Poolside Percy

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.