Jesmond Pool

After a successful first Newcastle swim yesterday, I'm heading a couple of miles north of the city centre for a lunchtime swim at another 'historic' Tyneside pool in Jesmond.

Opened in 1938 on the site of a temporary tin Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Name, the pool had Art Deco decoration and was designed for other uses during the winter months. It was designed by Hetherington & Wilson, with a single storey brick entrance block in front of a top lit pool hall containing a 75 foot by 35 foot pool. The changing rooms were set aside from the pool and there were limited numbers of individual slipper baths. Indoor bowling began in 1948. The Friends of Jesmond Pool formed in 1989. In March 1991 the pool closed. Users then formed the Jesmond Swimming Project, a not for profit company. The pool reopened on 11 April 1992 following a £50,000 award from the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, and in February 2003 a Lottery funded £1.5 million refurbishment was completed.

Book in at reception, they confirm there is lane swimming, but lifeguard training is about to start and that will take half the pool. I'm given a blue plastic disc token and told to hand it to the lifeguard on poolside. Ok! I put the token in my pocket, then completely forget to take it out when I stick my jeans in the locker. That has already cost me my last swim-bag 20p. Out on the pool deck I'm met by the expectant face of a lifeguard seeking a token. He's not interested in my excuses that I've left it in my pocket, so I have to unpack the locker, fish out the token, then stuff my clothes and all into my swim bag to leave on poolside.

Back out on the pool deck, it's nice and bright, with daylight flooding in through the large ceiling light wells, and it feels more 'modern' than the exterior would have you believe.

The four lane 25 yard pool is split in two, with a single lane rope dividing the lifeguard training session from the free for all. I jump in and try to find a line among the other swimmers. Everyone is doing laps, some are swerving off track a bit, but it makes no sense that they don't just stick more lanes in for everyone's benefit.

Sorry to say, I'm really not enjoying this!

The token issue might have set the tone - entirely my fault, but it is an archaic system and doesn't put me in the best mood. The chaos of this swim session just takes the biscuit. I decide to get the minimum distance in to qualify the pool for the list, then see if there is another pool nearby to finish up.

Swim done, really didn't enjoy that. Jesmond Pool, I very much doubt I will ever be back!