Brockenhurst · 2022 · Formal garden pool
The Heath Pool
A long, quiet lap pool set into a terrace of sawn York stone, looking out across open heathland.
The project
- Location
- Brockenhurst, on the heath
- Pool
- 16 × 4 m, 1.4 m throughout
- Finish
- Sawn York stone, grey render
- Heating
- Ground-source heat pump
- Cover
- Automatic, flush with the stone
- On site
- 13 weeks
- Finished
- September 2022
A retired GP who swims a mile every morning asked for a pool for lengths, and a view worth turning round for.
The pool runs the full width of the terrace, sixteen metres long and the same depth all the way, so every length feels the same. The far end looks straight out over the open heath, with nothing between the water and the ponies.
The terrace and coping are sawn York stone, cut and finished in our workshop and laid without a single visible joint in the coping corners. The automatic cover slides out from under the stone, so the pool reads as a calm grey rectangle all winter.
How we built it
Built for a mile a morning
One depth all the way
A constant 1.4 metres means no slope to adjust to and a proper tumble turn at either end.
Stone without seams
Each corner of the coping is cut from a single block of York stone, mitred in our yard and set on site by hand.
Warm before breakfast
The ground-source heat pump keeps the water at 28 degrees from April to October, and costs less to run than the house’s old boiler.
Begin here
Start with a walk round the garden
A first visit is free and unhurried. We’ll look at the light, the levels and the trees, and tell you honestly what’s possible.