Sometimes you desperately need a short sharp shock of smushed fruit after your swim. Restorative…read moreVitamin C and lovely stuff. I kind of didn't want to walk all the way over to Amber Café on my way to Petersfield, and I'd noticed the little café at the Aquatics Centre a few times. It seemed to offer way more healthy treats than the archetypal vending machines at the South Manchester leisure centres (hey, they have those too. Hello Nice 'n' Spicy Nik-Naks!), and there was proper coffee too, so I sauntered up to the counter all exhausted with my hair all soggy (I refuse on principle to use my 20ps for hairdryers that wouldn't make a jot of difference to my multilayered thick hair) and asked about their smoothies. They could indeed do them to take away, but they only had about three options available on the generous list which didn't bother me in the slightest. I went for... come on, how could I resist the name?... THE IMMUNISER. It sounds like some kind of *machine*! It incorporated strawberry, kiwi and pineapple, three of my absolute favourite fruits, and it was awesome. Just the right portion and only a little over £2, how can one complain? I'll definitely be using this as regularly as my morning fruit shoot before breakfast. Thanks, Manchester Sports and Leisure! Nom.

Have been coming here to the gym on and off for a while now…read more The gym is small and compact but as everything you need in it for a workout there is always an instructor avaliable if you need any help on how to use the machines there is air conditioning on all the time so you dont get to hot and at £5.20 pay as you go you can stay as long as you like. downstairs there are a couple of pools and you can start at a beginners course or you can go in the advanced side , they also do a ladies only night for those who wish to just be with the girls. next door to the gym is a keep fit class and down stairs is a cafe and drinks machines staff are always friendly and helpful.

So every now and again I decide to try looking for a gym in the vain attempt that I might actually…read morego.. Then a friend recommended Spindles gym in the Britannia Hotel, Didsbury and for £18 a month, no joining fee and no contract I literally couldn't not do it. Now there's no excuse to not go. All it takes is a number 43 bus ride, get off at Withington Golf Course and you're there. They have a decent sized heated swimming pool, a spa, sauna and steam room! Also, because it's in a hotel it's usually quite quiet and not that many people use it during the day. The gym is decent enough - they describe it as fully equipped and it seems to be.. unfortunately all I really do is use the cross trainer and running machine so can't give a better description of everything else. It's a simple gym though so don't go expecting power plates or any new gizmos and gadgets. There are also Aerobic classes (included in the membership) which I have yet to try and an instructor can configure a programme for you should you need it. There's a beauty salon offering Facials, Manicures, Pedicures, Massages & Waxing which is open Wednesday to Friday every week.

Spindles Health and Leisure Club within the Britannia Hotel in West Didsbury, Manchester, should be…read morevery good, and with membership from only £20 per month it should be very good value indeed. However, the facilities are far from luxurious and would benefit from more regular and efficient cleaning and maintenance. There is a small swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room as well as a small but well-fitted gym. Spindles also offers 3 acqua aerobics classes and one aerobics exercise class per week. There is also a hairdresser and beauty salon. The gym and pool area can get quite busy as the facilities are open to hotel guests and non members as well as those with membership packages. Children are allowed in the swimming pool at certain times (and can also become members) and there is a baby pool. It could be very good indeed but.... Although the classes are advertised on the board and promotional leaflets and are included in the membership, time and time again one or other of the classes is cancelled at short notice with no alternative provision. Only two members of staff are qualified to take the classes so when they are on holiday or off sick there are no classes available (and no refunds or reductions to members who pay by direct debit). Shortage of staff often means that there are problems with the showers etc too. Oh and I didn't mention the parking. Although there is a very big car park it is used for airport parking so at holidays times it can be a nightmare to get a parking space. Some areas of the car park are in a very dire condition and never seem to be maintained. Also, quite often there are pool closures or the sauna, steam room or jacuzzi is not available for use. Currently the management have decided to close the swimming pool for two hour intervals at peak times over a four week period as it has been booked out to a company training swimming instructors. This is infuriating to members as we have to continue paying although we are denied full use of the facilities. The management do not respond to any complaints. There is no contract as such, you pay monthly and can leave without prior notice by cancelling your direct debit. It is a no win situation for members as they have to put up with the inadequacies or vote with their feet and go elsewhere. On the positive side there are some very good members of staff who have worked at Spindles for a long time and when you can actually access the swimming pool, steam room etc it can be a very pleasant experience.

