Outdoor pool in London

“My family and I went today to Sky Dive for the first time to celebrate a birthday. We had the best time ever. Charlie & Ollie took such wonderful care of us and were extremely patient with all the picture taking & posing. They ensured the kids & adults enjoyed the experience. Would highly recommend”

“Incredibly beautiful garden in an urban setting. And it’s free to visit. Worth going to and I’ll be back in the summer.”

“This is my fourth season swimming regularly at Divers Cove and I love it here - the large lake provides a beautiful natural environment for safe open water swimming. The staff here are always friendly and helpful. This season, there's been a great addition of freshly-made pizza on Fridays nights and other baked snacks on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Highly recommended!”

“Really friendly and welcoming staff. Well organised and well thought out safety procedures. A beautiful lake to swim in. You do have to book ahead and fill out health form, on first visit they get you to swim to a buoy and back just to check that you are confident in the water and then you can swim one of two loops around the lake, a shorter or a longer. There is a coffee van and somewhere to rent tow floats and wetsuits.”

“Lovely lake, the folks at the Watersport Centre were very helpful and friendly. They can blow up your iSup for a small fee. We paid £12 each for 4 hours with our own paddleboard/kayak, this includes your parking if you validate it at the desk. There are lockers and safe changing facilities. Will definitely be back for the evening social, many thanks. The cafe next door is good, coffee was great and they have nice clean toilets, much nicer than the ones at the car park.”

“Loved loved loved every minute of my intro lesson. Grant was a fantastic instructor making it fun and informative. I learnt so much in an hour and gained so much confidence. Would 100% recommend. Everyone who owns a paddleboard should do this before heading out solo.”

“An amazing park,lots of walking ground,lovely river and the whole atmosphere is great. It's a shame that many people don't care and litter everywhere and go fishing there even though it's not allowed.”

“A great venue for open water swimming run by a friendly and relaxed team. The water quality is excellent and when the sun comes out and the water warms up it's easily the best value for money you can get for £8 (not much more than the cost of a pint)! Every time I go my wellbeing hits 200%.”

“We facilitated our Year 12 Team Building Trip at Woodrow once again. As always, the knowledge, support, kindness and guidance offered by the Woodrow staff was brilliant! Our students were able to safely take part in a range of physical and mental challenges throughout the day leading to development of communication and team building skills. Both our staff and our students had a lovely day and glowing reports all round :)”

“Beautiful scenery. Lavender and sunflower fields. Nice walk along the river.”

“Brilliant park next to river. Enclosed area for little ones to play. When hot, the sprinkle area comes to play. Very big green area for you to picnic, put up a small gazebo, play family games etc. The toilets are clean even tho only 2 cubicles in ladies. But every time been they have been clean. Have a food hut. Very reasonable priced. The best is there long hot dogs for 4 pounds each. Overall a great free day to spend with the family. Can not recall parking prices but it was not expensive compared to other places”

“Great for walking , wonderful scenery. Has a neat little cafe. Parking is available on site.”

“Amazing local park, with a lots of space for activities, mini zoo, coffee shop and sport areas as tennis courts and etc.. Very well maintained! One of my favourite parks in London! ✨”

“The best park in London. The water park playground is perfect for kids.”

“Amazing place to run as well as a good place to take the fog for a walk. Lots of other friendly dogs and dog owners for the dog to socialise with. Only issue I had recently was on two occasions while I was running around the park, someone walking towards me looked up and purposely walked into my direct path. Unsure why this happened or what is wrong with people.”

“Bishop's Park, home to Fulham Palace with its filled walled-garden and historic tales, and lovely riverside paths and trails. Far too many off-lead dogs for my liking but lots of different spaces and a very nice space. When I lived in Fulham I was very close to here and this park was a dream.”

