---
title: "Backwell Leisure Centre"
description: "Early morning swim at rural pool just outside of Bristol."
canonical_url: "https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/pool/backwell-leisure-center"
last_updated: "2026-08-09T02:12:00.190Z"
---

The pool and building are well used (have seen better days), but not bad for its rural location and features everything needed to keep the local community swimming - plus, unlike many of these style pools now, it does at least still have water in it! Give an extra 5 points for the best post-swim showers yet!

Early morning swim at a pool on the back roads route between central Bristol and our Clevedon, Somerset office. Previously I've never quite managed to catch the timetable right - and I did plan a swim here last week, but they had a power cut!

It's an older 60's style 25m pool with a seemingly wider than usual profile - and ridiculously shallow, shallow end; hard to believe it is the stated 90cm! The pool has a look and feel not unlike the Burnham-On-Sea, a couple of swims back, which is located 15 miles further down the coast.

The pool is currently set up with three double-width lanes, but not a major issue thanks to the few other swimmers, unlike my recent swim in Kidderminster! My only real moan rope lane ropes! The lack of wave breakers and old-style high-side pool walls make this a choppy swim - it feels like I'm in the Bristol Channel!

Complete a 2km swim, then head to the changing rooms to discover, surprisingly, one of the best showers (temperature and power) I've found at a public swimming pool yet!