the swims of 2011

Lakes and Rivers

River Cam, Newnham Riverbank Club

River Nene at Tansor and Wadenhoe, Northants

River Sava, Slovenia

Loch Lubnaig, Trossachs

Glen Etive, Western Highlands

Ellerton Lake, North Yorkshire

Easedale Tarn, Cumbria

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Lake de Presil, Italy

Cardingmill Valley Reservoir, Shropshire

 

Sea

Calshot Beach, Hampshire

Coldringham Bay, Borders

Cley-next-the-Sea, Norfolk

Madellena Archipelago, Sardinia

Outer Hebrides – between the isles off Barra

Bamburgh, Northumberland

Tenby and surrounding beaches, Pembrokeshire

Whistable, Kent

 

Lidos

Tooting Bec

London Fields

Hampton

Temperatures varying between 0.5 degrees C to 20 degrees C.

Strel Swim companions

From our trip to Slovenia with Strel Swimming Adventures. Apols to those I didn’t have a shot of. For more photos see the folder on Picasa here. Hint – watch it as a slideshow.

John and Katie

L-R: Sarah, Alison, Mrs Ape

Sandi

Speedy Clare

L-R: Ape, Angie and Shirley

Alan - google him!

James

Shirley discusses lighting with Alias

Slovenia day seven – playtime

Final day. Final swims. Met James and took him down to the canyon to play

I believe I can fly

Commando stylee

And another twist from the ape

don't try this at home kids

Mrs Ape considers her options

Before another large pizza, beer and flight home

 

Slovenia day six – horizontal canyoning

The thought of another uphill slog put Mrs Ape’s calves into spasm, so we decided to walk along the river and find the diving board we’d espied from the van enroute to one of our earlier swims. We found a cycle path just north of the hotel and walked a couple of km down until we came to a bend in the river; from which we could see the diving board a hundred metres or so upstream. We stripped into our swimmers and placed all the damageable stuff into a waterproof sack and waded up to the dining board and played for a while

flying ape

We then waded, shot rapids and jumped in off rocks all the way back to the hotel – a cool two hours of playing later.

Mrs Ape getting ready to shoot the rapids

go ape!

 

Slovenia day five – mountain walking

Up early to walk up a mountain to the ski hotel perched above the lake

Ski Hotel top right, where we were staying bottom left

Another first for Mrs Ape (she’s never been this high before, or walked for so long just going up) to continue her week of personal bests; although she did come close to cursing the ground I walk on.

Took the cable car down, after pausing to catch our breathe and consume a wonderful Radler – a local brew of beer and grapefruit juice. A view that put yesterday’s swim into a new perspective

Lake Bohinj

Before meeting up with James for some cliff jumping near the hotel.

 

Slovenia day three – Lake del Prebnil, Sava River

Another early start to drive over the border into Italy to swim in a high lake. Enroute we sang along to the Greatest Rock Hits Ever!!! – thanks Saso. Discovered that Alan is a rocker, as well as a geek; who’d have thought? And that Royal Marines can sleep anywhere under any conditions. Had a lovely cool 2km swim across Lake del Prebil

Before heading off to walk up to and swim in the plunge pool below Slap Kozjak

Mrs Ape strolling back from her plunge

We then had some wonderful local food at lunch and chatted away to three of our guides, Sandi, Thomasz and Saso, before heading off to swim 2.2 km downstream in this river

River Soca

Before driving onto a train and passing under the mountains on the way home.

Met my baby on the six o'clock to Ribcev Laz

Slovenia day two – Lake Bled

An early start to be sorted into hats. Not the thrilling experience of newcomers to Hogwarts, but the more athletic swim to a bouy and back to see who would be swimming with who. I was sorted into the pink hats (fast) with Clare; and Kate was sorted into the green hats (slowest). Back to the hotel for breakfast before a drive to Lake Bled

where we did the first of three swims. Firstly to the church – where we splashed and played for a while

then back for some lunch

fuel for the long swim!

before heading off down the length of the lake (around 2.2km) to rest at a swish lido and get some swim tips.

Slovenia day one – Lake Bohinj

Despite being on a plane surrounded by FC Samba football fans, who managed to murder Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart” by singing, “Gib, Gib will tear us apart again” for almost two hours, we arrived in Slovenia having read the papers cover to cover and mastered the quick crossword. Such are the travails of the modern liberal.

Met Saso at arrivals and piled into a transit van for an hours drive to the glorious Lake Bohinj

Where we had a quick swim

The wonderful Mrs Ape

before meeting all the other Strel swimmers. A few drinks later we were all pretty friendly and ready to start our adventures.