The Tarka Leisure Centre in Barnstaple is North Devon’s main public leisure facility, and it is well worth knowing about for a holiday that involves a bit of sport or swimming alongside the beach days. The site has two swimming pools, a main leisure pool and a dedicated teaching pool, alongside a large gym, sports halls, and a full programme of group exercise classes.
Family swim sessions are available throughout the week, and the leisure pool has a wide enough depth range to suit swimmers of all abilities. The centre is a short drive from Barnstaple town centre and has ample parking.
For families with children who are keen swimmers, or for those who want to maintain a fitness routine while on holiday, the Tarka Leisure Centre provides a solid, well-equipped option. The facility is clean, well-maintained, and the reception team are helpful.
Note: the centre has been through several rebrands over the years, you may know it as the North Devon Leisure Centre or as Waves (an earlier branding that applied to the pool area). It is now consistently operating as the Tarka Leisure Centre.
Barnstaple is about 12 miles from Woolacombe, making the leisure centre a convenient option if you are already planning a trip into town for the Pannier Market, the museum, or shopping. Day passes are available for non-members at standard rates.
The ski slope at the Tarka Leisure Centre is a novelty worth knowing about, a real if short dry ski slope that operates lessons and sessions for beginners. For a holiday that includes younger you keen to try something completely new, this is an unexpected North Devon option. Day passes for the swimming pool are available at standard rates for non-members, and the family swim sessions are well-managed and well-staffed. Barnstaple town centre and the Pannier Market are a short walk away, making a leisure centre visit easy to combine with a broader town day.
