Hampstead Ponds

Hampstead Ponds or Highgate Ponds. are three large freshwater swimming ponds — two designated single sex, and one for mixed bathing — fed by the River Fleet in Hampstead Heath, England.

They were originally dug in the 17th and 18th centuries as reservoirs. A malarial marsh was drained by the Hampstead Water Company in 1777 to meet London's growing water demand.

In 2004, the City of London Corporation, which operates the Heath, tried to close the ponds on the grounds that they were an unsustainable drain on their expenses and posed a health risk to swimmers. The swimmers challenged this and won a victory in the High Court. To defray costs, the Corporation introduced a charge for swimmers of £2 per session, £1 for concessions. There was some opposition to this. Some of the ticket machines were vandalized.

The Three different Ponds

There are three different ponds for swimming - one for men, one for women and one mixed-sex. The men's pond has a reputation as being very popular with gay men, boxers and weight lifters.

Getting There

The Men's and Women's Ponds are located on the eastern side of the park, off Millfield Lane. The nearest tube stations are Hampstead or Archway (both on the northern line). Unfortunately neither of these stations are very close to the ponds and require a 15 minute walk (through the park from Hampstead, or on the road for Archway) or are better by bicycle. The mixed-sex pond is in the centre of the Heath, more easily accessed from Hampstead Heath train station from where it is a 10-15 minute walk.

The Ponds are referred to as "Highgate Ponds" on [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=highgate+ponds&sll=51.564373,-0.15707&sspn=0.045032,0.160675&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=51.564399,-0.156083&spn=0.011258,0.040169&om=1http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=highgate+ponds&sll=51.564373,-0.15707&sspn=0.045032,0.160675&layer=&ie=UTF8&z=15&ll=51.564399,-0.156083&spn=0.011258,0.040169&om=1 Google Maps] :

References

* [http://www.londonpoolscampaign.com/hampsteadponds London Pools Campaign] advocacy website.
* [http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/living_environment/open_spaces/hampstead_heath.htm City of London Corporation] Swimming facilities on Hampstead Heath
*"The London Encyclopaedia", Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, Macmillan.

External links

* [http://www.compulink.co.uk/~archaeology/hampstead-heath/ponds/ponds.htm Detailed guide to the ponds] with photographs, by Andrew Selkirk, editor of Hampstead-based Current Archaeology magazine.
* [http://www.gmaptrack.com/map/locations/501/1902 Map of the River Fleet] with links to locations with photographs, including the ponds.