Walton Hall & Gardens
The reliable default: gardens, a children's zoo, a big playground and plenty of room to run. Pay for parking, nothing else.
Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub
Warrington, Cheshire
Great Sankey Neighbourhood Hub covers the west side of town and bundles a lot into one building: two pools, a library, a 120 station gym, tennis courts, a sports hall and 3G pitches. LiveWire describe the pools as being for fitness, lessons and family sessions, and that is the whole description. No flume, no wave machine, no splash zone. If you have promised a waterpark, you are going to Southport.
The accessibility is the thing to flag: pool hoists, an accessible swim session for people with additional needs, hearing loops, accessible parking and a lowered reception desk. Prices are the standard LiveWire rates and they are published, which makes planning easy. £3.40 a child, £1.15 for under twos, £6.90 an adult, £9.00 for an adult and one child. Under eights need someone in the water with them. Weekday opening starts at 6am and runs to 10pm, Friday closes at 9.30pm, Saturday at 6.45pm and Sunday at 5.30pm.
What it costs: LiveWire pay as you go: junior swim (2 to 15) £3.40, under 2 swim £1.15, adult (16+) swim £6.90, adult plus one child (2+) £9.00. The same rates apply across LiveWire's six Warrington centres.
Know before you go
- There is no flume, no wave machine and no splash zone. LiveWire list two pools for fitness, lessons and family sessions and nothing more, so manage expectations on the drive over.
- Sunday closing is 5.30pm and Saturday is 6.45pm, both a long way short of the 10pm weekday finish. The family sessions sit inside those hours, so check the timetable.
- If you have a child who needs a quieter pool, the accessible swim session and the hoists are the reason to pick Great Sankey over the other hubs.
Worth knowing: Children under 8 must be accompanied in the water by a parent or guardian.
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What visitors say
★★★★★ 4.3 across 493 Google reviews.
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