The second heatwave of Summer 2026 has arrived, and Londoners are better prepared this time. After the scorching days in May, finding a place to cool off has become essential. Fortunately, London boasts numerous lidos, alfresco pools, and reservoirs. Many offer more than just a splash, with cafes, saunas, and sunbeds. Grab your swimsuit and explore the best options.
Brockwell Park
Location: Dulwich Road, SE24, fusion-lifestyle.com. Brockwell features an Olympic-length pool, health suite, and fitness centre. Open from 6:30am most days, it offers workout classes like outdoor yoga and zumba. Follow your swim with a visit to the Art Deco Grade II-listed Lido Café.
Oasis Sports Centre
Location: 32 Endell Street, WC2H, better.org.uk. This heated rooftop pool, just five minutes from Holborn, is the West End's only public outdoor heated pool. It gets busy on warm days and is less than 30m long, but its location is ideal for weekday dips. Open until 10pm on weekdays, it also has squash courts and a gym.
Parliament Hill
Location: Parliament Hill Fields, NW5, cityoflondon.gov.uk. This 60m unheated pool on Hampstead Heath is popular for its cleanliness and scenic setting. Adult-only sessions are available from late May. The on-site cafe is excellent, and the stainless steel liner gives the water a unique metallic shimmer. Under 16s and over 60s swim free before 9:30am. Open every day of the year.
Hampstead Heath Ponds
Location: Hampstead Heath, NW5, hampsteadheath.net and cityoflondon.gov.uk. The swimming ponds are a highlight, with three options: a men's pond, a women's pond, and a mixed pond. For a quieter swim, choose segregated ponds. Children must be accompanied, and single-sex ponds are for over-8s. Families usually gather at the mixed pond.
Park Road Lido
Location: Park Road, N8 8JN, haringey.gov.uk. After an £8 million makeover, this lido boasts a 50m long and 23m wide pool, new changing rooms, a cafe, and a children's pool. Open from 6:30am, sessions can be prebooked online. It has been operating since 1926.
Tooting Bec Lido
Location: Tooting Bec Road, SW16, placesleisure.org. Closed since late 2022 for refurbishments, London's oldest lido (over 90m long) reopened last year. It features a new UV filtration and water purification system, an on-site shop, picnic area, and cafe. There is designated parking and a hoist for disabled swimmers. Open from 6am.
London Fields
Location: London Fields, West Side, E8, better.org.uk. The 50m heated lido offers lane swimming and classes for improving speed and technique. Relaxed sessions for parents and children are available. After swimming, visit the cafe or sunbathe on the deck.
Sea Lanes Canary Wharf
Location: Newfoundland Place, Canary Wharf Estate, London E14 4BJ, sealanescanarywharf.co.uk. London's newest pool, a 'floating lido' on the Thames, opened on June 19. It features an unheated 50m, six-lane Olympic-sized pool filled with filtered dock water meeting EU Bathing Standards. Later this year, it will offer open water swimming, paddleboarding, and more.
Beckenham Place Park Lake
Location: Beckenham Hill Road, BR3 1SY, ptpcoaching.co.uk. This wild swimming spot in Lewisham was refilled after decades dormant. Lifeguards are on duty, and prebooking is required. Swimmers must be over 8 and able to swim 25m unaided. Respect wildlife; duck mites may cause 'swimmer's itch' when water exceeds 16°C. Paddle boarding and yoga are available.
The Serpentine
Location: Hyde Park, W2, royalparks.org.uk. Sunbathe with views of London's skyline. Open to the public from mid-May, the water is shared with ducks and swans but regularly tested. Food and drink are available at the Serpentine Bar & Kitchen or Lido Café and Bar.
Hillingdon Sport and Leisure Complex
Location: Gatting Way, Uxbridge, UB8, better.org.uk. Formerly Uxbridge Lido, this Grade II-listed 1930s spot has a 50m heated pool with fountains. Restored in 2010, it offers sunbathing and poolside food. The complex includes 3G football pitches, a 400m athletics track, and an indoor pool.
Hampton Pool
Location: High Street, Hampton, TW12, hamptonpool.co.uk. Two heated pools: a 36m main pool and a learner pool for children. Open year-round, including Christmas. The main pool is sometimes divided into lanes. After swimming, visit Royal Bushy Park next door.
London Royal Docks
Location: 27 Western Gateway, E16, londonsroyaldocks.com. A welcoming spot for all swimmers, from beginners to pros. Annual membership (£15) is required alongside a £9.50-per-swim fee. Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate are available; bring your own mug.
Charlton Lido
Location: Hornfair Park, Shooters Hill Road, SE18, better.org.uk. A fully heated 50m pool, refurbished in 2013 for £5m. Features two sun terraces, a gym, and a fitness studio. Eight floodlit tennis courts are nearby. Open from 6am, it's lovely in the evening.
Finchley Lido
Location: Great North Leisure Park, High Road, N12, better.org.uk. An unheated outdoor pool that opens only when temperatures exceed 20°C. Worth the journey for a swim, followed by bowling, cinema, or indoor sports. There's a grassy terrace for sunbathing.
Pools on the Park
Location: Richmond Park, Twickenham Road, TW9, richmond.gov.uk. Two pools: a 33m outdoor pool open year-round, kept at 24°C. Facilities may be tired, but the setting is unbeatable, with deer roaming nearby. Swimming lessons for all ages, plus a fitness suite and indoor cycle studio.
Stoke Newington West Reservoir
Location: Green Lanes, N4, better.org.uk. Not a pool but a place to cool down for hardy types. Unheated water with no lanes, offering a sense of freedom. Respect the wildlife and enjoy the open space.
