Swimming at Pinkston

As Pinkston has reopened following the Covid-19 lockdown it has become a haven for swimmers from across Glasgow.  However, for many hardened open water swimmers Pinkston is a familiar venue right through the year.  Now well into June we have seen water temperatures as high as 19 degrees as the water temperature fluctuates in such a small body of water – a world apart from the chilly waters of February and March.

It has been great to catch up with so many people and hear your stories

Here is just one:

Earlier in 2020 myself and a few friends attended Pinkston swimming sessions to train for an upcoming event.

Pinkston offers a unique swimming experience quite different to the lochs and reservoirs we are used to swimming in. It is an enclosed water basin handily situated close to the centre of Glasgow. The basin is roughly 300m in circumference which makes it easy to calculate distance without having to refer to your watch. It is spacious enough to feel that you are and swimming in an expanse of open water but swimmers can take comfort knowing that safety cover is provided by knowledgeable staff. Despite the differences there are also similarities…

At our last swim in March the water temperature read a ‘refreshing’ 6oc; it still takes great focus to conquer the coldness of the water as it penetrates the wetsuit and takes your breath away; like other bodies of water, the ‘choppiness’ is dictated by the elements; there is that same feeling of liberation as you move through the water and your mind floats away and when you come out your teeth will inevitably chatter as you try to overcome the challenge of not spilling your cuppa over yourself as you raise it to your mouth (this bit, I still find strangely amusing!)

It’s a superb facility which I would highly recommend to all swimmers – those taking their first tentative steps into open water and those more experienced swimmers who have been dipping their toes in the water for years!

Emma

By Pinkston