Probably my first indoor pool with a current!
Located in the centre of Taunton - possibly the weirdest town in Somerset! - Taunton pool is a 33.3m pool located in a building that, externally, looks more modern than the old scale length suggests.
Check-in at reception with my pre-booked pass and directed, oddly, upstairs. Thinking the changing rooms may be located above the pool, I'm surprised to find the changing 'village' opens out directly onto the pool deck!
The pool has three super-wide 5m rope lanes, slow, medium and fast. The pool is quite busy, but the enormous fast lane has plenty of room!
The pool filter returns are located on the pool floor and blast water directly into the pool, which is quite noticeable as you pass above them. Combined with the large pool width/length format and rope lanes, the pool as though it has an open water current - with the choppy waves, you could be in the ocean!
The pool's far end drops to a reasonable diving pit depth, but no boards are to be seen. The suspended ceiling may conceal a much higher roofline and space for a once-upon-a-time set of diving boards.
I note the local council has recently opened a new leisure centre just a few minutes away. I will have to make a return visit for that one in the future, but I wonder if this town centre Taunton Pool is earmarked for closure. If that is the plan, well done, Taunton, for building the replacement first.
Pool Review
Not the cleanest pool, the floor has an interesting rust colour build up around the edges, and the changing rooms are starting to show their (re-fit) age. But still a great swim venue with a flexible lane swim timetable and reasonable entry fee.