Using leisure centres and launderettes

gratefulj

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I'm sitting in a bar/restaurant in Frome Somerset as I write this reflecting on my (nearly) first month of full timing and I have to say it would have been a lot harder without leisure centres and launderettes. I deliberately bought a van with a shower (really cleverly designed inside a cupboard lol) as I'm one of those people who's not very good at being grubby but I haven't used it yet. I've just been rocking up at leisure centres and asking to use the showers which on average cost's £1.50 or getting a concessional swim for an average of £4. Now I don't know if this is deemed as cheating or missing the point? but it works for me. It's been the same at launderettes, I have 14 days worth of clean clothes but have used the laundry after 10 days twice. I must say I get great satisfaction from a swim, shower and putting on freshly laundered clothes and then going and parking up somewhere like the RSPB reserve at Garson Wood, Sixpenny Handley (which I found on the POI map) and taking the dog for a long walk.
Is anyone else doing it this way??
 
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Lots on here who mainly full time do it and also some short term folk,nothing new just being sensible and using whats around.
 
I'm sitting in a bar/restaurant in Frome Somerset as I write this reflecting on my (nearly) first month of full timing and I have to say it would have been a lot harder without leisure centres and launderettes. I deliberately bought a van with a shower (really cleverly designed inside a cupboard lol) as I'm one of those people who's not very good at being grubby but I haven't used it yet. I've just been rocking up at leisure centres and asking to use the showers which on average cost's £1.50 or getting a concessional swim for an average of £4. Now I don't know if this is deemed as cheating or missing the point? but it works for me. It's been the same at launderettes, I have 14 days worth of clean clothes but have used the laundry after 10 days twice. I must say I get great satisfaction from a swim, shower and putting on freshly laundered clothes and then going and parking up somewhere like the RSPB reserve at Garson Wood, Sixpenny Handley (which I found on the POI map) and taking the dog for a long walk.
Is anyone else doing it this way??
Sounds to me like your approach is spot on :)
I didn't know a Swimming Pool or Leisure Centre would let any one in to just use the showers at a reduced rate. Is that something you found out or have you just been a bit cheeky and asked upfront?
 
Sounds to me like your approach is spot on :)
I didn't know a Swimming Pool or Leisure Centre would let any one in to just use the showers at a reduced rate. Is that something you found out or have you just been a bit cheeky and asked upfront?

I knew it somehow from my distant and colourful past though must confess the first couple of times I did it I phoned to ask if I could. I now just go to the front desk and ask to use the showers. Also most of them have reasonable coffee, free wifi and free or really cheap (60p hour) parking. I've been to (in no particular order) Eastbourne, Brighton, Stonnington, Worthing and Winchester to name a few and had the same response everywhere.
 
i have been in some leisure centres which charge £1.50 for a shower and some wont.... but if i have to buy a cheap swim and shower is a treat anyway as it gives me some exercise when on the move....
 
motorway service stations are another option too, normally free parking for up to two hours and I do believe it is a legal requirement on new builds certainly Hartshead Moor and Ferry bridge have them (gents no idea about womens)

Channa
 
Mway services vary hugely with regards to costs of shower.... some of the new ones are free like Gloucester , i have been asked for £11 at others and in ROI they are nearly always free...
 
Mway services vary hugely with regards to costs of shower.... some of the new ones are free like Gloucester , i have been asked for £11 at others and in ROI they are nearly always free...

Sharing is also a possibility.:lol-053:saves money.
 
Hey Jason,
Well done You, & in my mind it’s not cheating at all, Do whatever you can that suits.
I haven’t Used Laundrettes as I don’t do Cities & would probably find Parking The Nest anywhere near one a problem, (How Much are they nowadays anyway Matey?). I mainly sort out my Washing aboard on a ‘Little & Often’ basis OR at my twice Monthly site nite stay OR at my ‘Fill & Dump’ visits as I call them. In fact if you add up the cost of when you pay for any possible Parking, Showering & or a swim in a Leasure Center & the price of doing your washing in a Laundromat I bet it’s a similar amount that you might pay for a ‘Fill n Dump’ visit or even a nite stay or on site that has Washing machines !. The last one I used on a site in Cornwall cost £5 for a two/three ish hour stay £3 for Good Hot wash, While that’s doing I Fill with Fresh Water, Dump my Grey Water, Dump Domestic Waste & Dump & clean Cassette, Then & £2 for the Dryer (so a Fiver for a BIG load) while I pop next door & Shower. It’s a little routine that I get into that then makes my Cider & Donut taste even better when parked up somewhere later that night.
As said a lot of Motorway Serveces have showers, Have Used Leasure centres, & even A fair few Marinas & Boat yards, But again prefer to Shower aboard.
 
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We stayed on a touring site in the summer - there is a big beach car park very close to it. We saw wild campers from a couple of motorhomes using the car park popping in to use the toilets and showers. Maybe another option?
 
We use our shower in the van every day, but that means finding water much more often. Your system seems to work for you so that’s great.
 
We've often used leisure centers etc... Usually small charge for use of facilities...
Or in the case of Pwhelli they said there was, no charge for the, use of the showers in the conference center etc near the marina... Stuck £5 in the RNLI collection box for the pair of us to shower.
 
some small ports/fishing harbours have good showers for the fishermen - they are sometimes....
 
