Leys Pool & Leisure Centre

Heathrow to Home via Oxford Swimming Pool.

Not three hours ago I was on a plane watching a spectacular sunrise as we approached London Heathrow, now I’ve just completed my first 3km swim in months!

Yesterday was a blur, after a couple of disappointments with closed pools in Chicago, I made a quick stop on route to the airport at Chicago Musical Exchange to collect a rather special guitar (Gibson Custom Les Paul Alpine White Namm certified, anyone?). I always seem to carry awkward objects home on long haul flights!

Managed a few hours sleep on the seven-hour flight home, a quick 15 minutes from plane to car through immigration and I'm M40 Northbound amongst what seems to be a Nissan GTR owner club outing!

Such a lovely morning and feeling strangely energetic after a long-haul flight I check poolfinder for something close by as I approach Oxford.

From the various options, the photos of Leys Pool jump out. It’s Sunday morning, and I arrive at 8 am just as they’re opening. £4.80 entry fee.

The place looks brand new, 25-yard lane pool with junior play and learner pools. All modern led lighting and digital signage. I wish this were my regular local pool!

Jump in the middle fast lane, only one other swimmer. Notice the floor splits and falls away down the middle of the lane, looks like a movable floor, hard to tell for sure but a good one if it is!

Water clean, clear and perfect temperature. Feel so inspired, I set out and complete a full, proper 3km session in under the hour, the first time in a while!

Time to head home, looking forward to a lazy Sunday and bank holiday weekend.