Bala is small, one main high street and some side streets with lovely looking old shops. The school was at the other end of this short walk, but it still took us a good twenty minutes to get there. I don't know if it's a disconcertion with turning up and asking a complete stranger to talk to us about swimming, or of going back to school! Either way, I'm definitely dragging my feet on the walk through the carpark.
It's a funny thing, just turning up at a school. This is a pretty nice one, photos of pupils who have represented Wales in various ways adorn the walls in the reception. Still I can't shake the feeling of being in the wrong place, something I felt pretty much through my entire school career. There is absolutely no need to feel that way however, Andrew Roberts is welcoming, and engaging, and understands the project straight away. He gives us a lovely description of the tips of your fingers disappearing in the gloom of a lake, and the likelihood of your toes looking like a perch to a pike. He even then texts Dr Lazarus (another amazing name following Peter Kidney the Plumber) to find out if he might be around to meet us. It's something I'm sure I'll write about again, but the friendliness of the people we've met is really amazing.
A quick walk back through town to the lake to meet Gone Swimming Gabby, as Dan is still on his way. She comes armed with goodies for us - new swimming hats and freshly baked welsh cakes! She is also armed with her Mum and her lovely dog, Mara, though sadly neither of them are for us to take home. We sit on the shore of the lake and soon get chatting about the amazing abundance of wild swimming adventures in the area, the idea behind Gone Swimming and how it became reality, and the practicalities of baking serious amounts of Welsh Cakes (don't mess around with the dough, people!). Dan joins us after finishing a teaching session, and adds not only some sage advice for swimmers, but an amazing description of swimming the Menai Straight at night. If you want some of that yourself you'll have to get in touch with Gone Swimming!Because of timing issues we have to run, missing out on a swim this time. But it was worth it to head back up through town (we know Bala high street fairly well now) and to the local Health Centre, to meet Dr Lazarus. Before meeting him there is another wait in an area I've never enjoyed waiting, how is it that both doctors surgery's and schools smell the same wherever you are in the UK? Being the end of the day it's just us and one other lonely soul, and once he's collected his prescription we're in.
David Lazarus (or Di Lazarus to his friends) greets us with the look of a man who, while not entirely sure about what we're up to, pretty much wants in. Having welcomed us, explored the recorder, found out who we are and what on earth we're up to, he starts talking. And it's good. We get stories of being nudged by seals and stalked by barracuda, and the everyday realities of swimming in a lake with it's own monster, Teggy.
No rest of the wicked as Dr Lazarus speeds off to go swimming with his daughter, and we head back to the car. Not for such a long drive this time, just an hour or so, and through some of the most beautiful countryside in the world. Still, I am glad to reach Llanberis and our Youth Hostel, and to have a glass of wine before a long sleep! Roll on tomorrow...!
Clare
