Leys Pool

Leys Pool sits on the edge of Oxford and serves as a proper local swimming spot rather than a fancy leisure complex. It's a straightforward outdoor pool - the kind where you'll see families splashing about on summer afternoons and serious swimmers doing their lengths before work. The water's clean enough, though don't expect heated lanes or a cafeteria serving anything fancier than tea.

If you're camping at one of the nearby sites - Durham Leys Farm, Green Acres, or Cedar Hollow are all within a couple of miles - it's a decent option for keeping kids entertained on a warm day without the drive into the city centre. Adults will find it useful rather than thrilling. A quick 20-minute dip, perhaps an hour if you're bringing children who like to potter about in the shallows.

The real draw is convenience. You're staying that close to Oxford anyway, so it's worth knowing it exists. Go on a weekday morning if you can - weekends get rammed with school groups and birthday parties. Bring your own towel (always safer) and expect to pay a modest entry fee, though exact prices shift seasonally. It's functional, no-nonsense swimming - the sort of thing you're grateful for when the weather's decent but wouldn't plan a holiday around. Useful rather than unmissable.