Whatever works for you

Is good..
I like the approach.

It also gets you out and about
 
Hey Jason,
Well done You, & in my mind it’s not cheating at all, Do whatever you can that suits.
I haven’t Used Laundrettes as I don’t do Cities & would probably find Parking The Nest anywhere near one a problem, (How Much are they nowadays anyway Matey?). I mainly sort out my Washing aboard on a ‘Little & Often’ basis OR at my twice Monthly site nite stay OR at my ‘Fill & Dump’ visits as I call them. In fact if you add up the cost of when you pay for any possible Parking, Showering & or a swim in a Leasure Center & the price of doing your washing in a Laundromat I bet it’s a similar amount that you might pay for a ‘Fill n Dump’ visit or even a nite stay or on site that has Washing machines !. The last one I used on a site in Cornwall cost £5 for a two/three ish hour stay £3 for Good Hot wash, While that’s doing I Fill with Fresh Water, Dump my Grey Water, Dump Domestic Waste & Dump & clean Cassette, Then & £2 for the Dryer (so a Fiver for a BIG load) while I pop next door & Shower. It’s a little routine that I get into that then makes my Cider & Donut taste even better when parked up somewhere later that night.
As said a lot of Motorway Serveces have showers, Have Used Leasure centres, & even A fair few Marinas & Boat yards, But again prefer to Shower aboard.

Thanks mate. Your probably right about the maths (approx £8 to wash and dry a large load) it's gonna be close to stopping at a site hey though the swim is a bit of a deal breaker. I'm still finding my feet and developing a routine that works for me. Luckily my wagon is small enough for me to be able to go into the bigger towns and cities though I did nearly come unstuck last night trying to find a POI called Heavens Gate near Longleat going down single track farm roads then having to do 15 point turns lol..... I never found the POI and at midnight pulled into what I thought was the main carpark for Longleat, popped the roof and went to bed. Woke up this morning and was told it was a caravan club site and they wanted £23, I argued the toss as I hadn't actually entered the site and they told me to bugger off or they'd call the police..... another fulltiming adventure
 
Sounds to me like your approach is spot on :)
I didn't know a Swimming Pool or Leisure Centre would let any one in to just use the showers at a reduced rate. Is that something you found out or have you just been a bit cheeky and asked upfront?

Surely this is the origin of the term 'Public Baths' and 'Swimming Paths' Possibly the local authorities had some obligation to provide such facilities.

I certainly remember as a youngster that a bath or shower and towels was on the price list when we went swimming.

Paul
 
Thanks mate. Your probably right about the maths (approx £8 to wash and dry a large load) it's gonna be close to stopping at a site hey though the swim is a bit of a deal breaker. I'm still finding my feet and developing a routine that works for me. Luckily my wagon is small enough for me to be able to go into the bigger towns and cities though I did nearly come unstuck last night trying to find a POI called Heavens Gate near Longleat going down single track farm roads then having to do 15 point turns lol..... I never found the POI and at midnight pulled into what I thought was the main carpark for Longleat, popped the roof and went to bed. Woke up this morning and was told it was a caravan club site and they wanted £23, I argued the toss as I hadn't actually entered the site and they told me to bugger off or they'd call the police..... another fulltiming adventure

Reasonable choice presume you buggered off ? Think thats called a result .
By product re leisure centres think they want as much footfall/business as possible . Every £1.50 counts
 
Thanks mate. Your probably right about the maths (approx £8 to wash and dry a large load) it's gonna be close to stopping at a site hey though the swim is a bit of a deal breaker. I'm still finding my feet and developing a routine that works for me. Luckily my wagon is small enough for me to be able to go into the bigger towns and cities though I did nearly come unstuck last night trying to find a POI called Heavens Gate near Longleat going down single track farm roads then having to do 15 point turns lol..... I never found the POI and at midnight pulled into what I thought was the main carpark for Longleat, popped the roof and went to bed. Woke up this morning and was told it was a caravan club site and they wanted £23, I argued the toss as I hadn't actually entered the site and they told me to bugger off or they'd call the police..... another fulltiming adventure

So Jason how are you finding the Life Generally ?.
Yeah it’s a kinda close call & possibly good alternative to keep in mind.
So Say £8 For wash n Dry.
I think I read somewhere that it’s £1:50/£2 for just Shower Use, so it’s up around the £10 mark if no Parking fee or Swimming or swimming cost. Although I doubt you can get rid of Grey, Cassette, Or a few bags of Domestic Waste as you could on a flying ‘Dump n Fill’ site visit!.
yes have to agree that I can see that the swim would sway it (How much is a Swim ?).
One of the places I have stayed when around that area was in a car park on the main road not far & on the same side as ‘The Pancake Cafe’ I think it was called, Lovely Walking area to.
 
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Surely this is the origin of the term 'Public Baths' and 'Swimming Paths' Possibly the local authorities had some obligation to provide such facilities.

I certainly remember as a youngster that a bath or shower and towels was on the price list when we went swimming.

Paul

our local pool which i learnt to swim in was fabulous... a big pool which went down to 10'6" under the high diving board and lots of showers and a "slipper baths" - i never worked out why slippers needed a separate room of their own... cos i never dared go into it as a kid in case it was a "You'll get the slipper little madam if you dont behave" kind of a room.....

other baths near us had laundries as well....
 

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