Illuminating Letters: London from the slow lane part 2
I've visited 27 London pools and made an illustrated guide so you don't have to
Dear reader,
If you missed my letter earlier this week, I’ve swum in 27 of London’s best (and worst) pools and had a great time doing it. By popular demand, I’m now ready to share some reviews so you can only go to the best.
These are all pools that:
Do not require a membership to swim
Are accessible by public transport
Allow you to book in advance
But to break it down further…
My favourite indoor pools, for your everyday swim
Brixton Rec
Indoor / Length: 25m / Price: £5.92 / Lock: Bring your own lock
An underrated pool in a Grade 2 listed George Finch designed sports centre. The pool is in a triple height wood panelled space. It's not always the cleanest but has plenty of lanes.
Kentish Town Sports Centre
Indoor / Length: 30.5m / Price: £7.70 / Lock: Bring your own lock or 30p token
A beautifully restored Victorian pool which offers pretty much everything you want from an indoor pool including stunning arched ceilings if you're doing backstroke. If you can go midweek, it's at its best when quiet.
Pancras Square Leisure Centre
Indoor / Length: 25m / Price: £7.70 / Lock: 30p non-refundable token
The key feature of the Pancras Square Leisure centre is its ambient light wall that phases through colours as you swim which gives a lovely sci-fi spa feeling even with no natural light. It's pretty clean and does have a sauna/steam room you can book.
Honourable mentions
Britannia Leisure Centre, York Hall Leisure Centre
My favourite outdoor pools
Parliament Hill Lido
Not heated / Length: 60m / Price: £8.20 / Lock: Bring your own lock
A true London landmark, that feels special to swim in. Its metal floor keeps it somewhat temperate, but it is the shallowest pool I've swum in. Don't expect a properly hot shower when you get out, but if you can stand it you can swim for almost as long as you like given the long swim session bookings.
Park Road Pools & Fitness
Heated / Length: 50m / Price: £8.00 / Lock: Pound coin (outside) or own lock (inside)
On a bright day this pool feels like you're swimming in a Hockney painting with the red pool edge, imposing hedges and sparkling water. In summer there are plenty of sunbathers and in winter the outdoor showers are really hot. It will always have something broken or mildly chaotic around the pool, don't expect to go in the same entrance twice and always use the outside shower, but once you're in the water it's pretty special.
London Fields Lido
Heated / Length: 50m / Price: £5.70 / Lock: Pound coin
A super popular heated lido, but for good reason. It's really well managed and clean, with all the facilities you could want including a little basket of pool floats you can borrow. The coloured lockers and changing room doors are a lovely nod to beach huts.
Honourable mentions
Brockwell Lido, Charlton Lido
My favourite pools for something special
Marshall Street Leisure Centre
Indoor / Length: 30m / Price: £8 / Lock: Bring your own lock
If you want to pretend you're in a Wes Anderson film while you swim, the restored 1930s architecture of the Marshall Street Leisure centre is the one for you. It's tucked away right near Carnaby street but isn't too busy, particularly if you avoid pre/post work swimmers. The marble floor is lovely underfoot. It's probably seen better days but it's still a real treat.
London Aquatics Centre
Indoor / Length: 50m / Price: £7.85 / Lock: Pound coin
This is a real experience of a swim, you do genuinely feel a little bit like an olympian. The pool is gorgeous and if you're lucky you'll see some diving while you do your lengths. Everyone takes their laps seriously but was friendly and open to a slow swimmer. The whole pool is deep end so not one if you're not a confident swimmer, but if you are it's an absolute treat, just make sure to book the competition pool not the training pool.
Oasis Sports Centre
Heated / Length: 27.5m / Price: £7.70/ Lock: Pound coin or your own lock
A proper urban swim with tower blocks overlooking the pool. It's definitely not the cleanest but on a sunny day you definitely feel like you're in an oasis as the name would suggest. It also has surprisingly great showers. It can get busy, so I'd recommend downloading the Better app to make navigating queues to check in easier.
Honourable mentions
Golden Lane Leisure Centre
Pools I don’t recommend
Vauxhall Leisure Centre
Indoor / Length: 25m / Price: £7.00 / Lock: Pound coin
An awful pool to swim in. The slow lane has the stairs cut in half way so it's half width at one end. It has no natural light. It's one positive feature is the biggest shower cubicles I've seen at any pool.
Dishonourable mentions
Queen Mother Sports Centre, Porchester Centre
If you’d like to see the full set of reviews when you purchase this my London from the slow lane zine you also get access to a digital map featuring reviews of all the pools I visited in 2024, and any new ones as I review them going forwards. The physical zine is pretty nice too if I do say so myself, plus all profits go to Women in Sport.
If you enjoyed this newsletter or know someone who might want some pool recommendations, please do share it.
Write/draw again soon,
Natalie
LOVE THIS!!!
I love this series and your illustrated maps and charts in it as well!