Absolute closest pool to Heathrow

Don't know if it is the closest, but it's 5 stops on the Piccadilly line from T5 (Hounslow East) and a 20 minute walk. (About 30 minutes each way.) Heston Pool New Heston Road Heston TW5 0LW Tel: 0845 456 6675 Email: hounslow@fusion-lifestyle.com www.hounslow-leisure.com/leisure-facilities-heston.html

not real close to heathrow, and not even a pool but the serpentine swim club, since 1864, meets and swims in hyde park every day. quite a bunch of characters, and if you do show up, you must bring some mc vitties with dark chocolate for post swim tea! the water will be cold... it was about 58 on sept 21 when terry and i dropped in on them. i can put you in touch with a friend who is a member and also coaches some swimmers at eaton. pm me if you are interested. www.serpentineswimmingclub.com/

Thanks for the advice. Heston / Hounslow pool looks like the most convenient choice, but I'm also going to check more into Isleworth If I can figure out a cost & time efficient way to make it, I read about a recent upgrade to one of the few 50M pools in the greater London area, the Crystal Palace National Sports Center. It sounds wonderful, but is probably 1.5 hour ride one way by various forms of public transit. Not sure I want to risk missing my flight for a swim. I contemplated renting a car as that would be cheaper than a taxi, but $80 for a ~5 hour car rental for a ~1 hour swim is too insane even for me. Chaos -- I considered training with the Serps last summer as I spent 3 weeks working between London and Reading, but I wimped out for fear of the cold. When I get enough guts to pursue my English Channel bucket list item, I'll definitely need to do that! Has anyone swum at the Gurnell Leisure Center -- looks like another 50M pool (tho likely set up as 2 x 25 SCM) that's only a little more of a trek than Heston.

not real close to heathrow, and not even a pool but the serpentine swim club, since 1864, meets and swims in hyde park every day. quite a bunch of characters, and if you do show up, you must bring some mc vitties with dark chocolate for post swim tea! the water will be cold... it was about 58 on sept 21 when terry and i dropped in on them. i can put you in touch with a friend who is a member and also coaches some swimmers at eaton. pm me if you are interested. www.serpentineswimmingclub.com/ I was not aware of that club. I worked in London from 77-80 and used to swim on my own (except for the occasional accompanying duck) in the Serpentine early in the morning before work (only in the Summer!). I used those workouts to prepare for the mile and half-mile races in the River Thames conducted by my London club, Otter Swim Club. Great memories!

Isleworth Recreation Center is about 10k from Heathrow. No idea if there's public transit, but bus service is pretty good there, and there'll be lots of taxis. Cross-referencing West London pools on Swimmers Guide with online maps might get you some ideas. http://www.swimmersguide.com/ www.hounslow-leisure.com/leisure-facilities-isleworth.html

I was not aware of that club. I worked in London from 77-80 and used to swim on my own (except for the occasional accompanying duck) in the Serpentine early in the morning before work (only in the Summer!). the serps have some kind of race every week, from fancy dress to polar bear sprints...... wacky brits!

I wouldn't even think of a car in London. It would probably take you longer in total time than public transport, unless you already know how to get to Crystal Palace (which I understand is a great pool). Then there is parking, etc. Good luck, whatever you try. Let us know how it turned out. There is a toll you have to pay if you drive into the core of London. I don't know where the north boundary is, the south boundary is the Thames. The idea is to discourage private automobiles from entering. I'm comfortable driving around the suburbs of London, but definitely wouldn't venture in. Crystal Palace appears to be in the south suburbs and I might be able to avoid the congestion fee. It's a moot point, though, given that the daily cheapest rental car is going to cost me $80. I'd have to commit to like an 8,000M workout for me to even begin to approach getting my $$ worth. I'm still toying with the idea of Heston Pool ... except now I'm worried about the safety of my laptop in the pool lockers. (I had a laptop and my passport stolen in the greater London area from a car in 2006 ... not an experience I wish to repeat).

I wouldn't even think of a car in London. It would probably take you longer in total time than public transport, unless you already know how to get to Crystal Palace (which I understand is a great pool). Then there is parking, etc. Good luck, whatever you try. Let us know how it turned out.

There is a toll you have to pay if you drive into the core of London. I don't know where the north boundary is, the south boundary is the Thames. The idea is to discourage private automobiles from entering.

I'm still toying with the idea of Heston Pool ... except now I'm worried about the safety of my laptop in the pool lockers. (I had a laptop and my passport stolen in the greater London area from a car in 2006 ... not an experience I wish to repeat). you could prob check your valuables with the airline and travel about lite.