Hannah Talbot doesn’t think she could live in north London without the reservoir a short cycle from her flat. The 33-year-old audio producer swims there at least twice a week — more when temperatures creep above 30C — and describes the water as “the lifeblood of London”. But every time a heatwave hits, her relief is mixed with dread.
The popularity of wild swimming in the capital has exploded in recent years, with hundreds descending on a newly designated stretch of the Thames at Teddington during the last heatwave and new freshwater swim sites opening across London. Yet the boom has also exposed the limits of a city still deeply conflicted about how people should use its waterways. Teenagers drown jumping into rivers, sewage alerts force swimmers to check pollution maps, and wildlife campaigners warn of fragile ecosystems being overwhelmed. On Hampstead Heath recently, swimmers have been accused of disturbing nesting swans and cygnets during one of the hottest weeks of the year.
