An exhibition of photographs by Ruth Corney Lauderdale House, N6; 15th-27th January 2008

A new photographic exhibition showing Hampstead Heath through the eyes of its visitors opens to the public next month.

Taking The Plunge: An exhibition of photographs by Ruth Corney features around 50 images of the Heath – focussing particularly on the lido and bathing ponds - which capture the changing seasons. These include a summer downpour at the Ladies’ pond, a deserted, snow-covered lido and the Christmas Day race at the Men’s bathing pond.

Ruth said: “I try to capture the Heath as it appears to all those who use it – the architecture and wonderful reflective qualities of the water at the lido, the unique stillness of the Ladies’ bathing pond and the different atmospheres at the lido and the ponds." Further information at www.ruthcorney.com

| Hampstead Heath | 5 January 2008; 9:28:43 PM |# | | Discuss |

"A couple of years ago, the City of London authority, supported by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, tried to stop people swimming here on winter mornings. The swimmers brought a judicial review and triumphed against the risk-averse killjoys. Since then, the City, which assumed responsibility for the Heath after the Greater London Council was abolished, has installed a ticket machine charging £2 per swim that the rank and file have scrupulously ignored. They're quite right. Buying a ticket to swim in a pond is like paying to climb a mountain, walk through the woods or lie on a beach - the patenting of our natural highs.

For when you emerge dripping and glowing from the Men's Pond you are not only alive, you have slaughtered your woolly mammoth. In a flash, our atomised existence of email, mobile, iPod and BlackBerry is buried under an avalanche of endorphins."

.... "Gonadal contraction is the answer, then, to winter blues. Just don't go telling the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

(Via New Statesman - Cold water, hot blood: .)

| Hampstead Heath | 16 November 2007; 10:29:54 AM |# | | Discuss |

"HEATH bosses have been left counting the cost of the summer washout as open air swimmers refuse to take the plunge. The number of bathers braving Parliament Hill lido has plummeted after one of the wettest summers on record"

(Via Ham and High Express Bad weather sees Parliament Hill lido's profits plummet: .)

| Hampstead Heath | 30 July 2007; 4:08:00 PM |# | | Discuss (1 response) |

"A WOMAN'S dip in Hampstead Heath ladies bathing pond turned into a horror movie scene when she had the fright of her life on Saturday morning. The woman was enjoying her swim when she saw a disembodied hand coming up through the water towards her"

(Via Ham and High Express Fears come to the surface for Pond swimmer: .)

| Hampstead Heath | 18 May 2007; 11:28:50 PM |# | | Discuss |

SWIMMING groups are gearing up for another battle after figures revealed that cash raised from charging at the bathing ponds is set to fall well short of targets.

The City of London Corporation introduced the controversial £2 voluntary charges at the three bathing ponds on Hampstead Heath on July 1 last year.

With one month left to the end of the swimming season, Heath bosses have collected just £33,619 - a long way below the £80,000 target.

In autumn, the corporation will review all the original options for bathing on the Heath, which included closing the ponds to swimmers.

Sally Taylor, chairwoman of the Mixed Pond Action Group, said: "I think they will either make paying compulsory or cut the hours the ponds are open.

"I think if this starts again they will find a high level of resistance and the whole caboodle will start again." ...more ---> ...

| Hampstead Heath | 21 August 2006; 7:45:11 PM |# | | Discuss |