Hampstead Heath & the Swimming Ponds

Eight hundred acres of genuinely wild-feeling heath twenty minutes from central London, with three natural swimming ponds (men's, women's, mixed) that locals treat as sacred. The view from Parliament Hill is protected by law. Swims cost about £4-5; summer sessions at the popular ponds can require booking. This is London being its best self.

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

Is Hampstead Heath safe?

Yes by day, and busy paths stay comfortable into the evening in summer — it's families, runners, dog-walkers and swimmers. Like any large unlit park, stick to main paths after dark.

How do I get to Hampstead Heath?

Hampstead station (Northern line) puts you at the posh village side; Gospel Oak or Hampstead Heath Overground stations are closer to Parliament Hill and the Lido. The Heath is huge, so pick your entrance based on what you're doing.

What is Kenwood House?

A free English Heritage mansion on the Heath's northern edge with a genuinely great small collection — a Rembrandt self-portrait and a Vermeer, no ticket needed. Its cafe and the sloping lawns in front are the classic finish to a Heath walk.

How cold are the Hampstead swimming ponds?

They're unheated natural ponds — lovely by late summer, bracing in June, and a genuine cold-water-swimming scene in winter. There are no showers to warm up in luxury style; this is charmingly basic old-school swimming.

Is there also a lido on Hampstead Heath?

Yes — Parliament Hill Lido, an unheated 61-metre 1930s outdoor pool on the Gospel Oak side, open year-round with its own devoted following. If open-water pond swimming feels a step too far, the lido is the gateway drug.

Can anyone swim in the Hampstead Heath ponds?

Yes — there's a men's pond, the women-only Kenwood Ladies' Pond, and a mixed pond, all open-water swimming in natural spring-fed ponds with lifeguards. Single swims cost around £4-5, payable by card on arrival, and all three run year-round for the hardy.

Do I need to book the Hampstead ponds in summer?

In the summer season (late May to early September) the ponds run a mix of bookable and drop-in sessions — bookable slots release online at 8pm daily for up to seven days ahead and sell out fast in hot weather. Off-season, just turn up and pay.

What's the view from Parliament Hill?

One of London's official protected vistas — the whole skyline from St Paul's to the Shard laid out beyond the trees, and it costs nothing. Sunset up there with the kite-flyers is a proper London experience.

Nearby in Ask London

• HampsteadNeighborhood1.17 km · 15 min walk
• Golders Hill ParkPark1.91 km · 24 min walk
• Spiritual BarBar2.18 km · 27 min walk
• CamdenNeighborhood2.43 km · 30 min walk
• The Black HeartBar2.85 km · 36 min walk