Skip to main content

Parliament Hill Lido


Water temp: 12 degrees

Thursday morning pre-work swim. Twelve degrees? "Scalded cats fear even cold water." Apparently 'tis true. There's a nip in the air and not a hint of sunshine. I sat on a bench for 15 minutes memorised by the big, blue expanse of blueness, the only living thing it contained was a rubber clad man, even he was wearing rubber boots and gloves. Snap out of it. I busied myself arranging my clothes on the bench in a sad attempt at buying time.

Yes, the water was cold, took my dear little breath away. Sun came out briefly for my first couple of lengths, managed to swim 10 this morning. Praise the lord of hot showers for my hot shower this morning.

Returned to bench to find a pigeon had crapped on my lovely white Fred Perry t-shirt. Apparently that's an omen of good fortune, so's tingling hands, but that could be the cold.