Our village swimming pool

Our village pool is better than any other swimming pool I know of.

Normal swimming pool:- Sometimes not the cleanest of water; smells of chemicals; usually indoors; high ceiling - metal or glass; usually bright lights; pay to enter (unless you have your own); you get told off if you make a noise; normally 25 to 50 metres long.


Our village swimming pool: lovely clear water – trout can be found there; smells of fresh leaves and wild flowers; outdoors; shelter from the trees; dappled sunlight; free entry to all; you can laugh and shriek as much as you like (except your friends will grumble if you shriek too much); about 1 mile long (from where the river enters at one end of the village to where it leaves at the other end).

From our house this afternoon, we could hear the shrieking and laughter coming from the river that runs behind us (there is a small piece of Woodland Trust land and a footpath that separates us from the river). I took a walk down there to investigate and maybe get some insect photos whilst I was there in the meadow. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I think every youngster over the age of 10 was there in the river, along with three adults, one dog, and some ponies looking down from the other bank (you can just spot a Shetland pony in the background, between the trees).

I asked them if they would mind me taking some photos, and they were more than happy – as long as I send them some copies.

They were having a whale of a time, and it certainly looked the best place to be in the heat of the afternoon.