Poolside Percy

Dolphin Leisure Centre Haywards Heath Last gasp 2011 swim. I was slightly disappointed when I arrived and realised that I'd been here before - oh well. I wonder why they reverted to the old name? No, I don't really give a dolphin's flipper why they changed the name although it seems more appropriate to call it Olympos in 2012. Hey ho. Anyway, I've not been swimming for ages so it was a laborious rather than languid mile that I managed. Shuffled out-of-town on the train to lovely Lewes to celebrate new years eve.

What a difference a day makes. Sunday afternoon shenanigans. What started out as an innocent swim turned in to a marathon. Fifty four lengths didn't seem enough so I powered myself on and on. Felt necessary to swim 100 lengths, that's 3KM, don't think I've ever swum so far. Well done me. Even had the middle lane to myself for 30 odd lengths. Cycled to DD's for roast dinner, The Persuaders and The Golden Compass

Saturday afternoon swim. Really laboured over this one, even got overtaken by Edith's Mum. Getting bored of writing about this pool. I still don't feel at home here. I've run out of photos as well.   Cycled back to DD(AST)'s for homemade pizza fiorentina and a game of parcheesi - I didn't win.

Prince of Wales Baths pre-refurb Tuesday night post-work swim. Pretty damn busy. Ploughed up and down the middle lane. Swam a mile. Bumped in to Edith's Mum outside. Cycled home via cheap veg stall.

Prince of Wales Laundry Could also be known as St Pancras Public Baths Anyway, Saturday afternoon swim. Imagine how delighted I was when I walked through the doors of the Willies pool to find two empty lanes. By 4pm I had the middle lane all to myself. Swam a Saturday afternoon mile. Perfect. Photo is by Mike Abrahams . He used to live a couple of doors down from us when we lived on Grafton Road. We reckon our that's our Mum with her back to the camera in the second photo. Macbeth

Thursday evening workout. Found my space and pace in the lane between slow and fast. Medium I think it's called. Ended up in fast when someone who was definitely slow got in the way in medium. Had to intervene when three boys who had been having fun diving in the deep end for 45 minutes, were told by a new lifeguard that they had to swim lengths cos someone might complain that they were being intimidating. Sorry, I didn't put that very well, but there again there was no logic to her argument other than her boss might have a go at her, that's GLL for you. Cycled home for dinner with Gavin and Stacey. Photo: Camden local studies and archives (our mum used to do our washing here, I found it all quite amazing)

A return to swimming after a two-week break. Monday night immersion in Grafton Road. Was in before 5 o'clock, still loads of people in the pool, including the waitress from the café on Fleet Road, the one with the big portions. Swimmers getting in each others way, lots of splashing and waves, can't really cope with it. Still managed to blunder my way to 54 lengths. Even paid for the privilege today.

Score: ۞۞۞ ۞۞ YMCA Pool London Blagged a free day pass Nice but busy changing rooms. lots of busy gym types. Nice pool, lots of blue lights everywhere. Nice wide lanes, clean water. Laborious swim, took me another 44 lengths to get going. Quite a few fresh out the gym busy beardy bloke swimmers who swam furiously for 10 lengths, got in each others way, then dripped off. Must be quite frustrating for them. Nice showers. Wouldn't pay 40 odd pounds a month for the privilege of swimming here. For the beta male as opposed to the alpha or class C male.

Found myself near Archway so it was a Monday night swim down at Highbury pool. Pretty busy when I arrived. I found it very difficult to get going. Geezer using swimming paddles on his hands didn't help, that's cheating mate. Mellowed out a bit after the guy with the whole lane to himself finished his swimming lesson. Took at least 44 lengths to get going. That's one for every unhealthy year of my existence. Finished in style. Coconut soap in the showers is a big plus. Long cycle home again. 84.5

Parliament Hill Lido Beautiful sunny morning. OK, the pool is getting warmer. Place seemed pretty busy when I arrived. I counted 13 people in the water and 30 people in total. Took me a lot less time to get in than last week. I still love the feeling of when you jump in and hit that mid air point of no return. Still cold but I knew what to expect this week. Swam a very enjoyable 12 lengths. Overheard couple: Her: Are you enjoying your swim Him: No. It's cold, it's really cold. I'm never going to enjoy it even tho' I'm expected to enjoy it. What makes it worse is you asking me if I'm enjoying 'my swim'.  Men's showers being repaired so it was unisex wash week. Very strange. Parliament Hill Lido I hope it's sunny next week.

