4 Heated Outdoor Pools for Cool Spring Days

Lehon swimming pool France

There's nothing better than finding an nice outdoor pool on a cycle ride or walk. Even better if its heated and its one of those cool spring days or even a cold winter day.

So here's our list of 4 wonderful heated pools, all open throughout the winter and all on biking or walking  tours we offer year round. 3 are in Britain and one in France.

• .Hampton Pool close to Hampton Court Palace and on the perimeter of Bushy Park. Accessed from any of our Lower Thames cycling and walking tours
• Chesham Moor in the Chiltern Hills. On our Chiltern Challenge Tour
• Bath Spa Thermae  The original and only natural spring in Britain first discovered in 863 BC. Heated by high temperature rocks 2km below the earth's surface, the waters rise through a city centre spring which until recently ran very wastefully into the River Avon. Since 2006 you can swim at roof top level in the waters which are 33C. On any of our tours going to Bath
• Lehon Pool, France. Minutes fromDinan this charming village and its pool are adjacent to the Rance river. On our Emerald Coast Tour

Our Top 5 Hotels With Swimming Pools

Whately Manor

A gentle swim is most welcome after a long day cycling. The following hotels with pools are on many of our cycling holiday routes.  Here is our top 5.

1. Whatley Manor Hotel, Malmesbury - A beautiful Cotswolds hotel with excellent spa facilities
2. Christchurch Harbour Hotel, Mudeford - A seaside retreat with a pool big enough to stretch your legs in.

3. Wallets Court, Dover - A classic British country house in the Garden of England boasting an endless pool trainer jet.
4. Hempstead House, Sittingbourne - A stunning Kent hotel with pool facilities to match.
5. Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath - An iconic hotel with a beautiful relaxation pool heated to a toasty 35 degrees.

A Deli to Die For

Last night we attended a networking event organised by Tourism Southeast.  Over 30 people were there including representatives from hotels, tourist attractions, and tourist boards.  It was a great opportunity to meet other people working in the same industry in this area.  The added bonus was the location.  No 2 Pound Street in Wendover is a deli with a difference.  It stocks a huge selection of wines, cheeses and meats which can be taken away or enjoyed on the premises.  They recently won Best New Retailer at the British Cheese Awards which is not surprising when you see the interesting selection on offer including Stinking Bishop which should be handled with care.  The deli sits in the pretty Chiltern town of Wendover which is at the end of our new Challenging Chilterns tour.  We recommend leaving some space in your panniers for a few goodies.

Bliss all the way to Padstow

The well pedalled Camel Trail from Wadebridge to Padstow is a family must - flat, traffic free and scenically beautiful as it skirts the Camel estuary along a disused railway line. Bike hire establishments lurk around every corner of  Wadebridge and the lure of a Rick Stein goody at the other end may entice or repel you depending on your pocket size and leanings.
But for me the more enjoyable (and far less busy) section of the Camel Trail is what comes before Wadebridge - the ride down from the NW edge of  Bodmin Moor along the pretty Camel valley.  Close to the the beginning of the traffic free section is the village of Blisland which easily lives up to its name. John Betjamin waxed lyrical about its Norman church with its unexpectedly dramatic interior and others have enjoyed its excellent pub.This is a village with some very fine houses, the Elizabethan Mansion House - and a green, something unique in Cornwall.  From here you can freewheel down to the trail for 17 miles of traffic free flat cycling. Whoever heard of that in hilly Cornwall?  Steep valley sides gradually give way to more open country as the river  threads its way downhill and you spin past platforms named Shooting Range and Grogley Hall.. Paul Jackson's pottery studio and the medieval river bridge both at Helland are highlights.

Tack this ride onto our Devon Coast to Coast Tour and bliss it will be.