Swimming
10 best wild swimming spots in or around London
Revealed: the best places to take a dip outdoors in the capital.
Wild Swimming expertJack Hudson has compiled 10 of his favourite outdoor places to swim in London. In this selection you'll find lidos, ponds, rivers and lakes around the capital where you can take the plunge.
Remember, if you're swimming outdoors, be mindful of potential hazards. Don't leap into a river after a long period of rainfall as currents can be unpredictable.
1. Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath
Parliament Hill Lido opened in 1938 and has recently been restored with an Art Deco facade. The 60m-long by 27m-wide pool has a unique steel liner, which lends the water a surreal metallic gleam. Outdoor swimming purists will be happy to learn that it is unheated, although wetsuits are allowed if you're keen on keeping the teeth-chattering to a minimum.
Opening hours: You can swim during one of two sessions a day, from 7-9am or from 10am-6pm. There is also an adult's evening swim from 6.45-8.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Price: An early morning, evening or winter swim costs £4. A day pass is £7. Season passes are also available.
2. Hampstead Ponds, Hampstead Heath
The Hampstead Pondsare 250-year-old reservoirs in Hampstead Heath. There are three ponds; one for men, one for women and another for mixed bathing. Each are enclosed by densely-packed trees, which can almost make you forget how close your are to the city. This is a great spot for anyone looking for an alternative to a chlorinated pool.
Opening hours: The ladies' and men's bathing ponds usually open at 7am and close depending on the season. During the summer this varies between 6.30-8.30pm. Do check before you go. Over the summer season the mixed bathing ponds are open from 7am-6.30pm.
Price: An adult day ticket costs £2. Season passes are also available.
3. Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park
For 100 years, theSerpentine Lido has been home to Londoners in need of an escape from the city. It's the oldest swimming club in London, framed by the open green features of Hyde Park. The lido offers visitors a bracing dip in the swan-crowded Serpentine, followed by a chance to chill out and recline on a deck chair.
Opening hours: You can visit the lido on weekends throughout May, but the pool is officially open seven days a week from 10am-6pm during June, July and August.
Price: £4.80 per adult.
4. Brockwell Lido, Herne Hill
Brockwell Lido is about as good as an outdoor lido gets. If you set aside the cold water, the pool seems to have been built for luxury, with a lovely adjoining sauna, steam room and jacuzzi.
There's also a popular cafe called the Lido Cafe, which serves all the warm drinks and treats you'll need after a few chilly lengths. The pool itself is pristine, with excellent water clarity, as well as being a good length (50m). Unsurprisingly, it is visited year-round by a friendly community. You may want to bring a wetsuit!
Opening hours: Sessions vary from 6.30am to 8pm depending on the day and time of year. Check out their interactive timetable.
Price: £6 during the day. After 5pm it's £3.35.
5. River Wey, Surrey
If you're looking for a really wild swim that's still close to London, take a trip to the River Wey – a slow-moving tributary of the River Thames. You'll find yourself swimming through beautiful English countryside, scattered with old medieval bridges and mills.
For the most popular River Wey swim spots head to Guildford. There’s a sandy beach that slopes down to the west bank of the river under a bridge that daring kids sometimes jump from. There's plenty of deep water upriver – just look out for a lifesaving buoy used to mark the most popular wild swimming area. Alternatively, in Godalming, there’s a calmer, less-known stretch of the Wey surrounded by a meadow, which is half-hidden behind the garden at the back of the Manor Inn pub.
Opening hours: Free as a bird...
Price: Free
6. Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Ok, so it's not London, but it's not that far either – just over an hour from central London. Leave the bustle of The City behind and escape to the picturesque town of Henley. This is the home of the eponymous Henley Mile – an annual point-to-point downriver event along a boomed course. It's also where you'll find the Flower Pot pub, which is a great meeting point and staging ground for your wild swimming adventures.
There are lots of places to swim nearby, including an arm of the river ending at Ferry Lane from nearby Medmenham. Or, if you drive eastwards from Marlow Station to Cock Marsh, you can claim perfect riverside beaches from which to launch your swim or lay out your picnic.
Opening hours: Free as a bird...
Price: Free
7. Frensham Great Pond, Surrey
Once a fishpond created for the Bishop of Winchester, Frensham Great Pond is now an ideal spot for wild swimmers from all walks of life. It's a 50m wide, spring-fed lake with shallow, warmish water and soft sand underfoot. There are buoyed areas reserved for swimming. The lake is also wrapped in the forested hills of Surrey and swathes of open heathland. Just an FYI – it's also a popular area for skinny dippers...
Opening hours: Free as a bird...
Price: Free
8. Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting
As far as endurance swimmers are concerned, Tooting Bec Lido is the jewel of south London. First opened as a lake for bathers in 1906, this 90m-long pool is perfect for anyone looking to cover long distances without tallying-up uncountable numbers of lengths. In fact, this is the largest freshwater outdoor pool in the country, replete with a paddling pool, café, and secure lockers.
Also, a little movie trivia for you – you know that scene in Snatch when One Punch Mikey (Brad Pitt) takes an uppercut and slumps back into the water? Well, this was where Guy Ritchie filmed that scene.
Opening hours: The Lido is open from May 1 to September 30. From May to August, hit the water from 6am-8pm. In September get there from dawn to 5pm. You can also swim in the winter – if you are a member of their swimming club.
Price: £7.20 or £4.40 if you have a student card.
9. Shillingford, Oxfordshire
Shillingford is another wild spot for nature lovers. You might need some form of water shoe for the shallower stretches.
If you head down Wharf Road you'll eventually come to a boathouse that doubles as a smooth entry point into the water. Avoid the snares of weeds and you'll be able to drift out from the wharf and float down to Shillingford Bridge. The river is calm, wide and deep enough for you to practice your strokes. Just watch out for any river traffic and make sure you have your head up before you hit the weirs. When you've had enough time in the water, you can exit by the hotel on the right hand side of the bank.
Opening hours: Free as a bird...
Price: Free
10. Stoke Newington West Reservoir Centre, Hackney
Stoke Newington West Reservoir Centre offers plenty of space to splash around in Hackney – it's located on 30 acres of water in fact. These serene waters have carried sailing boats, kayaks and canoes for many years now, but the centre has recently opened for wild swimmers as well. Wetsuits are mandatory.
Opening hours: The centre is open Monday to Sunday from 9am – 5pm. However, swimming is only available on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. Training sessions and coaching is also available throughout the week.
Price: £10.00 entry for non-members.
For more information on the hazards you might face and for maps guiding you to the best swim spots, head over to wildswim.com.