to want a swimming pool!

[Skyrg]

This may have been done before...

I live in a fairly large city, main population is probably students and older people (think a lot of people retire here!). I know of two swimming pools, BOTH the other side of the city, plus a sort of water fun park. This sounds great, except none of them are really accessible for me.

I have no car and no bike. I can't afford to buy either (nor would I feel at all safe on a bike!) Bus routes aren't great.

The Water park is, according to Google maps, over an hours walk away from where I live. I wouldn't mind this on the way there so much, but on the way back I don't think I'd make it!

The Water park also has a limit of an hour in the pool for £5. I don't mind £5 but I think an hour is really restrictive. I totally understand having a limit at busy times, but whenever I've been in a limited pool it's been 2 hours. Plus this is all the time, not just busy times...
If I walked an hour there I'd want a bit longer in the pool!

The leisure centre is about an hour and 10 minute walk, and the other pool is also about an hour away.

I know we're lucky to have 3 swimming pools, some towns have none, but AIBU to wish they could have put one nearer the centre of the city? Especially with the governments numerous schemes to keep us healthy, swimming is one exercise I enjoy, but I don't really have access to a pool. I know it's an exercise recommended to a lot of older people as well, so with an ageing population, why aren't there more pools?

I forgot to add that the bus service website is indecipherable and the buses are unreliable.

Try Googling local private pools, 5 friends and I use this www.wentworthpool.co.uk/ We pay just about 7quid each for a couple of hours.. but it is SO nice. I'm sure you're a million miles from Norwich but it's a serving suggestion! Friends in other parts of the UK do a similar thing, so I hope it's of use.

Good luck

Try Googling local private pools, 5 friends and I use this www.wentworthpool.co.uk/ We pay just about 7quid each for a couple of hours.. but it is SO nice. I'm sure you're a million miles from Norwich but it's a serving suggestion! Friends in other parts of the UK do a similar thing, so I hope it's of use.

Good luck

Why not join a gym? There will probably be lots of offers on after Christmas, and many of them have unrestricted access to their pools.

Do you have any gyms or hotels near you? If not, what about a private pool? I knew of one or two near me, people with lovely big expensive houses that hire their own pools out by the hour

No close Hotels I don't think, it's mainly a B&B kinda city.

A gym is a good idea, but they tend to be really expensive, I just don't think I could afford it. Plus if I joined, I'd feel under pressure to go regularly, iyswim.

I've tried googling private ones, no luck!

I would research your local gyms a bit more. There are often tariffs for less than thirty quid a month, and it would motivate you to go often and get your money's worth.

I really couldn't afford £30 a month BitOfFun, I don't have a job atm! I was intending to go about once a week, which would only add up to less than £20 (depending on the price of the pool). I'd love to go more but I just can't afford it, especially since it looks like I'll have to get at least one bus there and back.