Poolside Percy

I'm cycling home after running a wee errand. My route as per usual is taking me across Hampstead Heath, I'm always on the way to, crossing or passing the Heath. It's time for a late dip in The Men's Pond. The sun is setting on another glorious day in London, I'm going to catch the last few rays if I hurry. I break my usual routine and swim across the incredibly warm and silky water to the pond's last sunny spot. I turn to watch as the sun settles snuggly between the uppermost branches of a large tree. I make like Bob in the warmth of the gorgeous sunset then do a big length and a huge pre-pondathon lap before heading home.  I consider myself a lucky person and thank myself for making the effort.

Water temp: 23 degrees Wow, where did all the people go? It's 5:50, it's still warm, OK it's a bit cloudy, but the Lido is almost empty, wicked. There's probably not enough time to swim a mile but I'm gonna give it a go anyway. The sun comes out and joins me for the first few lengths. My body feels a bit shredded after a serious New York fitness DVD session in Norfolk. My lungs have sort of recovered after a few days away from London's pollution. A whopping great black cloud looms on my horizon. I eventually end up doing 22 lengths. I narrowly avoid a massive shower as I cycle through Highgate.

I'm on holiday in very sunny, very beautiful Norfolk, some place between Hunstanton and Brancaster. We cycle every day to the big open beach, you've never seen such a big blue expanse of sky. There's hardly any wind so great for frisbee chucking and general lazing around. Only real problem is the tide goes out for bloody miles. JoBee and her hubby come to visit on Friday. She's a great swimmer, she powers past me, I try and keep up with her, but she aint stopping, we swim out quite a long way. In the distance we can see a sandbank and decide to swim out to it, it doesn't seem that far. The more we swim towards it the further away it seems. We stop and have our doubts as to how far it actually is, we can just about see a huge silver seal sunbathing and a few birds on the sandbank. Land ahoy, it's Noah and Nelly. We neglected to bring a flag, but we name our new territory Sandland. The sandbank stretches for miles, I imagine myself in Frank Herbert nove...

Monday post-work swim. London is hot, hot, hot. Hottest day of the year. Lots of men and boys cooling off at the pond this evening. Big queue for the springboard, I dive off the side. Dan is there, it feels like I'm stalking him. I'm feeling a little lazy. I've signed up for the Pondathon, it's only five or six weeks away, I'm never gonna make it round unless I get my act together. I decide to swim a big lap, 340 metres, I really put my mind to this one. Despite my awkward goggleless strokes I make it round fairly easily if not a little out of breath. I perform an adequate dive and feel more confident about The Pondathon.

River Thames nr Sonning Day out in sunny Berkshire with Lola We followed the towpath down from Sonning and found this great spot to make camp by the river Thames. The occasional boat/launch/canoe/yacht chuddered past, we waved at each and every one of them. I don't do the jealousy thing, my life is full of equal riches. We dined on croissants, apricots, strawberries and grapes as the river flowed lazily by. When the afternoon sun got unbearably hot we ventured in to the cool water. We paddled up and down and had a mid-stream talk with a solo canoeist. I half expected David Walliams to come round the bend in the river at any moment. I felt like a proper wild swimmer, a small dot in the great watery expanse. A final afternoon swim was prohibited by this solo swan. Every time I put my toes in the water he/she would speed effortlessly over to investigate the strange creature in the river. No way was I going to ask if I could share their river and I wasn't going to get ...

09:45 at Parliament Hill Lido Water temp: 24/25 degrees I've taken the day off work as it's national spend the day at the Lido day, did you miss that one? I wake up early, the sky is blue, the colour of The Lido waters. I'm poolside by 08:30. The pool has been divided in to three lanes, the Lido is wide, a width is longer than your normal length, so the lanes are vast, four-five swimmers deep. I nab my favourite spot, it's a bit early for my favourite spot, it's in shade, well I'm planning to spend the whole day here. It's 09:30, I've swam 16 lengths, the pool closes for half an hour while we change sessions. The sun is marching up in to the sky with real intensity and purpose. I'm hungry, need breakfast, let's check out the gastronomic delights of the Cafe, the seventies delight of the Lido Cafe, they serve breakfast these days, I fancy scrambled eggs, the lady looks confused and suggests fried. I sit at a table, eat and watch the lifeg...

Water temp: 24 degrees Cool and cloudy Saturday morning swim time. Despite my wheezy chest and last night's tequila I manage to run this morning, not very fast tho'. I seek refuge afterwards in the Mixed Pond. Dan the lifeguard is here as ever, he can see the wretchedness in my face and stance. The water feels cool and refreshing, rejuvenating. I forget about my worries as I glide up and down the pond, I feel almost normal again. I pay my final respects to Highgate Garden Centre before heading home.