You don’t need to be an Olympian. The Royal Docks has a “swim bouy” system. You just swim along a floating line. You can’t get lost. Even if you tried, you’d just hit the concrete wall. The water is shallow near the edge, so you can waddle in like a confused penguin.
The Best Lidos & Outdoor Swimming In London
Book a session online. It’s cheap. Cheaper than a fancy brunch. You get a 60-minute slot. You’ll spend the first 10 minutes gasping, the next 30 minutes grinning, and the last 20 minutes pretending you’re not tired.
Pro tip: Bring two towels. One for the shock of getting out. One for the inevitable puddle you leave on the tube. Wear a bright swim cap. You are a human buoy. Embrace it.
The best part? It’s laughable
Let’s be real: swimming in a dock is a little bit silly. You’re in a massive concrete hole filled with water, surrounded by cranes and glass buildings. You’re wearing a rubber hat. You have water up your nose. But when you’re floating on your back, watching the London skyline wobble, you feel completely alive.
You’ll get out, shivering, with wet hair, and walk past a Pret a Manger. The people inside are eating sad sandwiches. You are a warrior of the dock. You have conquered the cold. You smell vaguely of brine and victory.
So, just do it. Go for a dip. Laugh at how weird it is. The water is waiting. And the seagulls are watching. They’re judging your stroke technique. Who cares? It’s the Royal Docks. It’s open water. It’s absolutely, brilliantly, wonderfully bonkers.