Willes Pool Big after work swim. Pool was pretty empty when I arrived and emptied out a bit more. Even had the middle lane to myself for a while. Kept pace with the woman in the next lane. Swam 54+8 lengths. Job done. Photo: 28 Days later

Finchley Lido October 2011 Half term family fun at Finchley Lido with sister, Bobby, DW and DD. Free swims for all via Splashpath swimming offers. Place was hotter and dirtier than ever, water was really murky. Hey-ho, they have a wave machine and the kids had fun. Managed 75 lengths (64+11). Lanes were very quiet. Home for barbequed salmon wrapped in newspaper and The Incredibles. Heard the loudest crack of thunder right above our heads on the way home.

Beautiful day in London spoiled slightly  by the smell of lager in my head. Sometimes you feel compelled to do things for no reason. Sometimes you find yourself locking up your bike outside the Lido at the cold end of October. Place was surprisingly busy, OK there weren't that many people in the pool. Some of the regulars had the startled look on their faces that said they'd been swimming. It was cold. However, I even enjoyed lengths 6 to 10. Found it hard to stand up when I got out. One long hot shower. I shivered for a while but felt great. I wonder what 10 degrees is like?

Saturday shenanigans at my old splashing ground. Place still looks as sparkly clean as when it reopened. Felt like some proper Kentish Town heroics this afternoon. Pool was quiet enough for a decent swim, set myself a target of 60 non-stop lengths, ended doing 68. Swam nearly as well as I did in the 1977 cub scout swimming gala. Willes Pool looked pretty damn amazing with the late afternoon light pouring through the glass ceiling. Afterwards I took a stroll up Grafton Road past my old house and along Queen's Crescent. Watched Chelsea beat Everton in the boozer.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 15 degrees Air temperature: 12 degrees Morning. Surprised (very) to see it was still 15 degrees, but as the man said "that's the colder end of 15". I guess these are the times when half a degree makes all the difference. There were a few other swimmers in the pool and they weren't dead (yet). The proof as they say is in the pudding. It was cold. Not cold enough to deter me from swimming 10 very enjoyable sun-soaked lengths. Wanted to do more, Saturday tomorrow... Lots of regulars, lots of chatting. The Madder Crowd. Took the option of working at home today.

Score: ۞۞ ۞۞۞ The bendy plastic tube of fate found me buying guttering at Wickes in Cricklewood on a Monday night. Closest pool, Willesden Sports Centre. Well, by my reckoning I haven't swam indoors since 5 April 2011 It's back to changing villages, tiny cubicles with soaking wet floors, health zones and hair dryers. Willesden Sports Centre is a bland, faceless place devoid of anything remarkable other than the place is so unremarkable. I think Wickes had more character. At least the pool was warm (would have preferred Lido cold at this point) and it wasn't too busy. Kids pool looked nice and warm and I bet the Brent Dolphins have a whale of a time here. Swam 64 + 6 lengths.   Fact. I used to work in Cricklewood back in the eighties.   Fear. Darling, let's move to Willesden.

Lido Clock Water temperature: 15 degrees Air temperature: 12/13 degrees "I love you Dad but you're mad" said DW. "You're brave" said Paul J.Whatever, the water was lovely, warmer than being on dry land. Well cold when I got out tho'. Pre-work swim. Eight lengths, not much I know but a man has to get to work. Chatted to one of the regulars who knows Georgina. How come I never see Georgina? Photo by STML

Parliament Hill Lido water temperature: 19 degrees Monday morning pre-work swim. The Lido returns to is normal serenity after the madness of the heatwave weekend Water was lovely and warm, a real pleasure to swim this morning. Managed 16 lengths. Photo: my dad used to do this crazy dive with his mates back in the day. Last time he tried it he woke up in hospital with three broken ribs. He spent six weeks in hospital. The Lido is a long held family tradition, my Dad was here with my Grandmother the day it opened. I've got loads of stories about the Lido...

Managed to squeeze this Sunday afternoon swim in between duties.  Packed again. Lots of boys and men swimming in pants and boxer shorts for some reason. Felt colder than yesterday. Swam about a bit and headed off to see Uncle Dready.