This is a good gym with a good atmosphere. Plenty of equipment, great classes and a nice pool…read more The downside is trying to book onto classes. They are invariably booked up. Very frustrating. Parking can also be tricky and time consuming.

Everyone is aware of the excellent quality of gym service by Virgin Active and it needs to further…read moreintroduction! This Parrs Wood branch woes you away like any other and makes you believe that the membership fees were worth every penny. They're obviously stocked with the latest equipment and there might not be a single machine that you might want and they don't have. They also have a wonderful swimming pool and steam suana room to help you relax after that intensive workout! I love the sunbeds here too! It comes well packed with a cafe with internet access and makes your day a well spent one.

I go here often to use the gym. I find the prices VERY good. It costs just £13 for your induction,…read morethen about £2.50 per session. The gym is very state of the art, it has all the usual proper equipment. Running machines, weight lifting, bikes etc. Theres also a lovely swimming pool you can go and cool off in after. The staff are all incredibly helpful too, they help you on the machines as much as they can and explain how everything works.

Great little swimming pool. Gets quite busy at times but the kids seem to love it. Wave machine and…read morewater flumes, decent prices. Can also take swimming classes there. Right next to a lovely big park too.

I mainly go to the gym here and use to go swimming lessons when I was younger. All the staff are…read moresuper helpful in the gym and the swimming lessons were really fun when I was younger. Also in the gym people are super nice

Wrexham Waterworld has a lot of facilities packed into a relatively small building…read more It has one main pool, a 'baby' pool, and a toddler/younger pool. The swimming area also consists of a viewers seating area, a slide, and a 'rapids' area. Swimming lessons are also available, as well as options such as 'ladies only' night. Waterworld also has a fully-equipped gym with changing rooms and showering facilities. The gym currently uses the TechnoGym products, and all are in great condition. The gym isn't huge, but caters for everybody, and all staff are helpful and friendly. There is also a studio where exercise classes take place. Classes are very varied, from yoga to dance, and all instructors are friendly and helpful. Something to suit all tastes. When not exercising, Waterworld also have a cafe just inside at the reception area. This is a great local facility, and if the changing rooms were a little more loved, updated, cleaner, and tidier, I would have no hesitation to give Waterworld 5 out of 5.

Clean swimming pool run very well. Shame some of the…read moreswimmers are ignorant but thats Formby for you. I find the staff lovely welcoming and helpful. Such a lovely pool beautiful.

Formby Pool is so beautiful. The architecture is very plain, very simple, with nothing traditional…read moreabout it at all, a mix of wood, concrete and big sheets of glass. The cafe is great, it has a view onto one of the pools, and I was able to watch an aerobics class. Its very warm inside, of course, and very well used - there are classes for all ages, both swimming and exercise. Even though there are two pools, classes don't take up the whole of the pool that they're in, so there's a real mix of activity the whole time.

I went a few years ago and to say I was scared of water rides the whole experience was incredibleread more

Waterworld 2000 is the best indoor water funpark in the UK. For a big kid like me, it's ideally…read moreplaced about 30 minutes drive away from Alton Towers and I've done a few fun trips to enjoy both attractions on one visit. Waterworld is located in Festival Park, a collection of leisure facilities just off the A500 ring road around Stoke-on-Trent. Fortunately, the dreadful roadworks on the A500 are gradually getting better. I aim to visit out of school holidays and so parking and overcroading hasn't been a problem but I can imagine the waterpark becoming very busy at peak periods. There is a big changing room - you'll need a 50p piece for the lockers (non refundable). There's an air of excitement as you smell the chlorine and hear the screams as you walk up the ramp to the waterpark area. There is a medium sized wavepool and a klaxon signals the start of the waves every 20 minutes. There is also another pool for swimming, splashing and which houses the assault course where you can try to get across the floasting islands. However, the multi-coloured flumes that snake round the park above your head are the main draw for me. There are a couple of twisty flumes where you can pick up quite a lot of speed if you lie down absolutely flat. There is a straight 4 lane slide where you can race your friends and family. I also enjoy the Space Bowl where a short slide ejects you into what looks like a giant toilet bowl, which you gradually circle and eventually plop out (or are flushed out) of the hole at the bottom into a pool! Nucleus was the first water-roller-coaster ride in the UK, where you ride a circuit on a raft and water jets propel you uphill as well as sliding downhill. Another great fun experience are the rapids where powereful water jets propel you round and round a loop - it's really hard to escape once you're in the vortex and there's a sense of camaradrie as swimmers help each other escape at the crucial point near the entrance to the ride. A great lesson on the power of water. There's a cafe serving some light meals and snacks. Near to Waterworld, you'll find other entertainment options including a Wedgewood outlet, cinema, bowling alley and some eating options.

