Cirencester lido: it's sick!

Wednesday

Cirencester Lido: Simple stuff

We cycled the 6 or 7 miles from our yurt to Cirencester on quiet country lanes in more glorious sunshine. The lido is not easy to find. It’s signed, then not signed, then suddenly signed again by the most beautifully ornate sign which leads you to believe this will be on a par with Cheltenham lido... It’s not, but, it has its own charms.

The lido sits behind the castle, creating a dramatic backdrop down one side. There is a large patio area scattered with benches and picnic tables, and you can make use of them with your pot noodle from the “Tuck Shop” after your swim if you are so inclined. We settled for cups of tea with homemade flapjack.

The pool measures 27m in length. It’s heated to about the same number of degrees and on a hot day, is the perfect temperature. It was full of the youth of Cirencester who presumably had finished their exams. (I don’t think they skive in Cirencester.) I don’t think it’s very cool for the youth to actually swim in a swimming pool either. They just sort of hang out in their clusters of similarly looking youths. As a result, swimming lengths was a bit of a navigational challenge.

The lifeguard staff at Cirencester are however very nice, and after witnessing a couple of near misses between my head and the backside of a youth or two, they offered to put a lane in! Never, at any other lido have I been offered my own lane. In true youth lingo, this was sick!

I swam up and down in the comfort of my lane, then joined hubby on a bench which we angled to the sun, tried to complete the Guardian crossword without a pen and youth-watched to our great amusement.

So go to Cirencester lido, claim a bench in the sun, ask for a lane if you prefer straight line swimming, eat a pot noodle if you must, and don’t forget 20p for a hot shower.