“## **Wimbledon Park ** Wimbledon Park is a 27-hectare (67-acre) urban park located in the Wimbledon area of London, which also serves as the name for the suburban area surrounding Wimbledon Park Underground station. This park is distinct from Wimbledon Common, which is situated on higher ground to the west. ## **Historical Background** Wimbledon Park was originally part of the Manor of Wimbledon and was landscaped by Capability Brown in the 18th century. During this period, a dam was constructed on a stream that flowed from springs near Wimbledon Common to the River Wandle at Earlsfield, creating the current lake. In the 19th century, it served as one of the residences of the Spencer family, until the 4th Earl Spencer sold the estate to property developer John Augustus Beaumont in 1846. The current park was purchased by Wimbledon Borough just before World War I and was added to the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens by English Heritage (now Historic England) in 1987. ## **Ownership Structure** The management of Wimbledon Park involves a complex structure with three different organizations owning portions of the land: - **Merton Council**: Owns the public park and lake - **All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC)**: Owns the golf course land and has taken over the lease previously held by Wimbledon Park Golf Club - **Wimbledon Club**: Owns and occupies land to the west of the lake ## **Facilities and Features** Wimbledon Park offers various recreational facilities: - Water sports including sailing, kayaking, and canoeing on the large lake - Athletics track with a 400m circuit - Tennis courts - Bowling pavilion - Beach volleyball courts - Water sports and outdoor activity center At the northern edge of the park lies Horse Close Wood, a small ancient woodland primarily composed of ash and oak trees. In 2007, a new children's water play area called Elizabeth's Pool was opened, named in honor of a local child. ## **Current Activities and Plans** Each November, Merton Council hosts a large fireworks display at Wimbledon Park, which is one of London's largest and most popular events. Merton Council has developed the Wimbledon Park Masterplan, presenting a long-term vision for the next 25 years to guide decision-making and future investments. During the 2025 Wimbledon Championships (June 30 - July 13), free viewing events with large screens are being held in partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club at various locations including Wandle Park.”

“Best experience of my life. Highly recommended. Everyone in staff was really helpful and instructor explained everything in detail for our safety.”

“Wonderful place. Very peaceful and quiet. Good place for a long walk. The forest has a sense of calm to it. Has some paths with an incline or a decline, but otherwise the level is flat. Best to visit when it's dry, as it may get muddy after periods of rain.”

“Beautiful natural escape with something for everyone! Fairlop Waters Country Park is a fantastic place to relax and enjoy nature. I visited with family and we had a lovely time walking around the lake, enjoying the fresh air, and taking in the peaceful scenery. It’s a spacious and well-maintained park with lots of open green areas, perfect for picnics, walking, or just unwinding. There are also activity options available like water sports and adventure areas, making it a fun spot for all age groups. Plenty of parking is available, and it’s a great place to spend a weekend or holiday with friends and family. Highly recommended!”

“Beautiful natural escape with something for everyone! Fairlop Waters Country Park is a fantastic place to relax and enjoy nature. I visited with family and we had a lovely time walking around the lake, enjoying the fresh air, and taking in the peaceful scenery. It’s a spacious and well-maintained park with lots of open green areas, perfect for picnics, walking, or just unwinding. There are also activity options available like water sports and adventure areas, making it a fun spot for all age groups. Plenty of parking is available, and it’s a great place to spend a weekend or holiday with friends and family. Highly recommended!”

“My 6-year-old daughter tried the Tree Top Adventure at Go Ape and absolutely loved it! The course was perfectly designed for kids — safe, exciting, and confidence-building. The staff were friendly, patient, and made sure she felt comfortable throughout. Highly recommend for families looking for a fun outdoor activity!”

“A beautiful walk around the wetland areas with lots to feast your eyes on nature wise. Our children loved it as much as we did :)”

“Today Brandon came to service my swim spa he done such a good job. He took his time and gave it a good clean. Such a kind young man. Left it all tidy and clean once he had finished the job. Bless him it was so cold outside, still he did a fantastic job.”

“Very picturesque park and well maintained. The water play looks really nice. There are a few things for little children but most things are for juniors. I really like the wild flowers next to the pavement.”

“Part of Paddington Basin. Nicely redeveloped area. Obviously small children need watching because of the water. Part of Merchant Square. Cafés including Greggs and PizzaExpress plus more upmarket food nearby.”

“Absolutely amazing pub. Great decor, lovely facilities and the staff and locals are great. Plenty of seating options available and a great place to watch sport. Will be back, especially at under £5 for a pint of guiness.”

“Lovely place to take the kids! There have a coffee and toilets and playground also perfect for family”

“What a lovely and peaceful place, I’m not gonna lie we didn’t expected to find it in that area! Very clean and not crowded as everywhere else around Wembley. If you want to get your shoes off and remember your childhood look no further.”

“You can have the view of town from the hill up there along with some horses in the way.”