: “Because of the extra work and preparation to make this a season to savour the opening had to be moved to 16 May.

“But I am delighted we are able to open the pool for seven days a week this summer. People come from across Scotland to use it and this year promises to be the best yet. New pool manager John Bruce has put together an exciting programme for all users including scuba diving and kayak sessions as well as occasional Sunday afternoon concerts.

“Our pool has been enjoyed by generations of local people and it was vitally important that steps were taken to safeguard its future. With the work planned over the winter I am confident Gourock Pool will be with us for many years to come.”

Quoted from The Fox

As far as I know yes but I would expect it to have been as all pools were outdoor in those days.  People were tough then.  Our school used to take us to the local outdoor unheated seawater pool once a week.  If as this year Easter was early then 'Tough' because that was when swimming started.

Even tougher in Wick!

The Trinkie

Fascinating page jmb.

I would say thanks for including it - if it didn't mean noting it for lots of work at some time in the future

I now have it from 2 reliable sources that the pool had a glass roof.  Apparently by the 70s the roof had collapsed, whether from weather, vandalism or both I do not know.  It is said to have so much glass lying in it as to be too dangerous to revive as a pool.

This page will need to be updated and retitled as it is no longer "Outdoor"!

The glass could have been added later, as folk got softer. The earliest pools tended to be outdoor - then folk got 'softer'

There is still the boiler story, for warm water, and the description of the decoration, but both could be outdoor or covered.

I wonder how they filled it?

Buckets from the shore, or a hose from the nearest house?

Reports from some who used it during the war when youth groups were permitted to do so say that it was sea water.   This would make sense in terms of WWII training as troops were unlikely to fall into fresh water during the invasion.  It may have been fresh water in earlier times but it is supposed to have been built for a lady at Castle Toward who liked to swim in the sea which again would suggest salt water would have been used.   I suppose if the original pool was intended to have fesh water then it would have made more sense for it to be built nearer the house and within the estate proper.

It would be unlikely that the navy would have roofed it as training would have been more realistic if it had no roof like the sea.   I would think the roof was likely to be original.

I've given the page a bit of a refresh, and tried to put as much of what's been offered from the local reports as possible, while keeping it all consistent.