WICKED in WASTWATER

WICKED IN WASTWATER

It had been thought about, dreamt about, talked about....and then the date was decided...29th September a date with a full moon!!!! oh now there is was something to look forward to. Wastwater is Britain's highest deepest and longest glacial water and that was going to be a treat to share. Having taken a trip with my very good friend Dorothy Mills, it was decided from the minute we turned up at the venue, the swim we took just added to the experience.....it was a place to be shared.

And as per normal the time flew by and before you could blink said weekend was upon us! The arrangements had been made, meet at the Wastwater youth hostel, were some had book in for the weekend others for Saturday evening, the staff at the hotel had been wonderful, reserving numerous rooms for our swimmers. Fab news! Endless rain throughout the summer and recent floods made it a worry, would people be able to get to the venue, i truly hope so. And so it seemed they did! The roads were fine, the sun peaking from behind the clouds! Unfortunately the roads to get to Wastwater tend to invite at times those drivers who desire to linger is matched only by their inclination to brake at every corner, signpost, sheep, other traffic and who knows what else! But we made it there in one piece to be greeted by the sight of ....swimmers!!! Fantastic news.

Introductions made and soon the chatter flowed as if life long friends were meeting up for a reunion. Checking into our room, i headed down the palatial stairs of the hostel, a wonderfully old building still retaining many of its charms. Its character quite fitting and matching the majestic scenery surrounding it.

Soon more and more swimmers arrived, some camping, others booked into local bed and breakfasts, and wonderfully some who travelled the distance to swim and who would journey home after the swim. The swim was delayed slightly whilst we waited for any others who may have had difficulty during their journey, but then it was time to get changed and head to the waters edge for the group picture.

So with proof that all swimmers were alive when they entered the water, it was time to head towards its wonderful depths, i hung back, i love listening to peoples reaction when they get in the water, after the initial chants about the temperature, an echoing chorus of wow, brilliant, its so clear and so on and so forth. You see there is an issue or two with swimming at wastwater, the first one is the distraction of the amazing scenery, the second is the view under the water which is equally as wonderful, head up or down you will be simply blown away by all that you can see. Its so easy to race along and miss all around you but this water begs to be appreciated, the screes that surround you demand attention, its hard not to be impressed! The water temperature.....12 degrees!!!!!

 

 

Some swimmers had decided to swim the length of the lake (3 miles) others the width (approx 1200m), some halfway and back, we had a real mixture and wonderfully everyone had gelled! What a shame we could not do this every day of our lives!

 

 

The determination of some of the swimmers to swim the length of the lake was incredible, as you are swimming along you can see the cars slow to watch you (probably uttering the usual comments of  nutters, what are they doing etc), walkers stand agape as we power past them, stopping to wave and shout hello generally motivates them to resume their walk once their curiosity has been satisfied, one walker even stopped and retrieved his bino's to watch our progress!

 

 

 

Half way along the lake the weather changed, the swell rose and the chop started to get exciting. The rain pelted down and for a short moment stung the face, but the increased surge in water added to the speed we swam. As quickly as it arrived, it vanished to be replaced by flashes of sunshine which served to highlight the beauty below. Wastwater is fabled for it history and divers frequent its waters as well but it still came as a surprise to see a large collection of mushroom shaped bubbles  floating to the surface from below as Gaz Bradwell and i swim over them!

 

 

 Too soon the swim was over, wow what a ride, passing the workmen laying cables was one bit that made me giggle under the water, they must have thought we were nuts, tools were down as they watched our progress. The leg is still suffering from the hamstring cramps, such a nuisance but Route Martin allowed me to draft his bubbles...the man however can not judge distance....his idea of 300 metres and mine are totally different!!!! Scott Bissett having powered his way through the water made it to the finishing point first!!!

 

 

 

Out and showered in the gloriously hot water as supplied by the hostel, and i was delighted to find the drying room that they permit us to store our wetsuits in. Vast amounts of divers clothing was soon matched by our wetsuits and cossies.!! This drying room would prove its worth later in the night!!!

 

Gaz Bradwell had travelled a fair distance and was determined to complete the length of the lake, as stated he said he would start the walk back and be picked up.....his choice of footwear however.....strange.....!!! But you could tell he was more than pleased with his acheivement!

