http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/_images/misc/Features/lidoblog/lido_59.jpg

This was one of the lidos not listed in Liquid Assets but was a real joy to find. We were on a day trip this time and Diana had driven us up from Dorset through occasion bouts of light rain. We parked up and left her in the car park to whilst we made the short walk through very pleasant parkland past a statue of Queen Victoria (the flowers were a delight!) to the pool. A lovely young lady who had remembered my telephone call the day previous greeted us. The pool was L shaped and it turned out 24 metres long (my stroke counting again came to the rescue here) in the deeper part. It was set in lovely grassland close to the Thames. It also had a learner pool and a fun water feature. However, what makes these places tick is sense of fun and enthusiasm of the staff and we couldn’t have been made more welcome. We swam our 70 lengths in good time. I had recovered from my exertions from the week before (I had swum half way round Brownsea Island on Sunday and the warm water (22 degrees centigrade) felt great. Diana had popped into the pool and chatted with our friendly host who asked for her address to donate to Save the Children. Lovely people!