Londoners’ attitude toward outdoor swimming is subtly obstinate. The city rediscovers its lidos and ponds with an almost evangelical fervor every summer when temperatures rise above 20°C, as if no one had bothered to see if the water was still there. This may reveal more about how residents of one of the world’s most densely populated cities feel about the infrequent opportunity to be truly outside and genuinely wet.
The good news is that finding a good location doesn’t require much money. From opulent Art Deco lidos to untamed ponds nestled into the heath, London’s outdoor swimming scene is surprisingly diverse the price difference between them is significant.
Of the truly inexpensive options, the Hampstead Heath ponds are arguably the most well-known. Three Ladies’ and Men’s Mixed facilities are located at various locations throughout the heath they all share the same fundamental characteristics: cold water, basic amenities a serene atmosphere that doesn’t seem to belong this close to Zone 2.
Regulars arrive early on a warm weekday morning, drop their bags on the grass enter the water with the calm assurance of those who have done this hundreds of times. Adult admission is less than £5, which seems almost unreasonable for what is essentially a real wild swim in the middle of London.
Since 1938, swimsuits have flocked to Parliament Hill Lido, a short stroll downhill from the ponds. The only pool of its kind in the UK, it is Art Deco, Grade II listed completely lined with stainless steel, giving it a silvery sheen that is difficult to ignore on sunny mornings.
Because it is not heated throughout the year, it draws a certain type of regular who is enthusiastic, upbeat seemingly unaffected by temperatures that would put most people to bed. This keeps the more casual visitors away. When cold water converts talk about Parliament Hill, they often do so with an almost evangelical reverence. It’s still unclear if the community or the swimming is what draws them back.
The 50-meter pool at London Fields Lido in Hackney is floodlit for evening sessions and maintained at a constant 25°C throughout the year, making it a great option for people who don’t want to test their ability to withstand the cold.
It reopened in 2006 following a protracted community campaign that lasted almost 20 years the locals’ love for it is evident. The pool seems to have significance beyond fitness. It’s the type of place where people stay longer than they intended.
A short stroll from Kensington’s tourist hotspots, the Serpentine Lido, located further south, offers something truly unique in the best way possible: open water swimming inside Hyde Park. Open to the public throughout the summer, it is unheated and inhabited by ducks. There’s a sense that central London is somehow wilder than it usually lets on when you sit on the bank afterward and observe the park life going on around you.
It’s important to be aware that some locations, especially the docks that have been transformed into swimming areas, like Middle Dock near Canary Wharf and the Royal Docks, require a NOWCA membership and advance reservations made through an app. That’s a small annoyance, but the scene is unique enough to make it worthwhile: swimming in open water while looking up at the Docklands skyline is a unique combination.
Not all of London’s waterways are open to the public. Swimming is prohibited in Battersea Park Lake and Victoria Park Walthamstow Wetlands due to safety and wildlife concerns. Before showing up in a wetsuit, it’s worth making sure.
Most people are unaware of how many and how affordable London’s outdoor swimming options are. The city has quietly created a pretty amazing network of places to get in the water without a gym membership, whether it’s a floodlit evening lap in Hackney or the bone-cold ponds on the heath.