Surprised by the sudden onslaught of real summer weather? Need a cool dip in the pool after a long hot day on the city streets? Luckily, London has a variety of pools and lidos. The Resident has got you covered on those sweltering hot city days.
Words: Phoebe Gould
1Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting
Visiting South London’s Tooting Bec Lido is perfect for a refreshing dip–and for crossing an item off your bucket list. Tooting Bec Lido in South London is the largest outdoor fresh-water pool in the United Kingdom. The pool measures 91.44 metres long and 30.18 metres wide. Visitors to the pool can relax in the sunbathing area, splash around in the paddling pool, strap on goggles and swim laps, or grab an icecream cone at the café. The pool is open every day from 6 am to 7:30pm and will be open for the summer until the 30th of September, 2016.
Tooting Bec Road, Tooting SW16 1RU; placesforpeopleleisure.co.uk
Swim in London’s largest freshwater pool at Tooting Bec Lido.
2Charlton Lido, Greenwich
Located in Hornfair Park, the Lido at Charlton Lido & Lifestyle Club is the Capital’s second 50-metre heated outdoor pool after London Fields. It reopened in early 2013 after an extensive £2 million refurbishment, and is now London’s newest Lido facility. Whether you want to improve your freestyle technique, get fit, compete, meet fellow swimmers or have some family fun, you’re sure to love splashing about in the Charlton Lido. Fitness lane swimming is always available, but water games and fun with noodles are also encouraged.
Hornfair Park, Shooters Hill Road, Charlton SE18 4LX; better.org.uk
Swim some laps or splash around at the newly renovated Charlton Lido.
3London Fields Lido, Hackney
The London Fields Lido in Hackney reopened in 2006 on the site of the original 1930s pool after locals fought for the facility’s return. The lido can get packed on hot sunny days, but the pool is open all year round and it’s heated—so you don’t need a heatwave to enjoy the swim. London Fields introduced floodlights to the pool in 2014, so the lido is open from 6:30 am to 9pm, all year round.
London Fields West Side, Hackney E8 3EU; better.org.uk
Swim until 9pm at London Fields Lido. (Credit: London Fields Lido Facebook)
4Park Roads Pool, Crouch End
One of London’s largest lidos, the Park Roads Pool just underwent an £8 million redevelopment project. The Olympic-sized main pool is just one of five swimming pools at the Park Road location. There is also a play area and fitness facilities, changing areas, sunloungers and fun water features. Park Road’s lido has some good ol’ London tradition tied to it too—Londoners have been flocking to the swimming spot since 1926.
Park Road, Crouch End N8 8JN; fusion-lifestyle.com
Swim in one of five pools at Park Road, where Londoners have kept cool since 1926. (Credit: Park Roads Facebook)
5Parliament Hill, Hampstead
Built in 1938 and Grade II-listed, the Parliament Hill Lido is the only stainless steel lined outdoor pool in the United Kingdom. The shiny metal lining makes the whole pool shimmer with a deep royal blue hue. The pool is unheated and is one of a number of open-air swimming areas in Hampstead Heath. The Ladies’ Pond, Men’s Pond and the Mixed Pond are just steps away—and so are a number of splash pools, sports facilities, playgrounds and gardens for a whole afternoon of fun.
Parliament Hill Mansions, Hampstead Heath, Lissenden Gardens NW5 1NA; cityoflondon.gov.uk
Splash about in the deep blue waters at Parliament Hill.
6Brockwell Lido, Herne Hill
Nestled in the corner of Brockwell Park, the Brockwell Lido is a gem of south London and features an award winning café in an art deco style building. Brockwell Lido has set times for general swimming and lap swimming, so make sure you check before you make the trek. But once you’re there, you’ll love all the Brockwell Lido has to offer, especially the lovely poolside Lido Cafe. No wonder locals call it Brixton’s Beach.
Brockwell Park, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill SE24 0PA; fusion-lifestyle.com
Brockwell Lido viewed from The Lido Café, proving that the name “Brixton’s Beach” is well deserved.
7King’s Cross Pond
The much anticipated Of Soil and Water: Kings Cross Pond opened in May this year and is London’s first man-made freshwater public bathing pond—the chemical-free water is kept clean using filtering wetland plants. The pond is a kidney-shaped pool with reeds, grassy banks, and an accompanying garden…but it’s located in the middle of London’s largest urban redevelopment. The pond is incredibly instagrammable: from its red and white changing rooms to its red and white lifeguards to the sun shining down from above. There’s also a viewing platform for non-swimmers.
Tapper Walk, King’s Cross N1C 4BE; kingscrosspond.club
Kings Cross Pond opened on the 22 of May. (Picture by John Sturrock)
8Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park
The Serpentine Lido and its accompanying paddling pool is located in the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park and open to the public during the summer months. It is home to the Serpentine Swimming Club which is the oldest swimming club in Britian. Members of the club may swim all year round at the lido and are famous for their crazy Christmas day race. The Lido is full of nature, so you may find yourself sharing a lane with local swans or ducks. There is gated family area with a chlorinated paddling pool and swings, as well as a private sunbathing area for ultimate relaxation.
Hyde Park, London W2 2UH; serpentinelido.com
From May to September the Serpentine is open to the public, there’s sun loungers and a cafe too.
9Hampton Pool, Hampton Court
Hampton Pool, otherwise known as South West London’s biggest secret, is a 36-metre long open-air pool. The lido is heated to provide for 365 days of outdoor swimming. The Hampton Pool has an even warmer paddling pool for beginners in addition to two water slides and a large grassy area for picnics or lazing in the sunshine. Once inside, you can stay all day, or follow your swim with a walk or cycle ride at Bushy Park next door.
High Street, Hampton TW12 2ST; hamptonpool.co.uk
Heated and outdoors, what more could you want? A children’s pool you say? There’s that too.
10Thames Baths
Thames Baths is a proposal to launch a series of natural swimming baths. Specifically the group aims to reintroduce swimming in the River Thames to reclaim the river for swimming and increased public use by Londoners. The idea was launched in 2014 as part of a London As It Could Be Now programme. A recent Kickstarter campaign helped raised £142,000 for a Pre-Planning Report to assess the various sites along the River Thames. Sure, this one doesn’t exist yet, but we’re excited to see where this project goes and, for now, the nine other London lidos should keep us cool for the summer.
thamesbaths.com
Stay tuned for news on the development of the Thames Baths project