Where to Swim in London
The ponds, lidos and open-water spots across London — when each is open, what it costs, and how to get there.
Cheap and free swimming is one of London's real joys — the Hampstead ponds, the great lidos, the Serpentine. Here's where you can actually swim across the city: what each place is, when it's open, roughly what it costs, and how to get there. Prices and seasons change, so each entry links its operator for the final word.
Highgate Men's Pond, Hampstead Heath
LakeOpen all yearHampstead Heath, Camden
- Men-only natural bathing pond on the Heath
- Lifeguarded during opening hours
- 2026: £5 adult drop-in, £3 concession; ponds-only annual season ticket £157
Lifeguarded within opening hours. This is cold, natural water year-round — even in summer it's far colder than a pool.