St Helen’s Sports Centre
BEST FOR
Ages 4+
ENTRY
from £7
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Northwood
What it’s like
A climbing wall in the sports hall, holiday fun sessions for £20 and a 25-metre pool, all right beside Northwood Tube.
The climbing wall in the sports hall is the bit children ask about again. Holiday Fun Sessions run an hour and a half for £20, and if your child wants proper coaching there's one-to-one instruction at £52 or a group session for up to eight people at £151, which works out better per head if you've got a birthday to arrange. Four is the youngest age they take on the wall.
The 25-metre pool is the other draw, and non-members can book a single swim for £7 without joining anything. Children's swimming lessons run too, and private lessons are £28 for one swimmer or £45 for two, so if you've got siblings the pair rate saves a few pounds. Holiday camps fill the school breaks: theatre camps with singing, dancing and acting, and the Titans Football Academy. Those camp places have to be booked by phone and paid after an online form, which is a slightly clunky way of doing it.
In term time some periods are reserved for school use only, so the pool and hall aren't simply open to you all day, and the timetable can change at short notice. Worth knowing before you promise a swim. Parking is free and plentiful, there's a café adjoining the centre, and the whole place sits right next to Northwood Tube on the Metropolitan line, 30 minutes from Baker Street and under 10 to Watford.
They're open all year, seven days a week, though Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are closed. In term time the gym splits its day around school hours, and in the holidays it's open 6am to 10pm straight through. There's an air dome up from October to April, and the grounds have outdoor courts and pitches if the weather's kind.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 and up; the climbing wall is the reason to go
- Parking
- Free and plentiful on-site parking
- Food
- Daisies Cafe adjoining the Centre
- Picnics
- Landscaped grounds. Outdoor courts and pitches, no picnic policy stated
- Getting there by bus or train
- Right next to Northwood Tube (Metropolitan line)
- Parties
- Climbing wall group/party for 1-8 people, £151
- Worth knowing
- Non-members can book single swims and single fitness classes for £7, no membership needed
- Private swimming lessons are £28 for one swimmer or £45 for two, so siblings are cheaper together
- Holiday camp places are booked by phone and paid after an online form
- Some term-time periods are reserved for school use, and the timetable can change at short notice
- The climbing wall group rate is £151 for up to 8 people, which beats paying 1:1
- An air dome goes up from October to April
Plan your visit
How much is a swim?
£7 for a single swim as a non-member. You don't need a membership to book one.
Do we need to book?
Public swimming and single fitness classes can be booked by members and non-members, and holiday camp places go through a phone booking then an online form. Turn up for the rest.
Is there parking?
Free and plentiful on-site. For the Sports Centre use HA6 1AF and the Central Car Park off Green Lane.
Where's the entrance?
Central Car Park via Green Lane for the Sports Centre, postcode HA6 1AF. For everything else it's the Visitors' Entrance on Eastbury Road, HA6 3AS.
What age can children start climbing?
Four is the minimum age for the climbing wall. Holiday Fun Sessions run an hour and a half.
How much is a climbing party?
£151 for a group or party session for 1 to 8 people. One-to-one instruction is £52.
What runs in the school holidays?
Sports activities, day activity camps, theatre camps with singing, dancing and acting, and the Titans Football Academy. There are holiday fun sessions on the wall as well.
Is there food?
Daisies Café adjoins the centre for light refreshments, and food trucks turn up at events.
Can we get there by train?
The site is right next to Northwood Tube on the Metropolitan line, about 30 minutes from Baker Street.
What are the gym hours?
In term time it's Mon-Fri 6am to 7.30am and 6pm to 10pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 6pm. School holidays it's Mon-Fri 6am to 10pm.
Are you open on bank holidays?
The gym runs 8am to 5pm on bank holidays, and Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve 8am to 3pm. Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day are closed.
Do you need to be a member?
No. Non-members can book a single swim or a single fitness class for £7 each, and there's a membership at £34 a month if you end up going often.
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