Roger Deakin

Jesus Green Lido in Cambridge is celebrating turning 100 years Old - a year for every yard of its length. The Lido has a dedicated band of lifelong swimmers who have taken to The Cold Water Here for decades. So What is its enduring appeal?

" You come through that turnstile and it's like a portal to a special place, " Dr Annie Morgan-Jones explains.

" Your problems are left outside and People welcome you - The Pool welcomes you. "

Jesus Green Lido lies parallel to The River Cam by Jesus Green Lock and offers quiet idyll in The Middle of The City .

It began life on 30 August 1923 as The Jesus Green Bath, a 100-yard (91m) long pool with two shallow ends and a deep centre.

The Pool is The joint longest in The UK with Tooting Bec lido in London.

Dr Morgan-Jones is working on a history of The Lido for its centenary year, drawing on The experiences of The People who use it.

The Pool was carved Out , she says, by labourers who had returned from World War One.

" For The First 10 to 15 years it was filled with Water from The River , in fact, People used to complain about The fish, " she adds.

" But outdoor swimming in Cambridge goes right back to that period of time When The Rules were written.

" In The 16Th Century , a young scholar at St John's College called Everard Digby wrote of 'The art of swimming' [The 1587 book, ] which provided readers with The means to Swim , illustrating strokes to stop People drowning.

" It was important because a lot of undergraduates were up to high jinx, jumping in The Water . "

Ruth Barnett, 75, of Cottenham, remembers learning to Swim at Jesus Green Lido from The Age Of five.

" We went to school on Milton Road and mum would come and meet us in The summer with our lunch, bring us Here - we would Swim - go back to school And Then After School we did The same again, " she says.

She remembers how The Lido custodian both took The entry money and worked as The Lifeguard , using a stick with a ring on in it to teach People How To Swim .

Ms Barnett still comes to The Lido Every Day and normally manages 18 lengths - When The Water is warm enough.

" When you come through The Gates you are in a Different World , " she says.

" It's Narnia. It's wonderful. "

" It's My Life , I love it - I've got to do it Every Day , " says Victoria Bursa, 74.

" I have this big painting of a swimmer and When I wake up it's The First thing I see.

" It's The Feeling of freedom in The Water . I would recommend it, but not to too many People - I Want It to myself, " she adds.

Fellow regular Gregor Alvey recently turned 70 and marked The Birthday milestone with a Swim .

" I've been coming Here since 1973 - it's a bit of a haven, " he says.

" I'm a retired teacher and I'd come down after work for The Last half hour of The Day .

" Down Here The Bells don't ring and there was No One to tap you on The shoulder and ask you for something. It was half an hour of mental freedom. "

It is not just The Visitors who love The Lido .

Lifeguard Finn Barnes, 24, from Cambridge, began occasional work at The Lido while studying at Swansea University .

He now manages The 20-strong poolside team which has four lifeguards on duty at any One Time .

" I love The Atmosphere - it's very chilled Out - you're outside all The Time , " he says.

The Lido also hosts its own troupe of synchronised swimmers - The Centenary Cygnets.

Founder Danya Harris, 36, says she named The Team after The Baby swans on The Cam.

" After Covid there was a need for being outside and being around Other People , " she says. " I came Here Every Day and became hooked on The whole Cold Water thing.

" There was a camaraderie. "

Alexandra Crowhurst, 70, helped establish The First informal Friends of Jesus Green Lido in The 1980s. It was a time, she says, When support for Cold Water swimming was dwindling and lidos were closing.

" I'm addicted to swimming in Cold Water - I've always liked swimming in Rivers and The Sea , " she says.

" There was a book called Waterlog by Roger Deakin that made People realise they weren't alone in their love for swimming in Rivers - it sparked a revolution and resurgence in Cold Water swimming.

" Here , it's The length of The Pool , The surroundings, The lovely community of People - it's a place where People make friends. "

Nicky Blanning, who chairs The 300 member Friends group, says: " It has a community spirit with a wonderful Atmosphere .

" Our aim is to Speak Up for other users and be The liaison between Better [which operates The Lido ] and The City council who own it - and to ensure its longevity, " she says.

Ms Blanning says there's " something so wonderful and invigorating" about swimming outside.

Those who hold The Lido close to their hearts are now Looking Forward to its next 100 years.

" This pool was built a decade before lidos became popular and it makes Jesus Green Bath ahead of its time, " Dr Morgan-Jones says.

" The 1920s was a time of great change, so The idea of this pool in a place like Cambridge that had a divided community of town and gown was key.

" It has remained a very special place in Cambridge.

" It's The People 's pool. "

Source of news: bbc.com