--- title: "Cirencester Open Air Pool | Have Goggles, Will Travel" description: "A historic open-air swim in the Cotswolds, perfect for my 200th pool!. 30y outdoor pool. Located in Cirencester, UK. Rating: 88/100." canonical_url: "https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/pool/cirencester-open-air-pool-cotswolds" meta: "og:description": "A historic open-air swim in the Cotswolds, perfect for my 200th pool!. 30y outdoor pool. Located in Cirencester, UK. Rating: 88/100." "og:title": "Cirencester Open Air Pool" --- ![Cirencester Open Air Pool pool photo](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=1280,h=544,f=webp,q=30,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-square.webp) 200 # Cirencester Open Air Pool Cirencester, UK Monday, 8 September 2025 ![Cirencester Open Air Pool pool photo](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=1856,h=788,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-square.webp) ## A historic open-air swim in the Cotswolds, perfect for my 200th pool! After nearly making the 200 mark in Malta last week, only to be thwarted by an international water polo competition, I was up at 5am this morning determined to bag a proper memorable pool — not just another dull 25m council affair. Cirencester Open Air Pool has been on my list for a while. I tried last year, but it had already closed for the season by the time I got around to it. Today felt like the perfect moment: 200th pool, a 30-minute detour off the M5, and a crisp September morning with the sun coming up over misty fields. Finding the pool, though, wasn’t so straightforward. Apple Maps led me down what looked like a private road, then insisted I scale a 20-foot stone wall! All in smart work shoes! The pool’s website says there’s no parking nearby and that you need to come on foot — so I looped back into town, parked up, then tried again. Eventually I spotted a sign, followed it, and finally arrived… I've definitly not made my booked 7am slot! The pool is a beauty. Opened in 1870, it’s fed by natural spring water and has been heated since 1931. Set right beneath Cirencester Castle, it’s one of the oldest open-air pools in the country and feels every bit of its history. The water was steaming in the morning sun, around 25°C, with patches of warm and cool where hot water is pumped in at one end. I took the fast lane, kept things steady with my still-clicking shoulder, and plodded out 100 lengths (3,000 yards). The water was surprisingly choppy — more than some open-water swims I’ve done — and I swallowed more than a bit. But it was a great workout, and never more than two people in my lane. Post-swim, I discovered that the £1 lockers don’t return your coin (farewell, trusty ‘emergency swim pound’ thats been around the world and back!), and showers require 20p for three minutes. Luckily I still had change left over from pool 195, Longwell Green a couple of months back! Quick rinse, dry off, shoes back on outside as per the rules, and I was off for a coffee in town before continuing down to Somerset. A fantastic pool, beautifully run by the local community, and a worthy choice for pool number 200. - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-square.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-sign.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-lane.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-shoes.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-entrance.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-plaque.webp) - ![Cirencester Open Air Pool gallery image](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=640,h=480,f=webp,q=75,fit=cover/pool/200/cirencester-open-air-pool-coffee.webp) ### Pool Review (88 / 100) Fantastic pool run by a passionate local community. A real piece of history and a beautiful setting for a morning swim, even if the route to get there was a bit of a faff. Entry fee, lost locker pound and 20p showers are all worth it for the experience. [Follow me on Instagram →](https://www.instagram.com/havegoggleswilltravel/) ### Swim Stats - 3360y swim distance - 1:26 pace / 100y - Garmin Forerunner 965 ### Pool Details - Outdoor pool - Pool length 30y - 5 lanes Cirencester Open Air Pool [Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool, Thomas Street, Cirencester GL7 2BD, United Kingdom](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/map?pool=200) [←Neptunes Waterpolo and Swimming Clu ...](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/pool/neptunes-waterpolo-and-swimming-club-malta) [Stratford Park Lido→](https://havegoggleswilltravel.com/pool/stratford-park-lido-stroud) ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.