Lido 100: Wiviliscombe Open Air Pool (From Dorset Echo)

Lido 100: Wiviliscombe Open Air Pool

9:03am Monday 25th August 2008

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Our friend Gerry was to join us for our last swim. He had just completed the 22 mile channel distance in the local Purbeck Leisure Centre pool over a 6 day period. As we arrived at the pool, the rain started to fall but there was still a lot of patrons there. Bryn Dymott was there with his family. I had met Bryn on the previous Sunday and we had swum from Sandown to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight together after the official race had been cancelled. We stood chatting for a while with a group of ladies who were in charge. We were soon joined by Jo Harding, chairman of the trust that runs the pool and who had given us such a warm welcome last time. Jo was again lovely and quickly offered to put a lane in for us. The pool was heated to 26 degrees centigrade and we quickly swam the 60 lengths required. Now Gerry has this little reputation with his navigation and I must confess that I have been known to clatter into the odd swimmer in my time. However, it was not until just completing my penultimate length that we collided. I could not stop smiling as I swam down the final length of my 100 mile challenge.



The swim complete, we got out to warm congratulations and the offer of a hot coffee. I was able to show Jo and Alison, the diary I had kept of all our swims. We chatted for a while about how other pools operated and what they did to fund raise and keep going. It was time to leave and head back to Dorset where Diana had cooked a great celebratory supper for us. Sally (with Bella) joined us for the meal and we were able to reminisce on two joyful summers revisiting our youth.



This has been a wonderful challenge full of twists and turns. We have met some lovely people and greatly enjoyed their warmth and friendship. I have promised Diana that there will be no more challenges, at least for a little while anyway….