Reading
Swimming Club Training venues
Reading
Swimming Club
Central pool as approached along Chatham St from the IDR. Photo Swimsite
Facilities: Six-lane 25m pool, built 1967, with two smaller teaching pools used by the Teaching Programme and a diving pit used for intensive turns training. Large viewing gallery. Hosts all club competitions.
Directions: A few hundred yards west of Reading town centre, just off Oxford Road. Turn right at the traffic lights by the Battle Inn, or left if approaching from Tilehurst. From the Inner Distribution Road, leave at the Chatham St exit and head out of town along the short dual carriageway. The pool comes into view almost immediately, straight ahead.
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Facilities: Superb modern six-lane pool attached to public school. Small gallery for a dozen or so spectators. There are often exercise classes in an adjoining studio and membership of the sports centre gives access to a range of other activities.
Directions from Reading: Leave town on the A4 towards Newbury and cross the M4 at Junction 12 (just after Savacentre). Turn right at the second large roundabout, signposted Pangbourne. Turn left almost immediately and follow this road for around 2 miles into Bradfield. At the bottom of the hill into the village, turn right and the sports centre entrance is about 200 yards on the left.
Directions from M4: Leave the M4 at Junction 12, taking the A4 towards Newbury. Turn right at the second large roundabout, signposted Pangbourne. Turn left almost immediately and follow this road for around 2 miles into Bradfield. At the bottom of the hill into the village, turn right and the sports centre entrance is about 200 yards on the left.
Directions from Tilehurst: Go past Hall Place Equestrian Centre down Sulham Hill. Turn left at the Greyhound in Tidmarsh, after about two miles, follow this road for about a mile, crossing the M4, and take the next right. The entrance to the sports centre is on the right as you come into Bradfield after a further mile or so. Ample parking.
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Facilities: Outstanding 8 lane 50m long-course venue used by national, district age and development 2 squads, as well as Masters.
Directions: Leave Reading on the A33 towards Basingstoke and turn left immediately at the end of the Swallowfield Bypass. Right at the first roundabout and left at the next; follow this road into Hartley Wintney. Turn left at the foot of the hill into the village and right after about 100 yards at the mini-roundabout; follow this road into Fleet. Go straight over the crossroads in the town centre (right-hand lane to approach it) and at the next set of lights turn left (signposted Pyestock). Turn right at the next set of lights and follow this road into Aldershot, passing the airborne forces museum (Dakota parked outside) as you enter the town. Left at the next set of lights and next right into Princes Drive; the pool is the long, low building at the bottom of the drive on the left. Ample parking.
Note: The pool is a military facility and it is important that users can be identified. Users should take out membership (nominal fee - ID cards issued on the spot) and sign in. Traffic control in the area is in the hands of the military police and speed checks are common.
Facilities: Small modern 4 lane 25m pool, detached in grounds of girls’ boarding school. Limited poolside benches, and outdoor shoes are banned on poolside. Please note parents are not allowed to sit out sessions in the car park.
Directions: From Caversham centre, up Prospect Street and bear right along Henley Rd at the traffic lights by the Prince of Wales (or up Westfield Rd and turn right). The school entrance is about 200 yards on the left, as the road dips. From Woodley/Earley and points east, it may be easier to go through Sonning and follow Henley Rd into Caversham.
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Photos courtesy RSL
Facilities: Older municipal pool which at 30 yards is slightly more than 25m long. 3 lanes. Modern, fully equipped gym to rear. Small car parks at front and rear.
Directions: Almost on Cemetery Junction on the main road eastwards out of Reading. Bang on the No 17 bus route, with a bus stop just outside.
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Facilities: Bright, 4-lane modern 25-metre pool. Small spectator area.
Directions: Leave Reading on the A4 towards Newbury. After passing Prospect Park on the right, turn left at the Burghfield Rd junction. Follow this for around three miles through Burghfield to Burghfield Common. Straight over the roundabout, turn right at the lights by the Rising Sun pub and the school is a couple of hundred yards on the right.
Alternatively, from Junction 12 of the M4, take the A4 towards Newbury, straight over the two roundabouts, and turn left - signposted Willink Leisure Centre - follow the signs.
Finally, if entering Burghfield Common from the East rather than the North, go straight across with the pub on your left.
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Directions: Head out of town on A327 Shinfield Road. After passing the main entrance to Reading University on your left, turn left at the traffic lights down Pepper Lane and right into the school grounds after about 300 yards. Right again immediately inside the grounds and the pool is at the top of the slight slope.
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Crystal Palace
There are some detailed directions from Phil Tanner to Crystal Palace available.
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