England · City and County of the City of London
Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond)
Caution. Sewage discharge 7.5km away yesterday.
Water quality only This says nothing about tides, rip currents, cold water shock or lifeguard cover. Cold water and currents are dangerous even when the water is clean. Read the local signs before you go in. What we cannot tell you.
Checked UK time
Why this verdict
- Bathing season
- Closed until 15 May (neutral factor)
- Discharge nearby
- 7.5km yesterday (negative factor)
- Annual classification
- Good (positive factor)
- Pollution risk forecast
- Normal (positive factor)
- Rainfall (24h)
- 0mm (positive factor)
- Latest E. coli
- 590 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
- Latest intestinal enterococci
- 270 cfu/100ml (positive factor)
Out of season
Weekly sampling and the daily pollution-risk forecast pause on 30 September and resume on 15 May. This verdict rests on the annual classification, live storm-overflow data and rainfall in the last 24 hours.
Storm overflows are driven by rain, so they spill more in autumn and winter than in summer. See every spill happening now across the UK.
Recent sewage discharges nearby
Storm overflows operated by Thames Water within ten kilometres in the last 48 hours.
- Ended yesterdayStag Lane CSO · into Edgware Brook7.5km from the bathing water
- Ended 9 hours agoGrosvenor Ditch CSO · into River Thames8.5km from the bathing water
See Thames Water's own storm-overflow map(opens in a new tab) →
Latest bacteria reading
Latest sample · 15 September 2026 · 2 weeks ago
- E. coli
- 590cfu/100ml
- Intestinal enterococci
- 270cfu/100ml
This is the most recent reading. Sampling resumes on 15 May. E. coli and intestinal enterococci are the indicator organisms used in the official classification.
Classification record, 2015 to 2025
Rated Excellent in 2015 and Good in 2025.
The regulator republishes this every November as a percentile over readings from up to four bathing seasons, so it describes the water's record rather than today. No classification was made for 2020, when the pandemic cut the bathing season short.
Storm overflows nearby
The Environment Agency does not link any storm overflow directly to Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond), so there is no spill record for it. There were 76 monitored overflows within ten kilometres in 2025, whether or not they drain here.
Common questions
- Can you swim at Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond)?
- Caution. Sewage discharge 7.5km away yesterday. Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond) is a designated bathing water, so it is sampled and rated every season. This answer covers water quality only, not tides, currents or lifeguard cover.
- What is the water quality like at Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond)?
- Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond) is rated Good in the regulator's 2025 annual classification, a percentile taken over readings from up to four bathing seasons. The most recent sample, taken 15 September 2026, showed 590 cfu/100ml of E. coli and 270 cfu/100ml of intestinal enterococci.
- Has there been sewage at Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond) recently?
- Yes. 2 storm overflows within ten kilometres of Hampstead Heath (Ladies Pond): 2 in the last 48 hours.
Where this data comes from
- Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right
- Contains Thames Water storm overflow data © Thames Water Utilities Limited
- Spill counts from the Environment Agency EDM Storm Overflow Annual Returns, 2021 to 2025, published annually.
- View the regulator's full profile
Other beaches nearby
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Gareth Clubb