I swam there when I was passing back through London after a business trip to India. It is absolutely worth it. When I swam on Sunday morning, it was setup long course and I had lane 5 all to myself. Absolutely glorious.
The pool is a pretty short ride (via easy tube access) from the center of London, though quite a haul from Heathrow (more than an hour via tube, but less than 90 minutes). If you have time, though, there's a whole shopping complex with hotels connected to the pool / Olympic Park area so you can overnight there and get in a few swims.
Same thing in Sydney, Australia at the 2000 Olympics Aquatic Center. I was there last year. It was during their winter, and it was a pretty popular place. If you’re staying at one of the two hotels in the Olympic Park you get free use of the aquatics center – there’s also a small water park for the kids and a few Jacuzzis. Olympic Park is in the outskirts of Sydney and there isn’t much else going on out there. But there is a subway transit stop that’s only a block or so from the aquatic center.
Word of advice…probably applies at the London pool too…if you end up having to share a lane and “circle swimming”…you have to swim “clockwise” … opposite direction than we do in North America (counter-clockwise).
Dan
If you are vacation, I also highly recommend something different and swimming at Hyde Park - the Serpentine! Not sure if these links show up properly, but you can go to the Royal Parks website - Hyde Park - Sports & Leisure, and eventually get to the public swimming. This site tells you dates open, hours, and price. It's fun. They have a section you can swim laps. Very long laps. I think I did one and said that was plenty enough and checked it off my box, then joined my girls and chased the ducks. There is also some club that swims on Saturday mornings, 8am (not for me!)!
I thought I did a tripadvisor review of it, but maybe not. The other link is a review of the place we stayed and I made reference to it, along with other information on how far it was, tube stop, etc.
www.royalparks.org.uk/.../serpentine-lidoserpentineswimmingclub.com/www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186338-d678840-r73901021-Lancaster_Gate_Hyde_Park_Apartments-London_England.html
Most UK pools alternate lane swim direction. Clockwise/anti-clockwise/clockwise/etc. :)
You mean they'll change the required direction to swim from day to day? That could make a swimmer very confused.
Dan
I think one lane swims clockwise, the adjacent lane swims counterclockwise. Minimizes the chance of collisions, since the swimmer just on the other side of the lane line from you is going in the same direction as you.
Same thing in Sydney, Australia at the 2000 Olympics Aquatic Center. I was there last year. It was during their winter, and it was a pretty popular place. If you’re staying at one of the two hotels in the Olympic Park you get free use of the aquatics center – there’s also a small water park for the kids and a few Jacuzzis. Olympic Park is in the outskirts of Sydney and there isn’t much else going on out there. But there is a subway transit stop that’s only a block or so from the aquatic center.
Word of advice…probably applies at the London pool too…if you end up having to share a lane and “circle swimming”…you have to swim “clockwise” … opposite direction than we do in North America (counter-clockwise).
Dan
Most UK pools alternate lane swim direction. Clockwise/anti-clockwise/clockwise/etc. :)
I think one lane swims clockwise, the adjacent lane swims counterclockwise. Minimizes the chance of collisions, since the swimmer just on the other side of the lane line from you is going in the same direction as you.
Well, that system does alleviate the possibility of a collision with a swimmer in the other lane...but there's still the swimmer(s) you're sharing the lane with.
Dan
Well, that system does alleviate the possibility of a collision with a swimmer in the other lane...but there's still the swimmer(s) you're sharing the lane with.
Better half a loaf than none, methinks. :)
