Eleanor Noyce | Lifestyle Reporter
Published June 22, 2026 11:51am
Updated June 22, 2026 11:51am
If you’ve taken a glance at the weather forecast this week, one thing is clear: it’s about to get seriously hot.
In London, today’s temperatures are set to reach 29°C; by tomorrow, it’s going to hit 36°C, while Wednesday could see highs as dramatic as 40°C.
Brits will be flocking to outdoor pools to keep cool, but with tickets to popular lidos like London Fields and Brockwell selling out fast, it’s not easy to nab a ticket.
So if you’re looking for an alternative outdoor swimming spot that isn’t constantly going viral, we’ve got an overlooked spot that may not be on your radar: Park Road Lido in Crouch End.
Built in 1926, when outdoor swimming experienced a huge uptick in popularity, to this day, the pool is a joyous place to escape the oppressive London heat, with glistening blue waters and ample lane space.
As is standard, it’s divided by speed, with space for speedy, medium and slow swimmers, and an extra open area for general frolicking.
The lanes are only open for those aged 12 and above, but there are dedicated family slots for parents with children.
It won’t break the bank either. Admission costs £9.95 for an adult, and spaces are bookable in advance.
Sure, we aren’t going to claim it as some form of oasis that’s completely immune to an uptick in visitors during warm weather. Looking at this evening’s bookings, the ideal post-work slot (4.30pm-5.30pm) is sold out, and it’s the same on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
But if you do fancy flopping by the poolside at the end of the week, though, there’s still space for a 60-minute swim at the same time on Friday. What a way to end the week.
There are also countless slots available all week, between 7am and 4.30pm, as well as a completely clear diary on both Saturday and Sunday, when London is set to reach highs of 27°C and 26°C respectively.
Another green tick for Park Road is the fact that there’s plenty of green grass available to stretch out on afterwards, rather than the standard concrete you get with many London lidos.
With a bit of sun cream, a book and a nice cold drink, you’d be forgiven for thinking, just for a moment, you were holidaying in the south of France.
‘A piece of heaven’
Among North Londoners, Park Road is regarded as an absolute gem.
In a Google review, Chrissy Kelly described it as a ‘wonderful lido in the heart of Crouch End,’ while Cinzia Ferrari said she comes ‘here to swim almost everyday.’
‘This lido is a piece of heaven and keeps me sane,’ Carolyn Stephens added.
‘The pool was lovely and clean and spacious…so nice to be outside in a spacious pool in the city,’ another user, who goes by the name of R, said, describing it as ‘gorgeous.’
While there have been a few complaints about the general state of affairs (with some customers citing a lack of toilet paper in the bathrooms and a smelly gym), others have pointed to the fact that it’s a council-run leisure centre, rather than ‘facilities at a Premier League football club.’
Speaking of London’s swimming gems, Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, a 50-metre swimming pool suspended in the River Thames, opened its doors last week.
It’s also London’s first-ever floating swimming spot, which is pretty major.
Billed as an ‘urban oasis,’ the water is all natural, and there are six lanes to choose from. And the fun doesn’t need to stop once you’ve finished your lengths, either, as there’s a food and drink menu for you to enjoy poolside.
Price-wise, one hour of lane swimming costs £10, while there are a number of concession rates available at £8.
So, with the Met Office saying there’s a strong chance the record for June’s hottest temperature (35.6°C) could well be broken this week (which was recorded twice: once in Camden Square in 1957, and again in Southampton in 1976), which pool will you pick?
Other lidos in the south of England for a cold dip this summer
Again, if a bit of lido tourism tickles your fancy, there are plenty of similar options across the south of England.
Last month, the historic Brightlingsea Lido reopened for the summer. The Essex spot sits right by the sea, and while it was originally a creek, in 1932, it was converted into a tidal saltwater pool.
It’s pretty cheap too, with adult admission costing just £7.50, and children over two can enter for £5.50 — under twos go free. You can also hire inflatables for £4.50 and sunbeds for £2.50.
That’s not the only option. New research has revealed the best spots in the world for a refreshing cold water dip, and Brockwell Lido in South London has made the list.
Assessing the top 20 destinations across the globe, the study ranked each one based on the number of positive reviews, and it came in 19th place.
That’s right: not just in the UK, but the entire world.
How’s that for a strong summer plan?
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