Went OW for the first time in about 8 weeks yesterday at Thorpe and while the lake looked lovely, it was fantastically weedy. Not just spots of weeds, but for long stretches I was swimming through weeds that reached the surface.
I'm not a pussy about most things in life, but really have a massive phobia about weeds. So, I didn't enjoy my swim at all. On the plus side, apres-swim, the bacon butties were generous and they have plenty of picnic benches.
Last year I swam at Datchet and they had similar problems late season but as I remember, the weeds were patchy.
Heron always used to have problems with weeds and strange rice like stuff floating on the surface but I haven't been there for years so not sure if it's still the same?
Princes Lake apparently put some UV filter thing in the water to stop the late season weeds but it is strangely closed until further notice which doesn't help.
So..... does anyone know if there's a lake West / North West London that doesn't have weeds that I can happily swim in for the next couple of weekends so I don't have to take diazepam beforehand?
Comments
Have a look at the link above Holly. Ive never swam there so cant comment on the weed situation but at least three different people have recommended it.
You can't swim at Southwater unless you're a member of one of the local tri clubs.
How come Meldy's bath counts as open water? Has she not had the hole in the bathroom ceiling fixed?
Holly, I've not been to Heron for about 5 weeks, but it was absolutely fine then, no weeds and no strange things floating about in the lake (with the exception of myself obviously!).
I'd give it another go if it's convenient for you to get to, it's run by some different guys this year who seem to be doing a good job & they have bacon butties on the go as well.
Bray lake? http://www.braylakeswimming.co.uk/
(No weeds there.)
If Heron is being run by different people and the bacon butties are up to scratch, I might give them another go.
Has anyone been to Denham?
I am sure I drove through it once
Freind Sue went I think the other week, I shall get a report from her
Thorpe was weed free and crystal clear last time I went a few weeks ago, they seem to spring up pretty quickly, so wouldn't take Heron as a cert without a more recent report!
FWIW if you don't have a massive weed phobia like Holly, Thorpe isn't too bad at the mo - better than Princes used to get late season. I ran into a patch by the first and second buoys, and then had a clear swim on the 1500 loop until the last 400m, when I had to move further into the middle of the lake.The bit just by where you get out was the worst, but only for a few strokes. They did say to me they were cutting the weed regularly now, and seemed to take note of where I said it was...going back there Tues evening so we'll see.
6:45 tonight and I will be back in.
Went to watch Swanage tri yesterday and that was flat as a mill pond (well the swim was) lol
Have you tried the Quays at Mychett?
http://www.trisportuk.org/swimming/OpenWaterSwimming.aspx
I've not swum there myself as i'm not a competent enough swimmer just yet but once i am i will be giving it a go there.
Maybe I need to employ my own weed chopper to swim ahead of me and chop the weed in late season cos even that last bit of the Thorpe swim was a bit too much for my weak heart to cope with!