Outdoor Pool

Great Yarmouth's outdoor pool is the sort of place that divides opinion - you'll either think it's brilliant or wonder why you've bothered. It's a proper seaside amenity, the kind of thing British coastal towns have relied on for decades to keep families entertained when the North Sea is too bracing or the weather turns temperamental.

What you're getting is a traditional outdoor swimming facility - the real deal, not some fancy waterpark with slides and wave machines. You come here to swim lengths, let the kids splash about in the shallow end, or simply cool off on a hot day. If you're staying at Haven Seashore or Haven Caister-on-Sea nearby, it's convenient enough for an afternoon dip without leaving the immediate area.

The honest assessment: don't expect it to be your holiday highlight. It's functional rather than thrilling. Families with younger children who just want somewhere to tire them out will get genuine value, and keen swimmers appreciate the space to actually do lengths rather than fight through crowds at a leisure centre. Teenagers will likely find it dull within half an hour.

Practical stuff remains unclear - opening hours and admission costs aren't confirmed, so ring ahead before you commit. The location means it's easily reached from any of the holiday parks within five miles, particularly the Haven sites clustered around Caister and Seashore. Allow an hour or two, longer if you're genuinely there to swim rather than dip about. Summer months are obviously best, though Norfolk's weather being what it is, that's no guarantee of sun.