Wednesday 22nd June, River Teign, Dartmoor, 4.00 and Norfolk, 21.00

Norfolk 21.00

An awful day, I wake up from a dream thinking someone is knocking on the door only to hear the rain battering the windows like bullets. Sleep deprived and perhaps a little short tempered I throw everything in the car and head off to Old Hunstanton. It is cooler and quieter than yesterday although 3 kite sufers still zip about in the setting sun. I don't hang about on the beach at all today but head in straight away. It is pretty much low tide as I bob around in the shallow water. When I return to my pile of clothes and towel, my body glows red with setting sun  not because of the cold water and I am reminded of all our winter swims and the florescent colour my arms and legs would turn after a dip. I still manage to stay in too long and arrive at work shivering and longing for a hot bath (and perhaps a quiche from Blacks MG).
JJ

River Teign, Dartmoor

SW

The south westerlies continued to lash the Dorset coast and turn our sea into a ferocious foaming mass so MG suggested a river swim as a safer alternative and we headed for distant Dartmoor and a favourite swimming spot of hers on the Teign. 

I was dubious about river swimming but happy to give it a go. Luckily MG was proved spectacularly right. The swimming spot was amazing - a sheltered hollow in ancient woods below Castle Drogo. A deep pool held back by an old stone weir. There were a couple of little jettys to help getting into the water or to dive from - clearly a popular spot in the right weather. The water was high after the recent incessant rains and was roaring over the weir and insects were skimming over the rippling peat-brown surface.

The water was soft and peaty. It felt very strange to taste non-salty water but it did feel fresher and cleaner than the sea. Swimming against the current was hard work near the weir but as the weir got closer the water became more shallow so we could stand up and not feel apprehensive about being sucked over into some kind of devilish Jacuzzi. 

The only frustration was not being able to stay in too long before getting too cold. We were starting to shiver after about 15 minutes and so headed for the bank. As we emerged it started to rain and I had to run back in to enjoy swimming amongst the splashing rain drops. Tea and cake revived us for the trek home during which we were already planning our next river jaunt...