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Lakes and rivers for swimming in or around London

klang

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klang
There aren't many 'wild' swimming spots in London and I'm not the biggest fan of Hampstead and the Serpentine.

So - where can I go swimming in the suburbs or just outside? Any recommendations for lakes, rivers, reservoirs, canals, or similar?

I don't drive so need public transport nearby, or of course I can cycle.

I fancy a dip!
 
Redricks Lakes in Harlow has legit wild swimming in an old gravel pit. You'll need to wear a wetsuit or have a float and you've got to do an induction. They have an open water swimming club and a Facebook page.
We swim in a gravel pit opposite the Lower Lock on the River Stort. Nearest stations are Roydon and Rye House. If the park security spot you, they'll make you get out, they're enforcing the park bylaws, so weekdays are better as it can be a bit cat n mouse on hot summer weekends. Usual caveats apply, its very deep, don't swim alone, don't swim after drinking, don't attempt to swim accross (very cold in the middle). Folk do drown in the gravel pits. There are a few other swimming places up the river Lea but if I tell you where, then I will have to kill you. Where I don't recommend is the Hackney Beach (off a branch of the Lea on Hackney Marsh) or swimming in the lea in London, theres too much raw sewage in the water. It might look clean, but it isn't.
 
pinkmonkey said:
Redricks Lakes in Harlow has legit wild swimming in an old gravel pit. You'll need to wear a wetsuit or have a float and you've got to do an induction. They have an open water swimming club and a Facebook page.
We swim in a gravel pit opposite the Lower Lock on the River Stort. Nearest stations are Roydon and Rye House. If the park security spot you, they'll make you get out, they're enforcing the park bylaws, so weekdays are better as it can be a bit cat n mouse on hot summer weekends. Usual caveats apply, its very deep, don't swim alone, don't swim after drinking, don't attempt to swim accross (very cold in the middle). Folk do drown in the gravel pits. There are a few other swimming places up the river Lea but if I tell you where, then I will have to kill you. Where I don't recommend is the Hackney Beach (off a branch of the Lea on Hackney Marsh) or swimming in the lea in London, theres too much raw sewage in the water. It might look clean, but it isn't.
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fantastic, thank you!
 
littleseb said:
anybody done swimming in the Wey by Goldaming?
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It's OK, but shallow, there's a small beach about a mile and a half from Godalming on the towpath towards Guildford.

I know of two cracking swimming spots in Staines, if that's any use to you?
 
TopCat said:
I love the way they think everyone will pay to swim.
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£5 is a bit steep and £10 for half an hour canoe hire is way too much. Apparently there are half price concessions but I've not seen that on their website. There is the free bit but it's only going to be about a meter deep and not sure how large. It's being run by a private company as well which seems odd considering how much public money has been spent.

Also disappointed you'll have to swim a circuit.

Still looks great for a sunny day.
 
littleseb said:
yes please!
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Train to Staines, if you have a bike with you it is quicker but an easy walk if not. Head to Wheatsheaf Lane, go to the bottom bit which is private but you are allowed down there, get to the towpath and turn left, about 300m on is a large field with small beach, known locally as Silver Sands.

At the Laleham Road end of Wheatsheaf Lane, just past the football club is Penton Hook Road, also private but again fine to walk or cycle down (we drive and never get hassle), get to the end and turn left on to the towpath, 100m on is the lock, you are allowed to cross the lock gates then the two weirs to Penton Hook Island, head to the far end of the Island for a nice beach :)
 
Bahnhof Strasse said:
Train to Staines, if you have a bike with you it is quicker but an easy walk if not. Head to Wheatsheaf Lane, go to the bottom bit which is private but you are allowed down there, get to the towpath and turn left, about 300m on is a large field with small beach, known locally as Silver Sands.

At the Laleham Road end of Wheatsheaf Lane, just past the football club is Penton Hook Road, also private but again fine to walk or cycle down (we drive and never get hassle), get to the end and turn left on to the towpath, 100m on is the lock, you are allowed to cross the lock gates then the two weirs to Penton Hook Island, head to the far end of the Island for a nice beach :)
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great, thanks!! next day off will be spent there :thumbs:
 
Supine said:
Walk up the Thames. At some point Londoners stop shitting in it and the swimming is good.
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I swum at Chelsea 40 years ago and it did me no harm. Used to float under Battersea bridge. I did smell a bit after and still only one bath a week.
 
Anju said:
£5 is a bit steep and £10 for half an hour canoe hire is way too much. Apparently there are half price concessions but I've not seen that on their website. There is the free bit but it's only going to be about a meter deep and not sure how large. It's being run by a private company as well which seems odd considering how much public money has been spent.

Also disappointed you'll have to swim a circuit.

Still looks great for a sunny day.
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The lake I swim at charges £6 a time, has marked 450m and 750m circuits that you have to swim anticlockwise.

It has safety kayakers etc. Is dead friendly, puts on events and is a great little place.

But it's open water swimming, not wild swimming.
 
chilango said:
The lake I swim at charges £6 a time, has marked 450m and 750m circuits that you have to swim anticlockwise.

It has safety kayakers etc. Is dead friendly, puts on events and is a great little place.

But it's open water swimming, not wild swimming.
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Where's that? Roadford?
 
Supine said:
Walk up the Thames. At some point Londoners stop shitting in it and the swimming is good.
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Anywhere upstream of Teddington Lock is great. The best swimming, for me is well out of London. Medmenham, Wallingford both have ‘beaches’, Both sides of Port Meadow in Oxford on a sunny day you will see lots of swimmers and theres also a swimming race up there once a year. You can even book a three day swimming holiday where you swim and they take your luggage ahead for you.
 
pinkmonkey said:
Anywhere upstream of Teddington Lock is great. The best swimming, for me is well out of London. Medmenham, Wallingford both have ‘beaches’, Both sides of Port Meadow in Oxford on a sunny day you will see lots of swimmers and theres also a swimming race up there once a year. You can even book a three day swimming holiday where you swim and they take your luggage ahead for you.
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train to Hampton then strolling down to the river is do-able.
 
chilango said:
The lake I swim at charges £6 a time, has marked 450m and 750m circuits that you have to swim anticlockwise.

It has safety kayakers etc. Is dead friendly, puts on events and is a great little place.

But it's open water swimming, not wild swimming.
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I suppose it depends how many people use the lake and how long the season is but it could be a real money spinner for the company running it as they haven't had to contribute to the cost of opening it. I'd just prefer it to be publicly run.

The lake you swim in sounds great and hopefully this one will be similar.
 
The lake in Beckenham Place Park is opening next week (20 July).

I've swum at lots of the London open water places but there is a marked difference between places like Shepperton Lake (for triathletes, marked course, one way swimming in laps - the one time I went there I was the only person not in a wetsuit) and say Hampstead Ponds/The Serpentine where you can swim laps if you want but there are plenty of swimmers there for more sedate swimming.

There are quite a few places now opening up but mostly it is catering for the former type of swimmer. Sadly it currently looks like BPP lake is aspiring to that style - but this remains to be seen.

I was once the former but now very much the latter - or somewhere in between. I still swim for exercise but I no longer want to wear a wetsuit or get into lanes.
 
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