Photos captured of Parliament Hill Lido in dramatic thunderstorm
You’ll probably remember on Saturday that a huge storm blew through London. Guests at the Parliament Hill Lido in Hampstead were recalling how staff told swimmers they’d “be cooked” by the lightning unless they exited the pool.
One swimmer told City PM that staff were telling people to get out of the famously stainless steel swimming pool before the weather worsened.
“A pretty dramatic thunderstorm was looming as we arrived with lightning bolts striking to the north,” one swimmer told us. “We’d barely swam a length when the whistle blew and a lifeguard ordered us out of the water otherwise we’d ‘be cooked.’
The swimmer “huddled with a group of half-naked people” under a tent for two hours, counting the gaps between the thunder claps and the lightning bolts to work out how far away the storm was. “I’ve had my fair share of solitary swims at this lido, and don’t get me wrong I love them. But on a rainy afternoon in August, is was quite lovely to be with people and to try and stay dry,” said the swimmer.
Luckily for everyone, the staff handled the situation well but these dramatic photos show the famous Lido in an entirely different light.
The Parliament Hill Lido was opened in 1938 and is an unheated pool all-year-round. It attracts hardy swimmers who readthe website’s rather intense cold water swimming advice which includes notices about hypothermia and cold shock response.
There’s a sauna too for warming up in after a freezing cold swim.
You can book swims at the Parliament Hill Lido on the website; September is typically a lovely time of year to go.