Marty McFly in Back to the Future travelled back 30 years from 1985 to 1955. If Back to the Future was made today, he would travel back in time from 2024 to 1994. If you want to do the same, you can just visit Grangemouth Swimming Pool. 

I have a colleague who lives in Elgin but works three days a week in Falkirk. They cannot sleep without a window open but when they’re in Falkirk: 

“All I get is freaky dreams,” they say.

“Why is that?” I ask. 

“Grangemouth,” they say. “It’s the fumes from the refinery.”

In the shadow of the refinery, you’ll find Grangemouth Leisure Centre. It’s a 1980s building that looks every year of its age. When you go in, you expect a swim to still cost 50p and for you to be asked to wash your feet in a verruca bath.

Cost: £4.50 as a non-member.

Facilities: Decent size cubicle and nice and clean changing area. However the showers are right beside the pool and open to everyone so not suitable for a proper wash, only a rinsing.

Swimming pool: At bust times it has one lane open for lap swimming and the rest of the pool for recreational swimming. I’ve been there at lunchtime during the week and would rarely meet anyone else using the lane, however the rest of the pool often had pensioners and kids so wasn’t very suitable for swimmings laps.

Other facilities? I couldn’t see anything else.

Busy? 5 – 10 people during a lunchtime swim.

Recommended? If you like colourful dreams.