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| The Lake District |
The Triskeli
Swim Lake District Challenge - 3 Days to Swim Across 3 Lakes
A brief
poetic summary by a (fake) William Wordsworth
Friday 26 July 2024 - Day 1 – Coniston Lake
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| Coniston Lake |
I wandered
lonely as a cloud and happy as a free stray dog. Swam among sparkling waves
broke free in glee.
[Arrive in Windermere at 12 noon and
at 2pm I am in Coniston Lake for a 5.2 miles swimming in a sapphire blue choppy
water. Water temperature around 16.7]
Saturday 27 July - Day 2 – Ullswater Lake
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| Ullswater Lake |
The Ullswater Lake water reflected low rainy clouds. Swam in the bliss of solitude.
[Under a cloudy, rainy sky 7.5 miles of true wild swimming in water temperature around 15.5]
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| Ullswater Lake |
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| Windermere Lake |
In vacant
or in pensive mood, a swimmer could not but be gay. Gazed - and gazed – but little thought.
[Ten miles of cloudy & sunny and again cloudy and then sunny swimming
–
Water temperature around 18.5]
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| Triskeli Swim |
Thanks to
Triskeli Swim (Becs&Kathy) who drive and guided me, counted my strokes,
listened to my breathing, passed the feed and encouraged me without ever losing
optimism
To get an idea about Triskeli Swim see this link: https://www.triskeli-swims.com/
Here the
authentic poem by William Wordsworth - I wandered lonely as a cloud
I wandered
lonely as a cloud
That floats
on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at
once I saw a crowd,
A host, of
golden daffodils;
Beside the
lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering
and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous
as the stars that shine
And twinkle
on the milky way,
They
stretched in never-ending line
Along the
margin of a bay:
Ten
thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing
their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves
beside them danced; but they
Out-did the
sparkling waves in glee:
A poet
could not but be gay,
In such a
jocund company:
I gazed—and
gazed—but little thought
What wealth
the show to me had brought:
For oft,
when on my couch I lie
In vacant
or in pensive mood,
They flash
upon that inward eye
Which is
the bliss of solitude;
And then my
heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
By the way William Wordsworth also wrote “Guide to the Lake” a travellers' guidebook to England's Lake District, published in the 1835 (fifth and final edition).
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2056416.Guide_to_the_Lakes
To get an
idea about Lakes Poets see this link : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Poets