After being left stranded on a platform in London I was anxious about travelling solo through London but I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t need to be in Brighton till 3pm so thankfully it wasn’t an early train. I had a seamless journey, with no issues, building my confidence a little bit on travelling alone again. Once in Brighton it was time to find my air b’n’b, what on earth did we do before Google maps?!
It was only a 6 minute journey from the station. What it didn’t tell me was quite how steep the hill to get to it was. I had no choice but to reverse all the way up the road, which was fine till a white van wanted to get up the hill! I arrived and met the host, who gave me the keys to my home for the next few days. It was really cute and exactly what I needed. Just a bedroom, a small bathroom, and an even smaller kitchen.
After settling in, I had a nap before going down to the sea front in the hope of a sea swim and meeting someone I’ve chatted to online multiple times. Heading down to the seafront was a bit weird because when I got there I couldn’t see the sea, it was so misty/foggy!
I met up with Nicky and we had a yummy dinner at The Harbour Kitchen and Bar. It was lovely to finally meet in person and to chat about all things swimming!
After, I had planned for a push along the seafront but given I couldn’t see the sea, there wasn’t much point. Instead, I headed back to my accomodation and got ready for the morning as I knew Friday was going to be a busy day.
—— Day 2——
Camilla picked me up at around 9.30am and we headed to Saltdean lido. Originally built in the 1930s the lido had fallen into disrepair and was due to be filled in and have apartments built on it. Instead in 2010 the community came together to save it and the building beside it so they could restore it to its former glory. It was finished and reopened in 2023. When we arrived I was impressed with the accessibility to get to the building. There was a car park opposite and a ramp down to the building. To get to the lido you have to go to the left and you’ll see it infront of you. It’s totally unique, the shape of it, the size of it, the depth, not to mention the waterfall in it!
We headed to get changed, I used the disabled changing and was pretty impressed with it, it even had a changing bed/shower in it. There was a small hill down to the poolside. On one side there is a ladder into the water but we decided to use the gradual steps by the waterfall which went into the shallow end. The lido is heated so was around 19°, although it didn’t feel it when we first got in!
I didn’t want to swim too far as I was going to be swimming 2x5km at Sea Lanes afterwards. In the end we swam just over 500m, it felt lovely being in the water swimming with Camilla. It always reminds me of us swimming ‘together’ (her behind me) in the English Channel. She kept me company and seeing her swimming reminded me i wasnt alone and that I had a team determined to get me to France!
Once out and changed we chatted to a few of the people that run the lido and weirdly they lived in the same village of Camila – its a small world! There is a sauna at Saltdean but you have to pre-book and we hadnt.
Once out and dressed (with a new, dry swim costume on) we headed to the cafe for brunch! It took longer than we thought to arrive, but it was worth it.
After brunch we headed to Sea Lanes to start my Swimathon Triple 5k challenge! I’d never been to Sea Lanes before but I had written about it and have wanted to visit since it opened.
We managed to get a parking space pretty easily and not too far from Sea Lanes. To get to the entry you have to cross a small train line and it’s then a pretty steep slope up into the building. There is a small reception area and everyone was very welcoming, I was signed in and shown to the disabled changing room which is a ‘Changing Places’ changing room. I couldn’t believe that both venues I’d swum at that day had large, disabled changing rooms with a wet room style shower with a chair and grab rails, a bed, and a hoist!
Once changed I headed to poolside and it was time to decide which lane to swim in. I immediately noticed something I’d never seen before. There weren’t just lane signs with the direction to swim on and Fast, Medium and Slow. Instead they had the time per 100m so that you could find the lane that was going at your speed – it’s such a great idea! I had a quick photo with the staff at Sea Lanes before getting in.
I got in and had planned to break down my 5km into 500m, however, my watch had a hissy fit so I ended up just leaving my watch running. It took a good 400m to warm up and feel comfortable swimming. The lanes were quite narrow, I was getting distracted by so many people in the pool and by the fact I could see the sea and every now and then a little train went passed!
