If it wasn’t so bloomin’ cold, might we expect our intrepid wimmin to be besporting themselves in the wild? I have my doubts… I was talking to a Tough Guy at TLC this week who is training for the Coniston Swim (Saturday 20 June 5.25 miles end to end if you fancy a challenge) in Ellerton Lake. He was swimming for I hour and 40 minutes in a wetsuit in water temperature of 14C. Hero! (Frozen Hero). So, me and Ruth won’t be there for a while.
Meanwhile… a saner choice for full body immersion is Teesdale Leisure Centre on the fourth Saturday of the month from 4-5pm where the water is warm and inviting and heroism is on a more modest scale, e.g. sticking your head under and spoiling your hairdo, swimming lengths rather than breadths, wearing a bikini because you’ve always wanted to and who cares? The sisterhood is there to support you!
Earlier this month Liz took this rather splendid photograph of a couple of heroines (one in a bikini!) in Port Patrick, Dumfries and Galloway, Irish sea swimming in the Irish Sea. I remember when I swam in the Irish Sea off the coast of Anglesey in June, my teeth were chattering so hard my jaw ached and I was still shivering the next day. So, hats off to you wimmin!
Report by Annie Clouston