So this is where it all started...the beginning of a rather bizarre love with swimming pools as a…read moreplace for fun - the memories of youth - I remember the excitement when this leisure pool originally opened in 1976 - it wasn't a rectangle it was round! What was this madness? Half the pool was too shallow to actually swim in and it had waves. This was the very first time I had encountered a "leisure" pool - oh trend setting, thoroughly modern Swindon you have so much to answer for - (along with the famed "magic roundabout"). I still return here with the kids every time we jump on a train to visit my wife's family. It is a great pool but looking distinctly tatty round the edges now. The domed roof desperately needs renewing - it looked spectacular 30 years ago but putting that aside its still super fun. The pool itself is beach style with a separate small kids pool. Good kids pool with 3 slides plus pirate ship.... The main pool has a steep three lane multislide and a new long slide circles inside the building (77m long). But really it is the flumes here that count and these are top. The Domebusters have a had a refurb this year and one of them has been replaced. All are approx 100m in length.So first off The Sidewinder A fairly gentle, spiralling flume aimed at younger children and parents. You can sit or go head first. The Great White My favourite - heads first ONLY never seen that on any other slide! Normally feet first everywhere.... A fast ride with two small vertical drops and several twists and turns. The Storm The new this year straight fast flume - small circumference with a striped lighting effect and sounds.. Didn't get to try this out this time - but will be back to do so....busy with an under 5... The session time was only an hour - which is really not long enough and it is fairly expensive considering the stingy hour. There are not many reasons to visit Swindon but this is definitely one if you are a water slide fan or the kids love to swim. . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Update So I came back to try out the new flume which I hadn't managed to try out last time. Managed to slip away from a family visit for a couple of hours with my teenagers. Interestingly GLL have taken over the management of the leisure centre since we were here in 2012 (they run most of the pools we visit in London). It had been spruced up a bit with the new corporate livery...but still the stingy session times. We took no notice of the session times and made good use of the domebuster slides. So The Storm was the main attraction - small tube, dark, with striped lightning and fast with the descent as a helix. A big thumbs up from the family - a great slide but not in our top 5 slides. The Great White remains the favourite - head first you can pick up some proper speed and fly over the steepest vertical drops... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oasis is a great place to take the family swimming! They have a huge laguna pool that boasts water…read moreslides, a wave machine, a smaller pool for the children and a big water sprayer. They do a range of different classes such as mother and baby Swimming, OAP Swimming and also offer swimming lessons. They have also just started doing gigs with people such as 'The Sugababes' 'Cascada' and 'Shayne Ward' perfoming there.

Ever since I first dabbled into the world of Crazy Golf at Alton Towers, I have been hooked. There…read moreis just something about a group of adults with miniature putters and different coloured plastic balls walking around on fake grass that both amuses and entertains me greatly. When putting together a Weekly Yelp on fun things to do in the city, I spotted Mohamade A's review of this place and bookmarked it for something new to do on a Sunday. After a mad Friday night and busy Saturday, I just wanted to get out of house and do something fun (but not too intensive). Mini golf seemed to be the perfect low energy, silly activity for me and Dan to enjoy. First thing to note, Star City can be accessed by bus but offers plentiful free parking if you plan on driving. I haven't been here in a few years and was surprised to see quite a few newer businesses here (including at least a couple of independents). Adventure Island is at the front of the building and easy to spot with it's clear signage. As we had to get to the supermarket before it closed (ROCK'N'ROLL), we opted to do 18 holes instead of the full course. There are two different courses to choose from and you can do one for £6.45, the full 36 for £10.95 or there are combo deals for bowling and lazer tag as well. We decided on the "Lost Hut Trail" and off we went! Thus proceeded 45 minutes of frustration, fun and giggles around the course. In retrospect, we wish we had done both or opted for the "Hidden Cove" course (which boasts a volcano in the middle), but we will be back to try this at some point. It's of note that the venue has a bar (for golf/beer times) and does a 2-4-1 offer on a Wednesday. It would make a fun place for a date or a birthday party. Yeah, it's not high brow entertainment... but if you want to challenge someone to a duel - there are worse ways than with a miniture putter and a brightly coloured plastic ball. Recommended.

