Finding Kenwood Ladies Pond

Trekking there required Kendall mint cake, and we may have lost our way on the Heath but once at Kenwood Ladies Pond, the dip with the ducks was fun. 

On a Friday in early November, with rain forecast, we set out to Hampstead Heath with our wetsuits and flasks of tea. We were meeting a ladies pond regular for our late lunchtime swim, and she was able to show us around the facilities when we arrived. 

The pond has vast bike parking, toilets, chilly indoor showers, indoor changing and limited storage for your belongings. The deck/pontoon is large with separate enter and exit ladders and two lifeguards keep watch over the swimmers. 

As Brockwell regulars the ladder entry was a novelty but we navigated just fine, and soon we were breaststroking circuits and catching up with our friend as we went round. The first lap took less than five minutes, but subsequent loops were slower as we cooled down. Ducks meandered past, and other ladies nattered their way around too. The atmosphere was wonderful in the water; a strong community of women swimming year round. 

Less easy was the post-swim shower and change. Perhaps it was because we were bumping up against closing time - the ponds shut their gates at 14.30 in the winter and ladies need to be out of the pond 15 minutes earlier - but it seemed hectic and less convivial than in the pond. There is very little space to place your things and lots of people in the changing room. Used to beach changing, we tried to get dressed outdoors on the deck but were asked to go back inside. 

Once out, with warm tea in our bellies, we were half way back to the bus stop when two out of three of us realised we'd forgotten items and had to go back. The staff were hugely helpful and unlocked the changing room so we could recover our prescription goggles and treasured Charlton Lido hat. 

Definitely somewhere we'd go back to, though not close to closing time. Thanks Kenwood Ladies Pond community!