Who we are

Mount Pleasant Natural Pools is a small, family-run business based in Derbyshire, designing and building natural swimming ponds across the East Midlands and surrounding areas.

We create ponds that look natural within the landscape, but with a properly constructed swimming area at their heart. Our pools combine the beauty, planting and wildlife value of a natural pond with the comfort of a clearly defined swim zone, separated from the regeneration area by a submerged structural wall finished with oak sleepers.

Built from our own experience

We have over 20 years of experience in property development, landscaping and construction, but Mount Pleasant Natural Pools really began after we built a natural swimming pond in our own garden.

We wanted something different from a conventional swimming pool. No chlorine, no bright blue water and no harsh chemical treatment. We wanted a place that felt natural, looked at home in the garden and gave our family somewhere to swim, relax and enjoy the outdoors.

Once it was built, we quickly realised it offered far more than we expected. It became a place to swim, cool off, watch wildlife, sit with a coffee, and spend more time outside as a family. The pond changed the way we used our garden.

It also gave us first-hand experience of how a natural pool behaves in real life: how the planting develops, how the water changes through the seasons, what maintenance is needed, and how important good design and construction are.

A natural pond with a proper swimming area

Our pools are not just ponds that happen to be deep enough to swim in. Each one is designed as a working natural swimming system. The deeper swim zone is clearly separated from the planted regeneration zone by a constructed wall, usually finished with oak sleepers. This gives you clean, open water for swimming, while the surrounding gravel beds, aquatic plants and beneficial microorganisms help support natural water quality.

This hybrid approach gives you the best of both worlds: the soft, natural look of a wildlife pond, with the usability and structure of a properly built swimming pool.

Practical, honest and hands-on

We are builders as well as natural pool enthusiasts. That makes a difference. A natural swimming pond needs to look beautiful, but it also needs to be built properly. Levels, access, wall construction, liner details, water movement, planting and filtration all matter.

We are not a large national company or a sales team passing work on to unknown contractors. When you contact Mount Pleasant Natural Pools, you deal directly with the people who design and build your pool.

Our approach is straightforward and personal. We will talk honestly about what is possible, how much space you need, what affects the cost, what maintenance is involved and whether a natural swimming pond is the right fit for your garden.

Designed for swimming, wildlife and family life

Natural swimming ponds are living features. They are not only for swimming on warm days; they become part of the garden throughout the year.

The planted margins support insects, birds, frogs, newts, dragonflies and other wildlife. The water and planting soften into the landscape over time, creating something that feels established and alive.

For families, they offer something very different from a conventional pool: a place to swim, explore, sit beside, cool off and reconnect with the outdoors.

Visit our own natural swimming pond

Because we live with our own natural swimming pond, we can talk from real experience rather than theory. For serious enquiries, visits to our own pond may be arranged by appointment. It is a chance to see the swim zone, oak-edged wall, regeneration planting, water clarity, wildlife and overall feel of a working natural pool before deciding whether this type of pond is right for you.

A more natural way to swim

We started Mount Pleasant Natural Pools because we believe swimming at home can be more beautiful, more natural and more connected to nature. Our aim is to build natural swimming ponds that are enjoyable to swim in, valuable for wildlife and carefully suited to the landscapes they sit within.

If you are thinking about creating a natural swimming pond, we would be happy to talk through your ideas.