This post has been published by our writer Gaia and is based on a visit in August 2023. Always check with venues firect for the most up to date info. Over to Gaia......
We had a brilliant day at Haltwhistle swimming pool, and would definitely recommend it for a fun day out. In fact it's our new favourite North East pool!
Our highlights include:
- 3 outdoor heated pools
- Pools are nice and warm especially the toddler and learner pools (at least 28°c)
- Playground and grassy picnic areas
- Spectator seating areas
- Cafe serving reasonably priced hot and cold food (e.g. toasties, jacket potatoes and burgers £4 each, chips £2.50)
- Two slides - one flume which opens every half hour, one small slide which is for under 8
- Bring your own inflatables and play with them in any of the pools
- You can bring your own picnic and eat it in the picnic area
- Your ticket gives you admission all day (you can even leave the premises and come back)
- Open 9-9 Mon - Fri, 10-4 Sat & Sun (swim times vary - see timetable)
- Usually open from mid-April until early September. The outdoor pools then close for the season.
- Prices - Adults from £9.50, kids from £7.50, aged 4 and under are £4, spectators £2.50
- Limited places available to pre-book online up until the evening before a session, then it's open to walk ins. If they reach capacity, they will monitor admission
- Private Hire / Parties available
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Getting there
Haltwhistle outdoor swimming pool & leisure centre is about 50 minutes drive from Newcastle or you can get a train from Newcastle Central station to Haltwistle which takes 50 mins and then it's just a 5 minute walk to get to the pool.
It's well signposted but quite confusing to find as you go through housing estates down little roads and suddenly you turn a corner and it's there!
There's a free car park with plenty spaces. Make sure you use this postcode for satnav and not the one in Google maps: NE49 9DW
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool Prices, Policies & Timetable
There are different deals/ concessions etc.... but basically you're likely to pay around £9.50 per adult, £7.50 for a child, £4 for under 5s and £2.50 for spectators. These options allow access all day.
You get a paper armband and can leave the premises and go in to Haltwhistle and come back to the pool if you want to.
You can book ahead online here (click the 'general swim' option): Book Haltwhistle Pool
Online booking closes the evening before a session. You can also just turn up and pay on the day but if the pool reaches capacity, entry will be monitored. If you're keen to visit, I'd highly recommend booking ahead to guarantee admission if you can, especially on a busy day.
Children aged 8+ do not need to be supervised. The adult : child ratios for under 8s can be checked below:
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Changing Rooms
The changing rooms are unisex with spacious cublicles, as well as nice and clean on our visit.
Plenty of warm showers and lockers if you need them.
We didn't use a locker as it was quiet on our visit so we left our things on our picnic blanket outside, more on that later. The toilets had thoughtful touches like those little seats you can strap a toddler into while you go to the toilet which is handy.
Outdoor Swimming Pools
There are 3 heated outdoor pools, and all are warm especially the two smaller ones (the under 5s pool was as warm as a bath!).
The main pool is 25m in length and goes to a depth of 2m at the deep end.
Their website says the pools are heated to a minimum of 28°C. There are lifeguards on duty.
There's a learner pool with a little slide which we spent most of our time in as my 5 year old can't swim yet.
We brought our own inflatable lilo, rubber ring and two balls and they had hours of fun with them.
There's even a goal that the lifeguards let us move to the edge of the pool so the kids could play football/water polo. I'd recommend bringing your own toys as they don't have any toys except for in the baby pool where there's some watering cans and foam shapes.
My 5 year old could stand in the learner pool so I felt very comfortable with them playing in there with me close by (adults have to closely supervise under 8s).
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Water Slides
The water flume is on every half hour for about 10 mins and was great fun, it's not a massive flume but the kids enjoyed it and my 5 year old was even brave enough to go down alone by the end (she went down on my lap initially).
There is no age restriction on the flume and it doesn't drop into a pool - you just reach the end of the slide and climb out.
There's also a small slide in the learner pool which is for under 8s.
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Playground & Picnic Area
There's a field behind the big pool with a playground and picnic benches.
We brought a picnic and based ourselves there, coming back and having some food and a play in the playground when we felt like it. Apparently it gets very busy on a sunny day but on an overcast day it was very quiet.
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Cafe
There's a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. They offer a selection of hot and cold food at reasonable prices. Options include toasties, burgers and jackets potatoes which are all £4 each, chips £2.50, salad boxes £3.50, cakes and muffins (very basic but cheap - kids had a slice of choc swiss roll for 50p each).
They also do ice-creams, coffees and soft drinks.
We shared some chips, swiss roll and drinks after swimming and they went down a treat.
The coffee was from a machine and not the best if I'm honest but about what you'd expect in a leisure centre! Staff are lovely and friendly, everyone we encountered was great
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Spectator Seating
There are tables and chairs inside and outside the cafe in the toddler pool area and also benches on the grass for spectators.
They also have an AstroTurf pitch that you can book and other sports and fitness classes, more info on their website.
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Parties & Private Hire
The pools are available for privare hire. This would make a fab party idea or is perfect for a group get together / end of summer celebrations. Private hire seems to be available on Saturday and Sundays from 4pm-6pm.
Prices are from £140 to hire the pool for 1 hour. You can add inflatables too.
Give the centre a call to book / for more info: 01434 320 727
Haltwhistle Outdoor Pool - Final Thoughts
Overall we had a great time at Haltwhistle pool, it was the most relaxed I've felt taking two kids swimming on my own!
Staff were really great and the fact you can dip in and out of the pools and go and have some food or a play and come back is great.
We spent around 4 hours there and it was lovely not feeling rushed out after an hour like you normally are! We will be back, even if the weather's not great as there's nothing quite like swimming in a heated pool in the rain! My top tip would be don't wait until a sunny day.
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