Oakham Pool

The leisure centre in Oakham sits right in town, which means you can walk there easily without needing the car. Inside you'll find a proper 25-metre pool alongside a shallower teaching pool - the sort of place where locals actually swim rather than just wade about taking photos.

It's genuinely useful if you're staying at Greendale Farm Caravan & Camping Park nearby and want to break up a rainy afternoon or give the kids a proper swim without driving anywhere. The facility is well-maintained and busy with school groups during term time, quieter mid-week when you'd actually want to go. Water temperature is fine for proper swimming, not the lukewarm puddle you get at some leisure centres.

Allow an hour for a decent swim plus getting changed. It's not a destination in itself - you won't travel to Rutland just for this pool - but if you're based at the caravan park, it beats sitting in the tent waiting for the drizzle to pass. Entry fees apply and you'll need to check current opening hours before visiting, as leisure centres shift their timetables around school holidays.

The town of Oakham itself is worth a walk round afterwards. There's a decent market square and the castle ruins aren't far if you fancy stretching your legs properly after swimming.