Hundreds of swimmers returned to a protected wildlife pond on Hampstead Heath for a third consecutive day during the Bank Holiday heatwave — scaring nesting birds, kicking ducks off inflatables and swimming through waters where cygnets were only thirteen days old, as furious residents accused authorities of standing by and doing nothing.
The scenes at the Model Boating Pond, a no-swimming zone that sits at the heart of a wildlife sanctuary created with £50,000 in public donations, have provoked some of the sharpest public anger seen on the Heath in years. Footage posted to Instagram account @swansofhampsteadheath showed boisterous swimmers throwing beach balls, performing somersaults and blaring music as ducks and swans retreated to a small section at the back of the pond. In one incident, a group of girls was filmed kicking a flock of ducks off an inflatable. In another, swimmers were seen approaching the secluded spot where the birds had fled.
Perhaps the most distressing footage showed a swan prodding one of its eggs with its beak after it had fallen into the water — an apparent consequence of the disturbance. A witness later told the Daily Mail that one person had sat in the swan’s nest “as if that was something funny to do,” and that the swan subsequently abandoned the nest along with its unhatched eggs.
The sanctuary at the Model Boating Pond was the subject of a conservation project completed in February and March 2026, in which the City of London Corporation used donations to remove the causeway connecting the pond’s island to the mainland, establishing 0.17 hectares of protected habitat alongside 100 square metres of new reedbed. The aim was to allow wetland birds to feed, rest and breed without interference from the public.
It has been comprehensively overrun. Revellers stayed in the pond until 2am on Tuesday with music blaring. Residents said they were left crying in the street over the Bank Holiday weekend as the disruption continued late into the night.
Highgate resident Josephine McCarthy told the Daily Mail: “It’s absolutely terrible what they’re doing in the wildlife lake. They are violating absolutely everything it’s supposed to be and it’s so upsetting. They’ve been going in the water with sun cream on, which is so dangerous for the wildlife. Everybody is absolutely furious, we’ve been literally crying in the street. The City of London Corporation is supposed to be managing it, but if they can’t even protect the wildlife, then what are they doing with their funding?”
Another resident said: “This pond is sacred and they are not allowed in that pond. There’s an enormous sign that you can see from f***ing space. They were all in there on Monday with beach balls like they were at the beach, while birds were trying to rescue their eggs.”
Instagram account @swansofhampsteadheath wrote: “COL continue to show they are either unable or unwilling to provide sufficient staff to properly manage the non-swimming ponds. The same people return to the pond the moment officers leave.” The account said that no fines had been issued and that the enforcement amounted to swimmers being “temporarily cleared from the water” before returning.
Parliament Hill Lido — a separate and legitimate swimming venue on the Heath — was closed on Wednesday due to “unacceptable behaviour” from swimmers, with one café user reporting that a person had been struck over the head with a vodka bottle.
Alderman Gregory Jones KC, Chair of the City of London’s Hampstead Heath committee, said: “The recent conduct of some visitors swimming in non-lifeguarded ponds is utterly appalling. Swimming is only permitted in the Mixed, Ladies’ and Men’s Ponds for safety reasons. Entering other non-lifeguarded water bodies is extremely dangerous, against our byelaws, and causes significant harm to wildlife habitats. The Constabulary will take enforcement action where necessary, including issuing fines or making arrests.”
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shared footage of the scenes on X, describing it as “ignorance for all to see.” Veterinary professor of animal welfare Andrew Knight posted on Facebook: “The signs are there. The nesting season is the same every year. We expect nature to be resilient. But resilience isn’t a free pass for selfishness. Is my brief pleasure worth more than a bird’s life?”
The RSPB warned that disturbing nesting birds during peak season risks causing parents to abandon eggs and chicks. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, intentionally or recklessly disturbing wild birds near their nests carries a fine of up to £1,000.
