Parliament Hill Lido

Parliament Hill Lido stands on the southern slopes of Hampstead Heath in north London, beside Gospel Oak railway station. It is an unheated open-air swimming pool open every day of the year. The pool first opened in 1938 and is owned by the City of London Corporation, which also manages the wider Heath. The lido is one of only three unheated winter swimming venues in London. From September to April it opens only from 7 am to noon for early morning swims. The pool is nearly identical in design to Victoria Park Lido and Brockwell Lido. It was designed by Harry Rowbotham and T. L. Smithson for the London County Council Parks Department. In 1938 the construction cost £34,000, making it the most expensive of the thirteen LCC lidos built between 1920 and 1939. Visitors find a 61-metre by 27-metre pool with a stainless steel lining added in 2005. There are hot showers, cycle racks and a paddling pool for children. The lido was Grade II listed in 1999 after earlier refurbishments that included CCTV and safety upgrades. Nearby Highgate Ponds offer additional swimming options within a short walk.