Formby Pool, Formby

Twelve and a half metres by nine, stepped access, a shallow end at 0.65 metres. That is the learner pool, and 0.65 is the number that matters, because it is the depth at which a two year old can stand up. Most newer pools have quietly dropped the separate learner tank. Formby kept it.

The main pool is 25 metres and divides into six lanes. General swim sessions are walk in. Lane swim is pre booked through reception. Last entry is half an hour before closing, and the centre runs 6.15am to 9.30pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm at weekends.

Prices are on the wall and on the site. £7.30 adults, £5.30 children and over 65s, free for under threes, £23 for a family of four. It is run by a trust and not a leisure chain, which you notice mostly in the tone of the place.

The car park has 108 bays and gives facility users 2.5 hours free, but it is ANPR and you have to enter your registration at a podium once you are inside. That is the trip up. Everything else is straightforward. Elbow Lane is the middle of the village, the station is ten minutes on foot, and the same trip takes you on to the National Trust dunes.

What it costs: Casual swimming price list: adult £7.30, over 65s £5.30, child £5.30, under 3s free, family of four £23.00, family of five £27.00. Last entry to the pool is 30 minutes before closing.

Know before you go

The learner pool is the whole reason to come with a toddler and it is not open all day. Weekday mornings and Sunday late morning are the reliable slots. Check the swimming page the night before.
The car park runs on ANPR. Parking is free for up to 2.5 hours if you are using the pool, but you have to type your registration into one of the podiums inside. Forget, and you get a charge.
Under threes are free and a family of four is £23, which makes this one of the cheaper indoor mornings in Sefton once you have more than one child.

Worth knowing: Under-3s swim free. The learner pool only runs at set hours, so check before you drive.

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