London lidos and outdoor pools offer cooling options during extreme heat warning

London’s best lidos and outdoor pools as the UK gets rare red warning for extreme heat

In Hyde Park? Head to Serpentine Lido to cool off (Picture: AFP) People across the UK have been warned of a risk to life ‘for even the healthy population’ after a rare red weather warning for extreme heat was issued for parts of the country. Temperatures could reach up to 40C on Wednesday, with the UK Health Security Agency issuing red heat health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, and South West. So where do we go to cool off? London does not have the luxury of a coast. But alongside dozens of parks and hundreds of beer gardens, there are plenty of lakes, lidos and swimming pools where we can beat the heat. Here are the best lidos and pools to cool off in as the capital swelters. Tooting Bec Lido After a £4 million revamp, Tooting Bec Lido is once again open to the public this summer. At 90 metres long, it’s the UK’s largest freshwater swimming pool, catering to 1,300 Londoners. The lido offers two sessions per day, alongside special swim times to kickstart the season. Tooting Bec Lido has just undergone a major transformation (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo) As well as installing a new pumphouse and UV filtration system to keep the water clean and safe, the surrounding area has also had a glow-up. The changing rooms have been given a sleek, modern update, and there’s fresh landscaping around the water’s edge. It’s £9.40 for adults and £5.20 for kids. Latest London news First look inside venue where iconic singers got their start relaunching after 10 years Murder investigation after man, 30, stabbed to death in Crystal Palace Prime Putney Pusher suspect arrested 'after ex came spoke to police' To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro's London news hub. Hampstead Ponds If you want wild swimming without travelling to the countryside, make for Hampstead Heath. Split between mixed, men’s and women’s areas, the ponds have a cult following and come July will be heaving with crowds. If wild swimming is more your thing, head for Hampstead Heath Ponds (Picture: Getty Images) Who knows, you might even spot a celebrity. A-listers are known to frequent the Heath, with Harry Styles, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Woody Harrelson all swimming there in recent years. Tickets are £5 for adults and £3 for concessions for 60 minutes of swimming. If you’re committed enough, you can also invest in a season ticket. £83 for six months, £157 for a year. Brockwell Lido Tucked in the corner of Brixton’s Brockwell Park, this lido is a real sun trap on a warm day. It’s open seven days a week. Few places nicer than Brockwell Lido (Picture: Maja Smiejkowska/REX/Shutterstock) The 50m Olympic-sized pool sits beside an art deco building, with a cute café where you can refuel after a swim. Lane swims cost £8 for up to 50 minutes, and must be booked in advance. Charlton Lido Another South London gem, this Olympic-sized heated pool has a summer sun terrace, coffee bar, and outdoor gym equipment. Charlton Lido (Picture: Getty Images Europe) If you’re lucky, you’ll see the local parakeets flying above while you backstroke. Adult swimming sessions cost £11.50, with prices starting at £5.50 for concessions. Parliament Hill Lido Opened in the 1930s, this unheated outdoor pool is open to the public 365 days a year. The water might be cold, but there’s also a sauna. Parliament Hill Lido is calling (Picture: Getty Images) Located near Gospel Oak train station, it’s ideal for those who don’t feel ready to brave the ponds. Swimming sessions start at £5 for adults and £3 for concessions, with no need to book ahead (but you’ll probably need to queue). Hackney West Reservoir At Green Lanes in Stoke Newington, you can go for an open-water swim or try your hand at kayaking at the West Reservoir. It’s not for the faint-hearted – temperatures are low, but it’s a great spot to get used to the cold water in a beautiful setting. Not us imagining how lush this would be during summer (Picture: Getty Images) Once you’re done, warm up with a coffee at the waterside cafe. Open water swimming – which is available between 7am and 6pm – costs £13.15. Sessions are 30 minutes. Beckenham Place Park Beckenham Place Park is the largest green space in Lewisham, and although you’ll get the feel of wild swimming, lifeguards are on hand to ensure everything is safe, and you can hire kayaks or paddle boards at certain times too. People swim in the lake at Beckenham Place Park (Picture: Getty Images Europe) Whichever water-based activity you choose, the lake offers a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle. One-hour sessions cost £7.40 for non-residents. Lewisham locals pay less, at £4.30. Serpentine Lido Fancy hitting up one of London’s most iconic ‘open water’ swimming locations? Head to Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park. Here you can swim surrounded by nature, before drying off in the Lido Cafe Bar with a fresh lunch and a glass of wine. @lesyakova Serpentine Lido terrace – a hidden gem of Hyde Park A cosy terrace, with a lovely view, nice drinks and yummy food🥂☀️ #thingstodoinlondon #londonguide #londonplaces #londonhiddengems #placesinlondon #меставлондоне #barsinlondon ♬ Summer Vibes – GRLN If you don’t want to swim, but fancy checking out the views,waterside tables are available. For a full day at the lido, it’s just £7.50. According to the website, Serpentine Lido will reopen for the weekend on May 17, and then fully from 24 May. Hillingdon Lido If you’ve got kids in tow, Hillingdon Lido is a great shout. The 1930s Grade II-listed, 50m open-air swimming pool oozes art deco charm, and is considered a ‘hidden gem.’ Not only are there stunning fountains to play around in, but there’s also a new, heated shallow splash pool for little ones. https://www.instagram.com/p/DI_GiJzIuee/ It’s close to Ruislip Lido, a sandy (man-made) beach with a lake beside it, though swimming is not permitted there. Also ideal for families, there’s an ice-cream shop and play areas suited for kids. Worth the journey if you fancy a day in nature. Tickets cost £11 for non-residents. Finchley Lido Leisure Centre Let’s be honest, this is the UK, and we’re not always guaranteed good weather. Even when it’s forecast. And if the heavens do open this weekend, Finchley Lido Leisure Centre has your back. This indoor complex combines a pool with slides, a wave machine and jets. There’s also a cinema and a bowling alley for some post-swim fun. Outside, there is a 25-metre swimming pool open during the summer months. Swimming costs £8.30. A version of this article was originally published on 22 May 2026 and has been updated. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