Since we always go bowling when in star city, we decided to try something else. We had amazing time…read morehere withgroup of friends. We thought it was going to be empty since it didn't look like anyone was going in or out by the entrance. We were suprised it was full of people. From couples to families. So many different crazy courses to keep you entertained and competitive till the end.

I have stopped using the swimming pool in the Bedworth Leisure centre. The changing rooms were so…read moreunpleasant , the toilets always seemed dirty, and I absolutly HATE the fact that they let people in with their shoes walk up around the pool to go and sit to watch lessons.I thought that was such poor hygene and mentioned it a few times, all I got was shrugged shoulders.

As i walk in the receptionist didnt even Adknowledge me they were just talking away not even…read morelooking my way the prices are really high for what the place is, The place is just not clean and tidy staff were walikng all around the pool area wiith there shoes on i live in coventry which the leisure centre there is not all that but its better than this rubbish place would not go there again kid friend this is not good

This is a really nice sports facility where you get a welcome as soon as you enter. There is ample…read moreparking facilities on site and the opening hours mean you have little excuse not to go and utilise your membership. The reception staff are fantastic, I really feel that nothing appears to be too much trouble for them. The facilities on site are good, occasionally, I have found the water in the pool to be a little cool, but thats maybe me. The changing rooms are always immaculate and they offer good facilities, there are lots of hairdryers and it reminds me of a spa in there. The gym itself is well laid out and is a comfortable temperature for your workout, it has never been too busy and I have never felt that I have been looked down upon for my poor physique - whereas some gyms you feel uncomfortable. The staff are all really friendly and helpful and after your workout there is a really nice restaurant which serves really nice food and really tasty coffee.

For a little place, they've actually got quite a lot on here…read more The pool, it's small, but you don't need a huge one if you're just doing lengths (and the number of lengths you do always sounds more impressive with less effort, haha!) it has lessons, scuba and snorkelling sessions, adult only swims, women only swims, early birds, aquarobics and the ability for kids parties, with or without the big inflatable. The changing rooms have recently been redone, which is far better. In the main building, there is a reasonably sized sports hall, a reasonably kitted out gym, a toning suite, and a spin room. The gym kit is nicely varied, the only thing they really lack as with most small gyms is the heavier weights. The sports hall hosts classes such as circuits, pilates, yoga, martial arts etc etc. You can have a membership, or pay for one off entries and classes.

The Drop Inn is a truly wonderful place for young people too be able to express their creativity…read moreand emotions and develop skills supported by the fantastic volunteer youth workers and managers who provide an everlasting amount of energy, support and guidance and always a listening ear....a place you can just be yourself...

Softplay and swimming often over subscribed meaning it is dangerous and scary for smaller children,…read moreI have often seen children hurt and crying inside the softplay area with no staff on hand to offer help or ensure safety. There is nothing to stop people from staying over the allotted hour play time, meaning that when others stay and more come in there can be more than a hundred children at one time the softplay center. A serious accident is waiting to happen. When speaking to the manager he offered no solution. Terrible booking service through the website (often doesn't load) Can't get through via phone (i've been on hold for 30 minutes now)

This p[lace is amazing it is always clean and has tons for children to do…read more cannot recomend it enough

The Vale of Neath Leisure centre is a great place to get some exercise and relax…read more The free form pool is large and you can walk in it, making it very accessible for people with disabilities. There is a Spa pool just to the side of the main pool and also a Hydro-slide (I've never been brave enough to go on it). There's a lot of classes to choose from such as Aqua Aerobics and Swimming lessons and also early bird swimming. There is also a well equiped gym, but I only used it the once as it is always full of poser type men who make me feel very self concious and as there's no women only session I just leave them to it. The Leisure Centre is having a big overhaul at the moment with lots of building work going on to improve the facilities and offer a more varied programme of activities, work should be ending soon.