Parliament Hill Lido With Kids: What to Know First

Every summer, parents ask me the same thing: “Is Parliament Hill Lido OK for kids, and is it as cold as people say?” The short answers are yes, and yes. It is one of my favourite places in North London to get a family moving, but it pays to know the rules and the realities before you turn up with three excited children and one towel. Here is my practical guide, plus how to turn the lido into a habit that actually helps your fitness.

Parliament Hill Lido: the basics

The lido sits on Gordon House Road, at the south-east corner of Hampstead Heath. According to the City of London’s lido page:

• It is a 60-metre open-air pool, unheated, and open 365 days a year.
• Hours are longer in summer and shorter in winter.
• In summer, days are split into sessions, some bookable and some drop-in, and a booking system runs.
• Evening sessions are adult lane swimming only.
• Payment is cashless.
• Lifeguards are on duty, and there are showers, toilets and lockers (bring your own padlock for the medium lockers).

Water temperatures are posted at the lido and updated online. Check it before you go. A cheerful 22 degrees in August is a very different swim from single figures in February.

Bringing children: the rules that catch people out

These are the ones I see parents surprised by at the gate:

• Everyone under 16 must be with an adult.
• One adult can supervise up to four children under 16, and no more than two of them can be under 8.
• Under-8s must be supervised by an adult in the water with them. So if you have a little one, you are swimming too. Bring your costume.
• Floats are allowed in the shallow end only, and you bring your own.
• Under-16s swim free before 9.30am with proof of age. An early start is cheaper and quieter.

On hot summer days it gets very busy and they may use one-in-one-out queuing. Booking a session, or going early, saves a lot of tears.

Cold water safety, for you and the kids

Unheated water is a shock to the system, literally. When you get into cold water your breathing can speed up and become gasping for a short while. That is why I am strict about these steps:

1. Get in slowly. Use the steps. No jumping in for the first swim of the day.
2. Control your breathing first. Stand in the shallow end, breathe out long and slow, and only start swimming once your breathing settles.
3. Keep the first swim short. Kids especially. A few minutes is fine early in the season.
4. Watch for shivering and blue lips. Get out, dry off and get warm layers on straight away. Pack a hat, a hot drink and a snack.
5. Do not stay in to prove a point. Building up slowly over weeks is how cold-water swimmers do it.

The lido does not run cold-water induction sessions and strongly advises winter swimmers to read its cold water swimming guidelines first. Please do.

Health check: cold water raises your heart rate and blood pressure. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or any ongoing health condition, speak to your GP before cold-water swimming. The NHS page on high blood pressure is a good starting point. If you have recently had a baby, wait until you have had your postnatal check (usually around 6 to 8 weeks) and your GP is happy before swimming, and longer after a C-section if you have been advised to.

Making the lido a fitness habit

Lots of families go once in a heatwave and never again. If you want the lido to build your fitness, think of it like a class you show up to. Here is a simple 6-week plan for a parent who can swim but is not a regular swimmer.

Weeks 1 and 2: get used to it

• 1 or 2 visits a week, in the warmer months.
• Swim 4 lengths easy, rest at the wall 1 minute, repeat 3 times. Breaststroke is fine.

Weeks 3 and 4: build steady swimming

• Swim 6 lengths continuous, rest 1 minute, repeat 3 times.
• If the kids are with you, alternate: your set, then 10 minutes playing in the shallow end with them.

Weeks 5 and 6: add effort

• Warm up with 4 easy lengths.
• Then 6 rounds of 1 length a bit faster, 1 length easy.
• Finish with 2 easy lengths and a warm shower.

Swimming is gentle on the joints and great for your heart and lungs. Pair it with two short strength sessions a week and you have a really well-rounded routine.

Make a day of it

The lido is right next to Parliament Hill, the athletics track and the playground and paddling pool, so it is easy to combine with a walk up the hill or a picnic. My guide to a Hampstead Heath family day out has ideas for the rest of the day. If the lido is too cold for your crew, my post on working out during kids’ swimming lessons is a good indoor alternative.

Where a bootcamp class fits

Swimming builds your engine but does not do much for bone strength or the lifting, carrying and bending of parent life. That is what I focus on in class. A couple of my parents swim at the lido on the weekend and come to bootcamp in the week, and they say the strength work makes their swimming feel stronger too. If you want something that leaves you buzzing rather than wiped out, try my SYP Recharge energy class.

FAQs

Is Parliament Hill Lido heated?

No. It is unheated all year round, so the water temperature follows the weather. Check the posted temperature before you go.

Do you need to book?

In summer there is a booking system, with some sessions bookable and some drop-in. Outside summer you can usually just turn up, but check the opening times first.

Can toddlers swim at Parliament Hill Lido?

Yes, but an adult must be in the water with any child under 8, and there are limits on how many children one adult can bring. Bring your own floats for the shallow end.

Is cold water swimming good for you?

Many people love how it makes them feel, but it also carries real risks like cold water shock. Build up slowly, never swim alone in cold water, and check with your GP first if you have any heart or blood pressure issues.

Book your first class

Want a stronger, fitter body for summer lido days? SYP Bootcamp runs 45-minute small-group classes in a church hall in Archway N19, indoors and weatherproof, with no more than 10 people and easier and harder options for every move, all for £15 a class. Book your £15 class here or call or WhatsApp me on 07301 512215. If you would like a plan built just for you, here is how my 1-1 personal training works.

About the author

Artem Olekhnovych is a personal trainer in Archway and the founder of SYP Fitness and SYP Bootcamp. He has coached clients in Archway, Highgate and across North London for over 10 years, and runs small-group bootcamp classes for busy mums and dads. Read reviews from his 1-1 clients.