Poolside Percy

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.