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← Back to Ice BathsWhy this one made the list
An unheated outdoor pool on the southern edge of Hampstead Heath. Winter morning regulars make use of the seasonal opening hours.
Practical
- Postcode
- NW5 1LT
- Setting
- Outdoor
- First visit
- Open all year and unheated — go as early as you can (doors at 7am) to beat the queue, and change quickly since the rooms are basic. The cold eases after about five minutes; if you're trying winter, regulars warn it only works if you've acclimatised gradually through autumn first.
- Getting started
- Walk-in welcome
- Booking
- Walk-in
- Website
- Parliament Hill Lido
- @colhampsteadheath
What you'd want to know
Unheated outdoor swimming pool on the southern edge of Hampstead Heath. A stainless-steel-lined pool sits under open sky, with a red-brick Art Deco entrance at the southern end.
A broad brick-paved deck runs around the pool with timber benches and a low perimeter wall. The lido cafe sits in the original pavilion at the entry.
A long view east across the Heath toward the city; oak and beech canopy rises beyond the perimeter. Wooden barrel sauna and a shipping-container sauna sit on the deck, operated by Beach Box Spa.
Overheard from locals
- Open all year; winter mornings have seasonal swimming hours.
- Water can drop in January. You do not need a wetsuit but neoprene gloves and a hat keep your hands and head working.
- The Icebreaker swim runs in winter — worth watching even if you do not swim.
- The stainless-steel tank is striking but it can be slippery on the deck — walk, do not run, between sauna and pool.
- The regulars are a winter-morning crowd. Show up through the week and someone will say hi.