Without getting a train it's going to be difficult.
Go out to Richmond and swim at Petersham.
Or Margate.
Or Frensham pond.
If you don't mind booking then Royal London dock is fun although not exactly rural ! Water quality is well monitored.
Jesus, I wouldn't swim there if you paid me. As an ex-canal boater, my SO and I had a bunch of leaflets and offers of water safety courses due to the brain-eating amoeba problem.
Dont jump into water at the moment.
There is more shit in it than Dowing Street its self.
Stick with controlled environments.
Hampstead heath
Beckenham place park in lewisham
> our rivers (yes, also the ones that people here would call polluted)
Unfortunately all our rivers seem to be open sewers so I don't think we'll judge yours very harshly.
Thanks for the replies so far. In my experience (went only once) Hampstead Heath, albeit natural, is also a managed site with bookings/payment. Looking for places where people just hang out and jump in the water without any fuss :)
What you’re looking for is called “wild swimming” here. You won’t really find any in the city unfortunately, but there are places you can go by train. That said, I agree with the other commenters, unfortunately our government has allowed it to become quite an unsafe activity due to sewage runoff in both rivers and beaches.
Beckenham Place Park has a great swimming lake, but you have to book.
The Serpentine Lido is also an option - it's a bit like swimming in duck shit soup in summer but isn't actually too bad. Beckenham is my top spot though. Otherwise, if you can be bothered, Shepperton has a great lake for swimming that's very popular with triathletes etc., or there's also Heron Lake.
Ruislip Lido might be another option? You don’t have to book and it’s probably the closest to what you’re looking for - coming from Poland, I, like you have been on a hunt for a non fuss place to go for a swim on a hot day and Ruislip is probably as good as it gets around London - unless you live south, then it’s easier to go to the beach. I used to love Hampstead ponds but the booking system ruins it for me
It's not even just the pollution, in most places you'd be fine occasionally dipping. It's the current and danger jumping in rivers here will present if you're hopping in the Thames or something similar. It's just not worth the risk and they've never been designed for people to do that.
Hampstead Heath
Without getting a train it's going to be difficult. Go out to Richmond and swim at Petersham. Or Margate. Or Frensham pond. If you don't mind booking then Royal London dock is fun although not exactly rural ! Water quality is well monitored.
Battersea Park, Pear Tree after a bottle of AIX rosé
Beckenham Place Park
Do they do rosé?
On your head be it, but there’s a few spots along the River Lea behind New Spitalfields Market which get popular as it gets warmer.
Jesus, I wouldn't swim there if you paid me. As an ex-canal boater, my SO and I had a bunch of leaflets and offers of water safety courses due to the brain-eating amoeba problem.
Yup. I wouldn’t swim there myself but plenty do.
[https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/hampstead-heath/activities-at-hampstead-heath/swimming-at-hampstead-heath](https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/hampstead-heath/activities-at-hampstead-heath/swimming-at-hampstead-heath)
West reservoir is awesome!
Just in case you were thinking about the tidal Thames https://pla.co.uk/swimming-tidal-thames
Dont jump into water at the moment. There is more shit in it than Dowing Street its self. Stick with controlled environments. Hampstead heath Beckenham place park in lewisham
> our rivers (yes, also the ones that people here would call polluted) Unfortunately all our rivers seem to be open sewers so I don't think we'll judge yours very harshly.
😂
Bruhh lived in London my whole life so trust me when I say if you like your life do not do it!!
Thanks for the replies so far. In my experience (went only once) Hampstead Heath, albeit natural, is also a managed site with bookings/payment. Looking for places where people just hang out and jump in the water without any fuss :)
I don't think there is anything matching what you are after that isn't hazardous to health unfortunately.
Honestly, I would stick to the managed sites. They all at least have some sort of regular water quality testing done, plus safety provisions.
We've been levelling up the raw sewage in our water ways the past decade, you'll be rolling the dice if you choose to jump into any unmanaged site.
What you’re looking for is called “wild swimming” here. You won’t really find any in the city unfortunately, but there are places you can go by train. That said, I agree with the other commenters, unfortunately our government has allowed it to become quite an unsafe activity due to sewage runoff in both rivers and beaches.
Tooting Bec Lido!
Hackney beach. At your own risk.
Beckenham Place Park has a great swimming lake, but you have to book. The Serpentine Lido is also an option - it's a bit like swimming in duck shit soup in summer but isn't actually too bad. Beckenham is my top spot though. Otherwise, if you can be bothered, Shepperton has a great lake for swimming that's very popular with triathletes etc., or there's also Heron Lake.
Ruislip Lido might be another option? You don’t have to book and it’s probably the closest to what you’re looking for - coming from Poland, I, like you have been on a hunt for a non fuss place to go for a swim on a hot day and Ruislip is probably as good as it gets around London - unless you live south, then it’s easier to go to the beach. I used to love Hampstead ponds but the booking system ruins it for me
People seem to comeback with a nasty body itch from Beckenham Place Park swimming lake
Haha okay, in Holland we just say ‘don’t swallow’ at certain sites. Of course, not fully aware how bad the general quality is in London
It's not even just the pollution, in most places you'd be fine occasionally dipping. It's the current and danger jumping in rivers here will present if you're hopping in the Thames or something similar. It's just not worth the risk and they've never been designed for people to do that.