 

 

 

So what do we do post swim....we have coffee, and chat....oh and on this occasion a rather fine bottle of whisky was offered as a post swim warmer by Route Martin!!!

 

 

 

Those that needed to return home did so in a fashion, hovering, clearly not wanting to leave, Maybelle McKenzie was rushing off to party, her life is full of fun and it never seems to stop!!! Others returned to their campsites or bed and breakfast accommodation. Those that were staying in the hostel had pre ordered their evening meals and so it was arranged that we would eat together at 7.30pm.

 

Dinner turned into a modelling affair with 'Bel' (aka Annabel Lavers) teaching us how to do the perfect pose for photo's not sure that we made it look as elegant as Gemma, my wonderful daughter and chief photographer for the day, but we made attempts!!!! I will leave you to decide on the results.

 

 

 

After the food and the posing we retired to the sitting room, a plush dark wood paneled room with a massive fireplace which unfortunately they do not light until the 1st of October, or the warmth of the fire might have deterred us from our next activity!!! You see a week prior to the Wastwater swim there had been a charity open water event, in the form of a mass skinny dip, Shirley Emmerson had taken part and clearly it had had an impact on her as prior to the Wastwater swim she has expressed an interest in repeating the experience!!!

 

 

 

Now as i said had there been a roaring log fire to sway me i might not have felt so inclined to strip off and avail myself of the same experience...but there wasn't one. So with a little, ok or maybe a bit of red wine on board and some (not that they needed any at all) persuasion it was decided that we would do it. I had been down to the waters edge, it was glass flat and actually did look inviting with the stones under the water shimmering gold under the light from my phone...mind you that was with me stood there fully clothed! 

 

Gradually we brought our towels downstairs and stowed them in the drying room, cossys on, we took the leap of faith and headed to the water. For some reason the air temperature did not appear to be as chilled as earlier.

 

 And so we crept like a pack of giggling school girls towards the still calm water, lit by a camera and head torch. Stripping quickly to only our swim suits then gingerly edging into the water, lets take it carefully we said, get in slowly and stay together....until Annabel Lavers aka Bel, performed her swan dive over and into the water landing on what is now know as Bel's rock....did we rush to her aid, enquiry as to the level of injury....nope we howled like wolves at the moon, Bel, took it in her stride and demanded a picture be taken!!! Duly taken

 

 

 Getting in to a certain depth, it was time to avail ourselves of the swimwear, and yes i will admit Shirley it was very liberating, the water did not seem as cool as earlier in the day! A rash of pictures were taken, all only for our viewing folks but here is one that we agreed could be shared...to be himest its the only one that COULD be shared. Will we do it again....i hope so, it was a hoot to do!

 

 

 

 

 



Exiting the water still giggling we rushed for the warmth of the drying room, bliss, the heat drying us faster than any towel could, dressed we returned grinning to the plush room with its leather chesterfield sofas, how wonderful would it have been to have been met by a roaring fire to toast ourselves in front of! Instead we toasted ourselves with more red wine, and a line up photo!

 

 

 

Wine finished and it was time to head for bed, but what a giggle the evening and in fact the whole day had been!

 

The next day and the plan had been to swim again then head off to find some waterfall filled pools aptly named the Emerald pools! Alas it was not to be, the rain had clearly been falling all night, there were now waterfalls gushing down the sides of the screes where the previous day had been dry stone. A triathon that attracted competators from far and wide had been cancelled such was the level of the weather!!! Indeed stepping outside and sidestepping the swan that too had decided he had had enough of the foul weather and was desperately trying to get in the building but was happy to take shelter in the porch....that was until the door was opened then the determination to stay dry became clear!

 

 

 

What a contrast from the previous day, the screes which had glowed so gloriously the previous evening were now heavily shrouded in thick cloud, the heavens had opened and the air temperature as could be expected had dropped! The rocks we had so carefully tip toed round and over the previous day were no where to be be seen such was the height of the water, we hovered trying to decide whether or not to get in...in the end the universal decison was made in the interests of safety and for those that had a long journey (8 hours for some) that we would head home and save the swim for another day....so it looks like 2013 will see us visiting hopefully enmass again. I for one can not wait....the planning will begin..and who knows it might turn into an annual event!