Tooting Bec Lido

The largest freshwater pool in England is 90m by 30m and has a thriving local community of swimmers. Open since 1906 and surrounded by trees and red, yellow, or green changing cubicles, it makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. When the sun is out, the water is dazzling. There’s a decent café too. The lido is open to the public in the summer months, but only open to members October through May. In January, you can watch, or even sign up for, the Cold Water Swimming Championships—a real spectacle. Brad Pitt’s even visited.