My conscience is telling me to modify my rating of Moss Side Leisure Centre, that is probably one…read moreof the places where I spend most time in Manchester. This is due to some issues that arose over the last month. First of all, the policy about classes has changed, and now it's necessary to register at the counter before each session, whereas up to a few weeks ago it was enough to take the receipt of your booking using the screen at the entrance. This is often causing very long queues, and it's actually incredible if people manage to get to their classes on time. There is a stupid detail that made me think members of staff don't care enough about checking regularly the gym: in one of the rooms all the weights of less than 4kg mysteriously disappeared. I found it funny when my instructor said: "Well, try and do this exercise using 5kg, cause someone stole the lighter ones. If it's too hard you can reduce the number of reps." It's almost two weeks now, and they haven't yet reappeared. All in all, the place is always enjoyable; staff is very nice and the instructors are usually willing to help and give an induction even without booking an appointment.

I tried out Manchester Aquatic and the Y before deciding on this one. The deciding factors were 1)…read moremembership sale -- £95 for 6 months (the sale is now over) 2) proximity to my house and 3) machines. Facilities: steamroom, dry sauna, pool, about 3 rooms for squash etc, two adequately-sized rooms for machines, weightroom. Prices: You can get a free membership for 7 days, but you need to book the induction appointment first in order to use the machines (also free). Call a few days in advance to book the induction, which is very thorough (!) and will take 30-40 minutes. -The normal non-student membership price as of Ferbruary 2012 was £23.99 monthly without contract, or £18.99 with annual contract. There was also a 4 week pass for £25. Pros: - The machines in the front room by the entrance seem to be constructed for people who are neither massive nor tall. I'm short and skinny, so this was perfect for me. - Other than the weight room, other areas of the gym never seemed too crowded. I very rarely had to wait to use a machine in the front room. - Attentive staff in workout areas - Good mix of different ages, genders, races: mostly working class, some yuppies - Easy and free parking - Affordability Cons: - If you basically use a gym for the free weights, the most popular room seems to be that one, as it's often packed to the gills. I recommend showing up about an hour towards closing, when it seems to thin out. - During busy times, the spacing of the machines in the back room is a bit tricky; once or twice, I was concerned about accidentally hitting a guy who was using a mat which had been placed next to my machine (why the mat was there to begin with, I have no idea.) - Their pool isn't huge like at Manchester Aquatic. To use the pool, you should check the schedule beforehand, because some days and some nights are booked up for private groups. Note: Access to Chorlton Park gym is included with a Moss Side membership last I checked, and karate is held at Chorlton Park-- but, karate costs extra. At some other gyms such as the Y, you can buy a membership that includes unlimited martial arts. I don't play basketball, but in case you're looking for a gym with a court, call ahead and find out if they have one-- I didn't notice one there.

Ive been a member since it opened and fair to say I've fallen in love with the place. The staff are…read morevery friendly and there is a community friendly feel to the gym. I've been going regularly for a month or so and the facilities are fantastic. Even at peak hour there's more than enough equipment not to disrupt your workout and members are extremely polite, respectful and focused. I have swimming and gym membership but have yet to try the swimming pools. There is one large one and a second smaller one for private and women only sessions. The studio space where various classes take place is sizeable, which is just as well because workshops are always full. The gym changing area is always in clean condition and is also very spacious. The library downstairs is also a genius idea and a perfect meeting/waiting place if you're hooking up with some friends after the gym. Whilst I walk here there is ample parking space behind the centre as well as numerous residential roads. My favourite part about Arcadia is that due to its locale, I can see myself making friends with some of the regulars in the coming weeks and finding a training partner. Whilst this isn't something I seek overtly because I'm fairly well motivated and don't see the need. My mind has changed gradually haven't witnessed first hand, benefits of having a gym partner. I can see that not only does it focus your efforts and push you a little further but it also makes the work out more fun (Obviously depending on your partner) As I'm missing out on the cricket season this summer due to a shoulder operation and consequent rehabilitation. I expect to become part of the furniture this summer.