Lido & pool
Managed outdoor water. No current and no swell, but the unheated ones swing as widely as any river.
| Spot | Type | Region | Max depth | Walk | January | August |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bains des Pâquis, Geneva A wooden bathing establishment built on stilts over Lake Geneva in 1872 — lake water, a 100 m protected swimming area, and a fondue restaurant on the same pier. |
Lido & pool | Geneva, Switzerland | 6 m | 4 min | 7° | 22° |
| Tooting Bec Lido The largest freshwater outdoor pool in England by surface area — 91 m long, 30 m wide, unheated since 1906, and home to the South London Swimming Club's winter race series. |
Lido & pool | London, England | 2 m | 5 min | 4.5° | 19.5° |
| Hampstead Heath Mixed Pond A 1.2 hectare unheated bathing pond on Hampstead Heath, fed by spring water and opened to both sexes in 2004 — London's only mixed outdoor bathing pond. |
Lido & pool | London, England | 3 m | 10 min | 5° | 20° |
Before you get in
Cold water is the one hazard that applies everywhere in this library. Below 15 °C the gasp reflex can make you inhale water involuntarily within seconds of immersion; below 10 °C, unacclimatised swimmers lose the ability to swim effectively within minutes. Enter gradually, keep your first session under five minutes, never swim alone, and get out while you still feel fine — the afterdrop continues after you leave the water.