Highgate Men's Pond OK, now I'll admit to getting a little obsessive. There again I'm not going to get the chance to swim in the Lido and the Men's Pond in one afternoon until next year. Took a left at Millfield Lane and there I was. Hampstead Heath was camper than a boy scout's jamboree. Queues on the jetty, queues for the shower, queues for the toilet (bloke got asked to leave the premises for who knows what), flustered looking lifeguards. Hardly anyone in the water. Lovely. Completely different atmosphere to the Lido.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 18 degrees Well, well well. Summer has returned. Pre-work swim, loads of people here. Nice. Swam about eight or ten lengths, shoulder hurt a bit after press-ups yesterday. Reluctantly went to work. Resisted the crumpet with Marmite this morning. Good idea. Pool didn't close at 9:30. Odd. Opening till 3:30 during the heatwave. September is the wettest swimming month on record. Official.

Water temperature: 17 degrees Pre-work swim, eight lengths, mini heat wave. Nice to be back. Magical. Shouldn't have eaten that crumpet with Marmite for breakfast.

Water temperature: 15 degrees After work swim. Pretty damn chilly. Abandoned my usual routine and swam towards the sunny side of the pond hoping to find warm currents. Heat wave promised. Lifeguard the Lido is extending opening hours. Pint with big sister in The Bull and Last.

Lazy Saturday afternoon swim. Walked from Westminster with a mild hangover, had two cans of Coke on the way. After the vast open spaces of Parliament Hill Lido the pool felt a bit cramped, even with only three swimmers in a lane. Couldn't really get it together. Nearly bailed out after 33 lengths bur the middle lane was empty so I swam on till the lane got busy again.. Managed 45 lengths which isn't bad at all, pretty damn good actually. Bought at model James Bond car for DW, Lotus Esprit, the one that goes underwater. Could have done with one of those today.

Highgate Men's Pond Water temperature: 16 degrees Summer season over at the Lido so it's off to the ponds for after work swims. Not been here for ages and hardly at all this summer. Lovely evening, sun was still just about out. Couple of laps. Really glad I made the effort. I really don't want to go back to swimming indoors. Well chuffed with my camera phone pic. Highgate Men's Pond

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 16 degrees Last day of the summer season. Nice atmosphere today. The lifeguards were all having fun. Swam 20 lengths. What am going to do on Saturday/Sunday afternoons and after work. Hopefully the ponds will be open, but it is getting a bit cold, no hot showers at the ponds. Anyway, there's still pre work swims. My season ticket runs out in November. Counting the months till May.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 17 degrees Saturday afternoon swim. Came prepared for the afternoon. Thought I'd swim, eat, read swim, eat etc. Swam 10 lengths, ate, forgot to bring a paper, got cold, shivered, ate some more, shivered a lot more, watched the clouds, left just as it started raining.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 16 degrees After my long cycle ride with DW to school  in the morning, the Lido is a very tranquil place. Not that my cycle ride is on busy roads or anything, I just love the calmness. Really leisurely swim, managed about six lengths. The chatty ladies with the hats are back. They're chatting so much that they're almost forgetting to swim, their legs are pretty much vertical in the water. Loads to catch-up on I guess. Almost the end of the summer season. Oh well, I've made the most of it. Passed another stokerless tandem this morning.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature : 16 degrees Pre-work swim after dropping DW off at school. Lovely morning. Managed eight lengths, that's good enough I reckon.

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 16 degrees Sneaky pre-work swim. Had to swim under the pipe for the pool cleaning machine. Pretty cool machine, it's got a remote control and an auto-pilot, no wonder the pool is always so beautiful and clean. Lots of regulars in today. swam 12 lengths.

Water temperature: 17 degrees After work swim. Managed about 10 lengths. Beautiful evening.  

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 18 degrees After a hot and sweaty day at home I cycled off for late swim at the Lido. Popped in to LA Sports on Highgate Road to buy a new pair of Zoggs. Still can't find my season ticket, can't be bothered with the hassle of getting a new one. Staff are very relaxed about such things. Anyway, big black clouds revealed the odd patch of blue, but probably not enough to patch that sailorman's trousers. Started to rain as I was getting changed. One way or another, I was going to get wet. Water reheated itself to a very balmy 18 degrees. As soon as I was in I knew I was going to swim a mile today. Sun came out after about 40 minutes, even had the pleasure of a rainbow. This was turning in to a stunning swim. Pool slowly emptied out. By 6:20 is was just me and one other swimmer, I felt like offering him money to get out so I could have the place to myself. He must have read my mind, 10 whole luxurious minutes of the pool to mys...

Parliament Hill Lido Water temperature: 16 degrees After work swim. Water was a bit chilly so only managed about 10 lengths before lounging around the deep end in my boxer shorts. Beautiful late summer's evening.

Water temperature: 20 degrees Saturday afternoon swim with Karen, Tom and DW. DW last one in again.

