Village Hotel swimming pool

The Village Hotel pool in Swindon is a proper working leisure facility rather than a tourist draw, but that's actually the point if you're after a decent swim without the theme park prices. It's got a main pool, a smaller teaching pool, and the usual gym and spa facilities wrapped around it - the sort of place locals genuinely use rather than somewhere designed for postcards.

Families with young children will find it useful, particularly if you're staying at Park Farm Campsite just five miles away. The teaching pool is the real win for kids still building confidence in water. Lap swimmers and serious lengths people will get on fine with the main pool during quieter sessions - you'll want to check their timetable before heading over, as it does get rammed during school hours.

This isn't a destination in itself. It's a rainy-day backup or a place to burn off energy mid-week when the kids need moving. Swimming for an hour, maybe grab a drink after, then move on. The facilities are clean and functional - no frills, but no pretence either. If you're based at Park Farm for a week and want a proper pool session rather than relying on whatever the campsite offers, it's worth the short drive into Swindon.

Best visited mid-morning on a weekday if you can swing it. Ring ahead to check admission prices and session times before you go - facilities like this change their hours around school holidays.