Charlton Lido offers a quieter alternative to popular London lidos like Brockwell and London Fields, featuring a 50-metre outdoor pool with crystal blue waters and a sun terrace. The pool is heated to around 22°C in winter and has four lanes, though lane availability may drop during swimming lessons.
Location and Access Challenges
Getting to Charlton Lido can be tricky without a Tube station. From Victoria, a direct train to Lewisham takes 25 minutes, followed by the 89 bus to Slade Green Station, alighting at Charlton Park Lane — total journey about 1 hour 8 minutes. From Brixton, two buses (415 and 53) take 1 hour 15 minutes.
Weekend Availability and Pricing
For the weekend, slots are available except for toddler splash sessions at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm in the teaching pool. Adult tickets cost £11.50, junior tickets £5.50.
Reddit users have praised the lido: @Rj-24 wrote, 'Don’t tell everyone about it, they’ll all start visiting,' while @saleslime called it 'our secret.' @NerdyNerdanel noted, 'Charlton tends to be really quiet, but it’s a bit annoying to get to.' On TikTok, @appletoothpaste1 described it as 'one of London’s most overlooked lidos, even though I think it’s one of the best.'
Other Lido Options in the South
Brightlingsea Lido in Essex reopened for summer, with adult admission £7.50, children £5.50 (under twos free), and inflatables for £4.50. Brockwell Lido in South London ranked 19th globally for cold water dips. The city's first floating swimming pool, Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, opened last week with natural water and six lanes.