I stopped at 2.5km for a drink and set off knowing I was half way. I counted down when I got to having 10 lengths left and was thinking about the fact I was meant to be swimming another 5km afterwards. I didn’t really fancy doing a further 5km, it was such a nice day that I just wanted to spend some more time with Camilla as we don’t get to see each other often.
After my first 5km (1.52.45). I got out, checked I could do 2x5km the following day and once it was confirmed I got changed, met Camilla who had been in town and we went and had an ice cream and some donuts. We headed back to the car having had a fabulous day with a fabulous friend.
Once back at my accomodation I literally ate dinner and went to bed because I knew I was going to be swimming 10km over the following day.
——- Day 3 ——
I woke up early but came up with the plan of doing 5km mid morning, that was to be followed by a photoshoot in the sea for “Sea Lanes Stories”. The morning 5km went pretty well. The pool wasn’t as busy as the previous day, which I was grateful for. It was a bit breezy but the water was still around 19° so I was comfortable and had quite a nice swim. It took me time to settle but once I had it was smooth sailing (or swimming) and actually resulted in a 5km personal best!
Just as I was finishing Lynette, who was doing my photoshoot turned up, it was perfect timing because it meant I could get straight out of the pool, put my robe on, go down the beach to the sea for the photoshoot and after head back to sea lanes for lunch.
Access at the beach wasn’t great but it was possible. At Sea Lanes there is ground stabilising mats that lead down the side of the building and to a different sort of matting that then leads down the shingle hill towards the sea. Apparently in the summer months this goes all the way to the sea but it’s shortened during winter to protect it. Thankfully, it was close enough to the sea that I was able to reach the water by using my crutches. We did a few photos on the shore before heading into the shallows. It was what I call ‘messy sea’ so there was very little swimming but a lot of playing in waves! It took a little longer for me to get back up the beach and I was relieved to get back to my wheelchair!
I had a break for lunch and went for a wander along the seafront. I got back in the pool at 4pm for my 3rd and final 5km. I had got quite cold on the seafront as the wind had picked up and it was bitterly cold. Getting back in the pool actually warmed me up, as long as I was under the water. I was tired and sore, and clearly my watch was too because it kept dying. As a result I ended up having to count down my lengths, on the plus side, it made the swim go quicker!
As always, at the half way point I had a big drink and it was only when I stood up and my shoulders were out the water that I realised how bloomin cold it was! The second half of the swim was harder work as a result of the wind. It was hard work swimming into the wind but the length with the wind behind went really quickly! I actually worked it out and each length into the wind took me almost 5 seconds more than when I swam the other way with the wind behind me! Despite that, I was glad I had waited because it meant I got to watch the sunsetting behind the Pier whilst I was swimming and it was beautiful. Plus, I got a lovely finish photo!
I finished dead on 6pm, as planned so I could go and have a drink with marathon swimmer Amy, who I needed to quiz about a few things. I got changed and headed to the bar almost nextdoor to sea lanes to meet Amy. We had about 20min and it was lovely for a bit of a catch up and it meant I could ask my questions too!
Amy had to head off at 7pm so I left the bar at the same time. I had to go along the sea front to get back to my accomodation so I decided to stick to my family’s tradition of when we go away to the seaside and there is an arcade we get £1 worth of 2ps so I stopped at the Pier. It was pretty busy since it was a Saturday evening but I found the perfect 2p machine for me – one where you could win rubber ducks! With my £1 of 2ps in a pot I stuck to the same machine and am now the proud owner of a new rubber duck, well, 2 new rubber ducks because I bought the one in the image to go with my medals!
After the fun and games of the day I went back to where I was staying to pack my stuff ready to head home the next day.
Saying I slept well was an understatement.
I had figured out that if I got an earlier train it shouldn’t take me quite so long to get back. I got on the train in Brighton at around 10.30am and didn’t arrive in Huntingdon until 4pm! It had been a very, very long day but I had, had a fantastic weekend, I’d met new people, seen friends and done lots of swimming – what more could you want from a trip to the seaside?!