Poolside Percy

Wow, outdoor pool heated to 30 degrees, tropical times in Somerset. Beautiful art deco frontage. Score:   ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ You lucky, lucky people.

Roasting hot day in London, about 31 degrees. I'm on my Vespa burning down the A303 towards Somerset. Thanks to the Outdoor Swimming Society I've found myself an outddor swimming hole to cool off in. Apparently 'Figheldean Mill Pond is first mentioned in the Domesday Book, and there was a mill here right up until the late 1950s when it was demolished.' Sounds perfect. Anyway, after driving round in circles for a bit I found the sacred spot. Amazing, sun was setting behind the trees. I swam out in to the cold pond, it's much cooler than the men's pond. The flow of the river pushed me back, I didn't fight against it. Splashed about and ducked my head in a few times. I heard my veggie sausages rolls calling me from the bank, washed them down with some Irn Bru, I felt rejuvenated. Rolled on through Wiltshire towards Somerset.

Water temp: 21 degrees After work swim. Beautiful evening but still felt a bit gloomy after yesterday's events at The Lido. Decided to see if I could swim a lap around the perimeter rope, front crawl, non-stop. Swam anti-clockwise, not sure if there's wrong way or a right way, maybe someone could let me know, I seemed to be in a small minority, Midnight Express? Job done, lap completed, duathlon not looking so daunting. Left my wash bag and goggles behind.* Found a good blog about the ponds * Went back next day, bag was where I left it. Nice. Photo: cold pond water

Bad, bad day at The Lido: Camden New Journal Very tense. Knife and fist fights. Escorted my son home then went and found sanctuary in The Men's Pond.

Water temp: 19 degrees Oh yes. Monday morning, The Lido is looking great, not a cloud in the sky. Swam 10 lengths, I wish I had the day off. Never mind, summer holiday looms... Handed in duathlon application form.

Water temp: 19 degrees Summer in the city. School's out. Sunday swim. Finally got GF over The Lido. We had a lovely time swimming, chatting and lazing about at the deep end. Went home to watch more Games on Thrones. Realise that Tywin Lannister is played by Charles Dance who often swims at the Lido, thought he was just a regular regular.

Quick trip, quick dip. In town seeing my very pregnant sister. Earlier this year Pells Pool asked if they could use my photo for their summer leaflet, in return I would get a free swim. Happily cashed in my swim free. Lovely, lovely afternoon in Lewes, shame I felt so shabby. Pool looked inviting but scary, too many Jaegermaisters last night Jaigermaister. The worst dive ever later, I swam in the laned off bit, bloody freezing that side of the pool, that's where the fresh water comes in, much warmer in the middle. Really didn't have my swimming arms, legs or head on today, didn't even bother with a hat, think I managed about seven lengths before heading off to my sister's.

Friday afternoon frolic. I don't often venture here, pond is smaller, more shaded and maybe a bit cooler than the men's pond. It is also deserted. I guess cold pond water is not everybody's cup of pond water. It's still a very beautiful place. I think this is the first of the ponds I swam in when I were a lad. Swam a couple of laps before heading off to Westbourne Park for much fun and end of term games. Here comes the summer. Photo: the urban swimmer

Water temp: 18 degrees Early morning swim, well it's 8.30 which counts as early in my book. Lots of activity as there's a photoshoot going on. How many people does it take to take a photo? About 20 apparently. Forgot towel and trunks, geezer on the door sorted me out. Sun is out again, grab some well it's hot. Swam 10, cool, refreshing lengths. Chatted to a regular or two, rolled off to work.

Photo: Tony Hall Water temp: 19 degrees Early evening ablution. Place is pretty deserted. I find a dead bee in the pocket of my swimming shorts I stand with my toes wrapped around end of the diving board surveying the pond. I count one, two, three swimmers, no there's another, four. Someone swims beneath the jetty, that's five. I'm not contemplating anything, just taking it all in, goes beyond saying. One bad dive later and the lord of all he surveys is off his perch and is now nothing but a splash and few bubbles. Wonderful stuff this swimming lark. I do two laps and and head/sped to Belsize Park. Photo: tonyhall