8 hours ago

The ‘piece of heaven’ London lido with tickets still available for this week’s heatwave

Just look at those crisp blue waters (Picture: NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) If you’ve taken a glance at the weather forecast this week, one thing is clear: it’s about to get seriously hot. In London, today’s temperatures are set to reach 29°C; by tomorrow, it’s going to hit 36°C, while Wednesday could see highs as dramatic as 40°C. Brits will be flocking to outdoor pools to keep cool, but with tickets to popular lidos like London Fields and Brockwell selling out fast, it’s not easy to nab a ticket. So if you’re looking for an alternative outdoor swimming spot that isn’t constantly going viral, we’ve got an overlooked spot that may not be on your radar: Park Road Lido in Crouch End. Built in 1926, when outdoor swimming experienced a huge uptick in popularity, to this day, the pool is a joyous place to escape the oppressive London heat, with glistening blue waters and ample lane space. As is standard, it’s divided by speed, with space for speedy, medium and slow swimmers, and an extra open area for general frolicking. There’s one swimming spot in North London you shouldn’t rule out (Picture: NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) The lanes are only open for those aged 12 and above, but there are dedicated family slots for parents with children. It won’t break the bank either. Admission costs £9.95 for an adult, and spaces are bookable in advance. Sure, we aren’t going to claim it as some form of oasis that’s completely immune to an uptick in visitors during warm weather. Looking at this evening’s bookings, the ideal post-work slot (4.30pm-5.30pm) is sold out, and it’s the same on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. But if you do fancy flopping by the poolside at the end of the week, though, there’s still space for a 60-minute swim at the same time on Friday. What a way to end the week. Slots cost £9.95 for an adult (Picture: NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) There are also countless slots available all week, between 7am and 4.30pm, as well as a completely clear diary on both Saturday and Sunday, when London is set to reach highs of 27°C and 26°C respectively. Latest London news First look inside venue where iconic singers got their start relaunching after 10 years Murder investigation after man, 30, stabbed to death in Crystal Palace Prime Putney Pusher suspect arrested 'after ex came spoke to police' To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro's London news hub. Another green tick for Park Road is the fact that there’s plenty of green grass available to stretch out on afterwards, rather than the standard concrete you get with many London lidos. With a bit of sun cream, a book and a nice cold drink, you’d be forgiven for thinking, just for a moment, you were holidaying in the south of France. @bellaaa_music next up on my side quest #fyp #foryou #swim #singer #london #londonmusic #lido #outdoorswimming #summer ♬ original sound – nicole ‘A piece of heaven’ Among North Londoners, Park Road is regarded as an absolute gem. In a Google review, Chrissy Kelly described it as a ‘wonderful lido in the heart of Crouch End,’ while Cinzia Ferrari said she comes ‘here to swim almost everyday.’ ‘This lido is a piece of heaven and keeps me sane,’ Carolyn Stephens added. ‘The pool was lovely and clean and spacious…so nice to be outside in a spacious pool in the city,’ another user, who goes by the name of R, said, describing it as ‘gorgeous.’ It’s been open since the 1920s (Picture: NEIL HALL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock) While there have been a few complaints about the general state of affairs (with some customers citing a lack of toilet paper in the bathrooms and a smelly gym), others have pointed to the fact that it’s a council-run leisure centre, rather than ‘facilities at a Premier League football club.’ Speaking of London’s swimming gems, Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, a 50-metre swimming pool suspended in the River Thames, opened its doors last week. It’s also London’s first-ever floating swimming spot, which is pretty major. Billed as an ‘urban oasis,’ the water is all natural, and there are six lanes to choose from. And the fun doesn’t need to stop once you’ve finished your lengths, either, as there’s a food and drink menu for you to enjoy poolside. Price-wise, one hour of lane swimming costs £10, while there are a number of concession rates available at £8. So, with the Met Office saying there’s a strong chance the record for June’s hottest temperature (35.6°C) could well be broken this week (which was recorded twice: once in Camden Square in 1957, and again in Southampton in 1976), which pool will you pick? Other lidos in the south of England for a cold dip this summer Again, if a bit of lido tourism tickles your fancy, there are plenty of similar options across the south of England. Last month, the historic Brightlingsea Lido reopened for the summer. The Essex spot sits right by the sea, and while it was originally a creek, in 1932, it was converted into a tidal saltwater pool. It’s pretty cheap too, with adult admission costing just £7.50, and children over two can enter for £5.50 — under twos go free. You can also hire inflatables for £4.50 and sunbeds for £2.50. That’s not the only option. New research has revealed the best spots in the world for a refreshing cold water dip, and Brockwell Lido in South London has made the list. Assessing the top 20 destinations across the globe, the study ranked each one based on the number of positive reviews, and it came in 19th place. That’s right: not just in the UK, but the entire world. How’s that for a strong summer plan? Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source

13 hours ago