Vespas Water temperature: 20 degrees Roasting hot day in London. DW seeing out the end of the school holidays with Tom H at the Lido. Bombed over there after work. Bumped in to Tilly. DW last one in. Nice time.

Water temperature: 19 degrees Another after work swim. Despite a lovely sunny afternoon (after this morning's downpour), The Lido was pretty deserted. Slowly getting reacclimatised to English outdoor swimming. Swam 22 lengths before we were kicked out at 6:30pm. Lost my Zoggs case. Odd.

Water temperature: 19 degrees After work swim. Sun came out to join me. Swam 20 very industrious and enjoyable lengths. Summer aint over till it's over. Cycled to Angela's for veggie pilaff etc.

Water temperature: 20 degrees Comeback swim after three weeks in Spain. Obviously I was very concerned about how cold the water would be. Survived and swam five lazy lengths.

Score: ۞۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ http://g.co/maps/8dha Very hot day in Spain. Needed a cool swim after three days of hanging out with Reckless Rachel in the soupy seas. Walked straight in unchallenged so had nada to pay. I thought it would be hot under the glass ceiling but the water was cooler than the sea. Few kids playing waterpolo, an exercise class and a semi-serious swimming hombre. I swam a very leisurely 40 lengths. Horrified at the hot showers, that was the last thing I needed. Sweated and dripped back to Rachel's for wild salmon and spaghetti. Home tomorrow.

Oh my word. Awesome. Swam to the middle on my own. Outdoor swimming or what. Water was lovely, must have been 23 degrees. Driven here by the son of the guy who built this dam. Honoured. View Untitled in a larger map

Piscina Municipal En Castelldefels Swam about 60 lengths before I realised I had an appointment at the beach...

Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, Barcelona Score: ۞۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ Wow. This place is the coolest. Outdoor Olympic diving and swimming pool with a birds-eye view of Barcelona. 

Got a massive Catalan bread bulge going on despite another big keep fit swim. Saw more evidence of the Olympics than for the World Cup winners. Odd.

Saturday swim whilst most of the locals were having a siesta. Asked for a swim in Spanish at the reception and handed over more than enough to be on the safe side. Headed straight in to the men's changing room, no messing about this time. Pool was empty bar one swimmer. Decided to take the athletes lane in the middle, if any athletes turned up I could always change lanes. Already decided this was gonna be a big swim, I was aiming for 80 lengths, that's two kilometres. Sinorita in lane dos bailed out after 19 (of my) lengths. I piled on relentlessly. The socorista sat on one of the diving podiums and dangled her toes in the water. It's kinda reassuring to have someone watch over you in an empty pool. I managed an 'ola' and a smile somewhere along the way. The Solidad de Nadador de Larga Distancia was hardly interrupted at length 56 by one of the locals. I swam on to my goal of 88 lengths and did four more to warm down. Found a really quick way of getting bac...

Late afternoon swim and frisbee throwing session on Castelldefells Beach. Waves were a lot calmer today, DD nearly swam headlong in to a jelly fish. Sweaty bus ride home for lentejas and Top Cat.

Ola amigos. Hot uphill walk to the municipal pool in Castelldefels. Indoor pool with lanes and an outdoor pool with a sliding roof. Big Olympic rings on the wall outside. Managed to walk straight in to the women's changing room, silly me didn't notice that the door frame was painted pink. Swam an Olympic kilometre in the indoor pool. Had to spend 4 Euros on an acrylic hat first tho' then managed to walk straight back in to the women's changing room. Lots of mum's and kids in the outdoor pool. It aint half hot mum. Photo is of the outdoor pool, even has a sliding roof.

2-16 August 2011 Ola. I'm at the beach with DW, VS and DD. Waves were a little rough at this long sandy beach, but OK when we swam out a bit. Lots of sol, frisbee and a last swim. There's a public pool near our apartment which I'm gonna check out tomorrow. Saw a Spanish woman pause for breath between sentences. Speechless. View Larger Map

A proper afternoon at the Lido. Arrived just after to 5pm to meet DW, Tom and Karen. DD(AST) was close behind. Lots of sunshine and noise. Water was perfect. Stayed till chucking out time. Going to Spain tomorrow. Our Man in Barcelona will be sending back reports.

Sunday morning dip with DW, cousin Bobby and Auntie Caroline. Pool has been divided in to three, one big fat lane for serious, shallow end for fun and deep end for showing off and diving. Very hot, very lovely. First outing for new Fred Perry swim shorts.