SUNRISE over LONDON By Dinah Sershi Founder of the Natural Wellbeing company
Now I am a member the lake has become a regular addition to my weekly swim where I am awed each time the sun rises over London and shines its warm light on this watery haven in the centre of the Metropolis. One morning, my Serpie joy was captured by a passing photographer and, by chance, I found myself in The Times newspaper, which was quite the surprise, but I love the photograph as it captures the happiness of these occasions.
T
alk to any open water swimmer and they will each have a list of very personal reasons as to why they enjoy bathing throughout the seasons but one, that I suspect is common to all, is a sense of community. It is a unique bonding experience bracing cold water together, supporting each other‘s fleeting trepidation and supping celebratory hot tea whilst enjoying the endorphins post-swim. These connections come together in many different ways; friends venturing a new experience together, formal clubs, informal clubs and random meet ups, with each one bringing its own magic to the occasion. This Spring I was fortunate to become a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club. The ornamental lake that takes centre stage in London’s Hyde Park was the idea of Queen Caroline in 1730. The Serpentine Swimming club was formed in 1864 and the first ladies were allowed to swim when the Lido was established formally in the 1930s. Throughout the decades, the swimmers have attracted the attention of the media where puzzled journalists and photographers seek to understand the pleasure the lake affords.
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MENOPAUSE LIFE SUMMER 2022
Last Spring, I spent many a Saturday and Sunday morning in the Hampstead Heath mixed ponds, it was an elixir after the winter lockdowns and I was keen to continue to swim here during the winter months. To do this, I became a member of the Hampstead Heath Winter Swimming Club which was formed in 2005 after a successful court case against the Corporation of London, that allowed members to swim through the winter months. Many may wonder why people would fight so hard to swim in a pond in the middle of winter but those cold swims amongst a community of likeminded people are precious. Surrounded by trees and nestled into the leafy beauty of Hampstead Heath in North London, the pond is the perfect size for winter swimming.
