Eltham Centre

The leisure centre in Eltham is a proper working-class gym and pool setup - the sort of place where you'll actually see people using it rather than posing about. The main draw is the swimming pool itself, which serves up standard lanes for lap swimmers and a shallower section if you're bringing kids along. It's functional, clean enough, and does what it says on the tin.

This works best if you're staying at Abbey Wood Experience Freedom Glamping nearby and want to burn off some energy on a rainy afternoon rather than treating it as a destination in its own right. London's full of fancier leisure centres, but this one won't have you queuing for hours. Allow an hour to an hour and a half depending on how seriously you're taking the swimming.

Do check their website or ring ahead before you go - opening hours and admission prices can shift about. School holidays get rammed, so early morning or weekday afternoons are your best bet if you want a stress-free session. The location puts you bang in south London, so if you're exploring that side of the capital - Greenwich's nearby, proper worth a look - you could easily slot this in as a quick dip rather than planning an entire morning around it.

Not going to transform your holiday, but if you need a working pool without the pretension, it'll do the job.