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Bourne Outdoor Swimming Pool

There are two pools, one a paddling pool for the toddlers and the main pool which is 48m long and 12m wide. Open from May to September (weather permitting) and is heated to about 26°C

Formally the Monks fish pond for Bourne Abbey, it was converted into a swimming bath after the 1914~18 war by keen local swimmers. In 1932 Bourne United Charities obtained both the Monks garden and the Abbey Lawn and modernised the pool. During 1971 Bourne Round Table raised money to pay for a heating system for the pool. The Outdoor Pool Preservation Trust was formed in 1990 and now runs the near Olympic-size heated swimming pool, toddler pool, sand pit and play house. There are indoor changing rooms with toilet facilities, extended lawns with seating including picnic tables, attractive gardens with hanging baskets, extended refreshment area, sweet and snack shop and barbecues for hire.

My comment:
We left Peterborough around 6pm and after a little negotiation with the city’s roads and aided by my satnav we headed towards Bourne. We were beginning to feel that meeting Mike was a bit of a mistake as we knew that to swim our 4th. lido of the day, the timing would be tight. We arrived at the pool at 6.45pm resigned to the fact that we would have to stay in Bourne overnight and swim the pool at the earliest opportunity in the morning. However, having explained our mission to the two very friendly young lifeguards, they said that we could swim that evening and they would stay on the extra 20 minutes or so we needed. What wonderful people: this was their summer job and they were at university the rest of the year studying sports science and accountancy (who said accountants don’t have hearts?). This was another long pool, 48 metres in length and we soon rattled off the required number for our mile. Thank you lads, you saved the day! We then went off to find accommodation for the night and to eat an Indian (very tasty!)


Location:	Abbey Lawns, Bourne PE10 9EP
County:	Lincolnshire
Phone:	01778-422063
Detail:	48 metres x 12 metres freshwater heated opened in 1932
Date:	28 May 2008

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