Since stopping work in London last year my open water swimming has dropped right off. I haven’t managed to replace my weekly dip in the Serpentine with one in the Frome at Farleigh Hungerford despite now being a member of the club or even a quick dip in the Avon that I cycle alongside every day. This is primarily to do with time. If I do have time on my cycle from Bath to Trowbridge I am more likely to go to the university to practice in the 50m indoor pool. Over the last couple of weeks I have managed to enjoy a few outdoor dips. Firstly at Parliament Hill lido on Hampstead Heath. Although it is a little municipal looking, the water is lovely – clear and relatively un-chlorinated and it is big. It also has a kind of reflective metal bottom which makes the water sparkle even more. The real surprise was how quiet it was. Maybe it was because it was before midday when we arrived and of course its size, but it seemed oddly quiet. Of the people that were there, many were kids and there was a diversity of backgrounds and cultures. The following day Steve and I went to the men’s pond on Hampstead Heath. I’d been past a couple of times and never ventured in. The setting is beautiful but first you face the changing area. The construction is functional at best. The novelty is the nude sunbathing area, random yoga practice and uninhibited staring by some of the men. It’s a bit disconcerting if you aren’t used to it. Once in the water it is tranquil and calm, and the water is clean and soft. It is so different from the Serpentine. The pond is large enough for a good swim around but probably not so great for long distance practice so I guess you wouldn’t get so many triathletes and channel contenders. It feels cosy because it is mostly bordered by trees and bushes, the Serps feels much more open. It also has a sprung diving board which encourages play and silliness. The Serps has a more clubby feel out of the water– it is a club after all – with it supply of tea, biscuits and banter. The men’s pond feels more friendly in the water. I really kick myself that after working so close to this lovely spot for four years I only swam in it after I left London.
The following week-end we went camping at Hartland Point in north Devon . We went for a walk to get our bearings and spied the waterfall at Spekes Mill. A bit later I went for a run to the waterfall and saw that it fell into two pools. I climbed over the notional barrier the down a vague footpath to the pools. The water moved quite quickly and I can’t say that I really swam and I didn’t even go under the waterfall. Caution got the better of me as I was alone and no one knew I was down there. Still it was great to get in the water. The following day, after the rain cleared, we went to Bude. As well as a sandy beach there is a large pool built in to the cliff which refills with water every high tide. This water is a little warmer than the sea and as well as being a bit more pleasant for kinds it allows swimmers to plough up and down without being thrown around by the swell or getting in the way of surfers. I’m not sure how long it is and I only did a few laps, but there were a couple of more dedicated ORCA wetsuit wearing chaps who made a better job of it.
Off to Lake Como this week-end. Swimming in a warm Italian lake doesn’t have the same heroic resonance as swimming outdoors in the UK . Might be more pleasant though.
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