End of Season Lido Party

Rather foolishly last Thursday I decided to swim in the indoor pool. The early morning was chilly and it was grey and raining. So I thought I'd 'chicken out' and swim indoors. I regretted my decision as soon as I walked in the changing rooms. They were hot, stuffy and reeked of the awful chemicals used to clean and sanitise the floors. The pool was overheated as usual and the place was airless. I'd robbed myself of a fresh air swim! The season was ending on Sunday. What an idiot!

Sunday afternoon was a pleasant 20 degrees the pool was quite. Just a few teenage lads larking about, not use to the cold water. I was the first of the 'early morning swimmers' to arrive. This was the first 'End of Lido' do I'd managed to get too. The water was refreshingly cold, a 'barmy' 17 degrees C. (Take the word barmy which way you like!) Still, it was good to be swimming and I soon climatised to the coldness of the water. The sun pushing through the thin cloud layer and the Cathederal bells pealing across the City made you feel good to be alive.

Soon the others bathers began to arrived and by 3.30 pm there were a respectably number of bodies swimming up and down for the last time this year.

Swimming over with and warmed up by a hot showers and coffee from our flasks we feasted on the goodies we had all brought for the very last 'Pool Picnic' of the year. Roll on May 2010.