Swim Serpentine
Sat 20 Sep 2025 London, UK

Swim Serpentine

A one-day open water swimming event in the beautiful Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, central London, with a choice of distances to suit all abilities. Charity places now available for 2025.

4 races

  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #1 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Half Mile

08:15

Age 12 & over

£20

  • 0.5 mile lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #2 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

One Mile

08:45

Age 16 & over

£20

  • 1 mile lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #3 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Two mile

09:20

Age 16 & over

£25

  • 2 miles lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #4 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Super Six

08:15

Age 18 & over

£25

  • 6 miles lake swimming

Event overview

Swim Serpentine is a swimming event that takes place in the world-famous Serpentine Lake in London's Hyde Park. There are four distance options to choose from, making this the perfect event for an enjoyable and memorable open water swim.

Highlights

  • Open water swimming event

    Brought to you by the organisers of the London Marathon.

  • Iconic Central London location

    Swim in the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, London's largest Royal Park.

  • Distances for all abilities

    Festival day with inspirational speakers, kit and like-minded folk.

Event video

  • Event expo
  • Event village
  • Free venue entry
  • Spectators
  • Traders at event
  • Wheelchair users

2025 details to be confirmed.

The festival

The free Festival at Swim Serpentine is the ideal place to interact with fellow open water swimming enthusiasts before or after your swim! You can also visit one of our many stands to pick up some essential swimming kit, from goggles to tow-floats.

Swimmer safety

Your safety is the number-one priority at Swim Serpentine, so the water safety team will be standing by to assist on the day. The Swim Serpentine course will be clearly marked by large buoys, so you’ll find it easy to make your way around your chosen swim distance.

It’s a good idea to complete your chosen distance in full in a pool before the event, and also to practice swimming in open water beforehand, so you have the best possible experience at Swim Serpentine.

On the day

After swimmers have exited the water and passed through the check-out area, they will need to retrieve their bag and change – then they will be able to meet up with family and friends. Most of the Swim Serpentine event site is open to all, so meeting up with loved ones afterwards should be simple.

Swimmers with disabilities

This event supports participants with a range of disabilities at Swim Serpentine.

There are a number of measures to help swimmers who require assistance to feel safe and confident at the event, including:

  • a ramped entrance into and exit out of the Serpentine
  • assistance with entering and exiting the water
  • accessible toilets and changing facilities
     

Please note that you do not need to enter a specific wave at the event to receive support.

  • Bag storage
  • Cafe
  • Toilets
  • Urban

Event HQ

The Serpentine Lake
Hyde Park
London
Greater London
W2 2UH
UK

  • Public transport links
  • Recycling
  • Sustainability policy

London Marathons Events inspires and delivers innovation in mass participation event sustainability.

Sustainability

  • Bottles and cups

    Recycle every plastic bottle.

  • Emissions

    Reduce power usage and use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel over red diesel in generators.

  • Waste

    Separate waste to support recycling and reduce plastic with plastic-free goody bags made from sugarcane.

Swim Serpentine is amazing because you are out in the open and you are racing against yourself. You're not even really racing! You're just out in mother nature, trying to take in some of the views. There's so much more enjoyment in that than a race. Mark Durrant, Swim Serpentine two-mile finisher

Races at event

  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #1 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Half Mile

08:15

Age 12 & over

£20

  • 0.5 mile lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #2 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

One Mile

08:45

Age 16 & over

£20

  • 1 mile lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #3 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Two mile

09:20

Age 16 & over

£25

  • 2 miles lake swimming
  • Sat 20 Sep 2025
  • #4 of 4
The Serpentine Lake, London

Super Six

08:15

Age 18 & over

£25

  • 6 miles lake swimming