Outdoor Swimming

We were travelling home from Nottingham today, but that didn’t stop us packing a lot in.  I was up bright and early and down in breakfast by 6:30 and then on to Caffe Nero by 7.  I was back with Debbie and heading to Newark by 10.  My Mum lives in Newark, so that’s why we normally visit, but it’s a lovely town and it’s on the way to Lincoln, today’s destination, so it made sense to stop.

We took the opportunity to walk along the river Trent and also the short stretch of canal in Newark and then back and into the town centre where I stocked up on food from my childhood bakery, Curtis’.  I just love the food from there, almost all of it, but today I constrained myself to a chocolate crispy and an egg custard (called a custard tart in these parts). 

We left Newark and headed to the Whisby Nature Reserve cafe, which had fantastic views out over the lake.  Mum had cycled into Lincoln today to get her bike checked out and had met with my brother in Caffe Nero there.  She’d cycled back to meet us for lunch.  It was great to meet up with her and so funny that both me and my brother had both asked to meet up on the same day, after a couple of months of neither of using seeing her.

Lunch finished we made a short hop to the Activities Away water sports centre where Mum and me went swimming.  I’ve grown very fond of outdoor swimming these last few weeks, so I was quite surprised that Mum has too and that she was planning a swim today.  Previous swims of mine has been quick cooling dips, but today’s swim was 800 metres and very varied, with the depth of water and types of weed and lake bed changing every few minutes. It was cold but I managed it well and sprinted the last third, watching the shoals of fish dart out of my way.  This was my longest swim for a year or so, definitely an experience to repeat.

Sadly while getting out of the water I slipped on the jetty and banged my leg quite badly.  I didn’t think anything of it though until an hour later after dinner at my aunt and uncles I noticed a very raised bruise.  Pete gave me some ice and Dawn gave me more egg custard. While Debbie drove I strapped the ice block onto my leg with my cold wet towel and by the time we got home the swelling was mostly gone and I’m looking forward to tomorrows activities.

I’m very tired now though, I said to Debbie that I’m not unpacking anything tonight, just typing this blog post and getting to bed, I might just setup my replacement Fitbit though!