Score:   ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ Sunday morning. Woke up on J's floor with the sun burning in my face and my throat scorching with thirst. Another great, late night, no dinner. Fab. Trip to The Royal Cafe on Fleet Road left me feeling bloated but hungry for a swim. Quick burn down to Brixton on my Vespa was in order. Brockwell Lido, overlooked on one side by Brockwell Park and council flats on the other. Slightly smaller cousin of Parliament Hill Lido. Lots of Ivy on the walls, lifestyle fusion gym going on somewhere, cool clock where it should be. Lido Cafe? Lots of skinny-white Brixton folk enjoying  alfresco halloumi etc .  Big and beautiful pool, widish lanes, not a lot of swimmers in any of them. Water is deep and gorgeous, set my self a target of a mile, that's 36 big 50m lengths. Had the lane to myself for the first 20 lengths, this morning's micro hangover is now a vague memory. Feel overlooked by chattering, munching middle classes in the 'cafe', I turn on the...

Water temp: 21 degrees (apparently) Late Saturday afternoon swim. Pool virtually empty, cloudy - although a slither of blue sky looked promising. Set myself a target of 20 lengths, plenty of time to achieve target, chance of lazing around on a bench staring vacantly in to the distance afterwards. As promised, sun sort of strayed outfrom behind it's cloud for a while. I plodded on. Nice chat with E's mum, lazed around on a bench afterwards staring vacantly in to the distance. Sun arrived with  a burning passion at 6.30. Picked up an entry for for the duathlon, might happen.

Water temp: 19 degrees Wednesday after work swim. Arrived at 5:20, plenty of time to fart about and have a decent swim. Overcast, blue patch of sky looked promising, swam a few lengths. Sun came out for while, Lido looked beautiful. Humongous black cloud threatened a downpour. Enough weather, I was really determined to get past 30 lengths, never swam more than 30 lengths at The Lido. At length 29 I was stopped by Ruth Corney , she wanted to take my photo under the amazing black cloud, I happily obliged. Swam length 30 and got out, another time. Got soaked on the way home. Photo: Ruth Corney

Sunday afternooningtons, arrived at 4pm, sky a little overcast, the big yonder black cloud spelled rain. Surprise, surprise, I spot my sister arriving, at least I think it's her. She always gets in at the shallow end, I wave from my vantage point at the benches near the deep end, she doesn't wave back. I walk over to the pool edge and wave some more realising that it's not her and I'm waving at a bikini clad stranger. Eventually she realises that her brother is waving at her and she waves back. Oh joy of joys, we swim together, she alternates between front-crawl, breaststroke and backstroke. The rains starts to spitter spatter, we laugh like children, it reminds of Sundays long ago, days out with Mum and Dad, playgrounds in the snow, last swim, last ones in the Lido. The sun comes out, we have the whole sparkly pool to ourselves, we glide up and down our personal oasis, it belongs to us. My sister only ever does 20 lengths, she leaves me for other duties. I...

Thursday morning pre-work swim. I had an interesting conversation with my sister t'other day, she felt her love of the Lido was waning. However, she went on to explain that her love returned when the sun shone and El Lido sparkled again, simple as that. Thursday morning pre-work swim, the sun is out and The Lido is sparkling, the sun is bouncing off the little bubbles that run off your fingers, the stainless steel lining is a big cauldron of sunny, sparkly love. Lido devoid of regulars this morning, very irregular. The Ladies In Hats chat so much that they have to stop swimming. Lovely and glorious.

Water temp: 20 degrees After a successful book buying spree on my Vespa up-west and despite the melancholy weather, I felt a quick dip was in order. I'd been to Covent Garden and Piccadilly so Oasis would have been logical, but somehow lane swimming with a load of machos wasn't doing it for me. Besides the ponds are free, especially with my all inclusive season ticket, not that I've ever paid. Weather got more miserable the closer I got, one way or another I was gonna get soaked. Two laps of the pond. Three boys practised their dives off the springboard. In the changing bit (it's not a room) a boy asked his Dad if Cruyff was better than Zidane, good question. Sped off to GF's for total soakingtons and loads of curry and nice with the European ladies.

Sunday, early evening, pre-roast swim. Cloudy but warm. Busy day landscaping, needed to wash the sweat, sand and soil off of me. Again, more ducks than swimmers, managed one lap and a couple of lame dives. Sped off for roast dinner with DW and lots of European ladies. Spain win Euro 2012. Do not adjust your set, Torres really has scored. Well done him.