4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside the most A-list lido in London that only costs £5 to enter – with Harry Styles and Andrew Garfield as fans
THE weather is heating up, summer is on its way, and there is a UK lido where you can go for a swim as well as a bit of celeb spotting.
Celebrity-loved places are often exclusive to high-end clubs or restaurants, but Hampstead Heath is one where even 'normal' folk can visit for less than a fiver.
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The Hampstead Heath ponds and lido are a popular spot for locals and A-listers
Credit: Alamy
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There are three outdoor ponds and a lido on Parliament Hill
Credit: Alamy
There's the mixed pool, as well as Kenwood Ladies' and Highgate Men's pond - and there's Parliament Hill Fields Lido just down the road.
The natural bathing ponds attract around 700,000 people every year and are often described as "a treasure" and one of "London's fantastic green gems" by visitors.
Despite feeling quite secluded by those who visit, there are lifeguards on duty.
Read More on UK Lidos
None of the swim spots have changing facilities, so you'll have to wear your swim gear underneath your clothes. There are toilets and an outdoor shower.
Lots of swimmers like to clamber out and enjoy a picnic on the grassy banks afterwards too.
With lots of celebrities calling
Harry Styles, the ex-One Direction star, has been seen multiple times enjoying the bathing ponds.
Most read in City breaks
One summer, he had temperatures soaring even higher when he
One onlooker said: 'He kept a low profile and went mostly unrecognised. He was swimming laps and practising his diving.'
Easter Sunday sunshine shots on Hampstead Heath and in Kings Cross
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Parliament Hill Lido is unheated and open all year round
Credit: Times Media Ltd
Hollywood A-lister
According to
Comedian
Back in 2018, Kendall Jenner stripped off for a project that was filmed in the ponds for Love Magazine's 10th anniversary issue.
Spider-Man, aka actor
Talking to
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During the summer swimming in the ponds has to be booked in advance
Credit: Alamy
During busy periods in the summer months (starting May 26), you will need to book a slot before heading down to the ponds or pool.
Tickets are available through
Bookable slots are between the hours of 12pm and 6pm with each being for for a 50 minute swim session.
Tickets are released through Eventbrite on Mondays at 12pm for the following seven days (Tuesday to Monday).
The morning sessions between the hours of 7am-11.30am and the evening sessions between 6.30pm-8.30pm are on a first come first served basis.
If it's busy, then there will be queues outside - which there often are when temperatures rise.
The
and
Kenwood Ladies' Pond
are open year-round.
Hampstead Mixed Pond
is open from mid-April to October and in
winter
it's only open to members of the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club
.
For any regulars, it could be worth
investing
in a season ticket.
For Parliament Hill Lido this costs £240 for 12 months. A year-long membership to the ponds costs £150, and a combined membership is £268.
For anyone not in the capital,
And good news for any
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The London lidos are a popular spot to cool off during the summer months
Credit: Alamy
