Christmas and New Year swimming at Hampstead ponds

The Men's Pond and the Kenwood Ladies' Pond will both be open on Christmas Day - with early closing at 11.15am for staff to have a break too.

Opening times will stretch to 2.30pm on New Year's Day to avoid a rush at dawn, while also giving time for hangovers to settle.

Dr Jon Goldin, who lives in Belsize Park, has been swimming at the ponds for the past eight years but said this year he "may not be around".

"In past years I've swum at Christmas. There's a group of hardy souls. It is fun when you do it, there's a sense of community and a load of slightly mad people coming together.

"It's a time of goodwill and joy to your fellow man and all that and it's quite a nice thing to do together."

Dr Jon Goldin says cold water swimming is 'invigorating, it's refreshing, it cleanses you of your stress. It's good to be out in nature' (Image: Richard H Smith)

The 57-year-old advocates for open water and cold swimming. 

"I've been going for eight or nine years now. I'm a child and adolescent child psychologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital so my job can be quite stressful. 

"If I can go for a swim at the end of the day it's a good transition before going home. In the morning it sets me up for the day.

"It's invigorating, it's refreshing, it cleanses you of your stress. It's good to be out in nature.

"It recharges your battery, I think it's good for your immune system, I haven't been getting any colds this winter, it might be partly related to that."

Sheila Fitzgerald is a regular at the ladies' pond and will be "opening presents" with her family on Christmas Day.

"New Year's Day is really special," she said. "I was bought up as a Christian so it's almost like a baptism. 

"I love swimming first thing in the morning, it's like anointing yourself into the new day.

"The beginning of new year it's a lovely thing to do. I think it's obviously very symbolic.

"It's also always wonderful to be with the community of women there."

The chilly temperature of the Kenwood Ladies' Pond during Christmas week (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

June Thorpe, 72, who lives in South End Green, only started swimming this year. 

"Last New Year's Eve at a party, after I'd had several glasses of champagne, my friend said: 'I'm going for a swim in the pond in the morning, will you come with me?'

"I said 'no' but that I would start going and do it this year, and now I'm addicted."

June swims twice a week in the pond and twice a week in an indoor pool for distance. 

"You can't swim 800m in the pond at this time of year, not if you don't want to end up in hospital."

Nina Dogmetchi, who now lives in Muswell Hill, is going to give it a miss.

Fresh from a swim Nina Dogmetchi will avoid Christmas and New Year's Day as the Ladies Pond gets 'too crowded' (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

"Everyone can go to the men's pond on Christmas Day. There are families going and it's a lot of fun.

"I'm not coming this Christmas Day - it gets so crowded.

"Traditionally some people only come on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

"There are so many people, so I avoid it.

"I come all the time - I've been coming since I was a kid - but not Christmas Day."

Members of one group who may brave the chilly waters are the Bluetits.

The Bluetits Chill Swimmers group began in Wales in September 2014 and is now worldwide.

Women are welcome to join informal swims arranged in groups.

The London Bluetits meet for a chilly swim at the Kenwood Ladies' Pond (Image: Nathalie Raffray)

Yasmin Balboa, who lives in Enfield, set up a group in London in March 2020 just before the Covid lockdown.

The group now has 1,200 members and Yasmin will post on Facebook inviting women to venues all over the capital.

"I swim here on New Year's Day," she said. "I've done it the last two New Year's Days. It's a nice way to start the year."

Bluetit member Petra Maudgil, who lives in Muswell Hill, said: "I come here once a week. I do distance training and do that in a pool. This is a fun activity."

She added: "I might come on December 24. I am from Slovakia and that's my Christmas.

"Outdoor swimming has become more and more popular. We were in Devon last New Year's Day. About 1,000 people jumping into the sea. It was incredible."

City of London Corporation, which runs the ponds, asks people to remember the risks involved in winter swimming, including hypothermia, cold shock or sudden immersion syndrome. It recommends warming up slowly with multiple layers.

Single sessions cost £4.25 or £2.55 for a concession ticket. Payments can be made by cash (no change given) or contactless card.