Hampstead Ponds

Hampstead Ponds is a generic term often used for the various Hampstead and Highgate ponds on the West and East sides respectively of Hampstead Heath, North London, England. These ponds are fed by the headwater springs of the River Fleet, and three of them are now large freshwater swimming ponds — two designated single sex, and one for mixed bathing. The swimming ponds are three out of some thirty ponds in total on Hampstead Heath. 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 holds the Heath in trust since the abolition of the Greater London Council in 1986, 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 admission of £2 per session, £1 for concessions. There was some opposition to this on the grounds that swimming there had been free since at least the 1920s, and some ticket machines were vandalised.Swimming pondsHampstead has three different ponds for swimming: one for men, one for women and one mixed. Only swimmers over eight years of age are allowed; those between eight and 15 years old must be in the care of an adult. Winter swimming is sometimes available at the ponds, which remain popular with users.The men's pond had a diving tower, but this was dismantled following an accident in the 1970s and only a low level board remains, along with showers and a small sunbathing and changing area.