Down the Lune

We were just settling down, ready to start the crossword, on Monday in the Pub when a vision in pink came over & asked if she could join us. We're a hospitable trio - PD was there too - & don't like to see a lady sitting on her own in a pub. We would have included her in the conversation as we would any stranger, especially if they were on their own (unless that it is they clearly wanted to be on their own). She joined us.

After a short while PD commented she looked familiar but neither could place the other. Further down the conversation she mentioned that she was originally from Kirkby Lonsdale, PD grew up near there. The penny dropped. Suddenly friends from thirty years ago were reunited. 

Unfortunately for the Fox & I the common factor was sport. In his youth PD played a lot of rugby, with or against, among others Jane's husband. Jane herself played for the women's team. The reminiscences went on. The Fox & I listened politely but as we have no interest in rugby it meant little to us.

Jane is apparently doing a sponsored swim from one end of the River Lune to the other. She started at Newbiggin on Lune, had passed through the vale of Tebay & had now reached the Crook of Lune, near Halton. She hopes to reach Sunderland Point & the sea by tomorrow, Thursday. Since Monday, the Fox saw her on Morning TV promoting her swim which is in aid of the local Air Ambulance service.

She went on to tell us of some of the adventures she was having on her swim. One day she was gently swimming along, turned a corner, & was startled to find herself face to face with an otter. She wasn't sure which was more startled.

At another point she ended up swimming parallel to a pair of swans. this made her a bit nervous as they are big birds close up & can be vicious. She was relieved to see there was no sign of young. Eventually she decided to call it a day. The swans took off, passing just a few inches from her nose.

She's intending to write a book about her journey. 

One thing she is stressing is the danger involved in such a venture. She is an experienced swimmer, even taught it for many years. It doesn't alter the fact there are some very dangerous currents in parts that must be avoided. Shooting the rapids higher up resulted in extensive bruising from hitting unseen underwater rocks.


The great danger is hypothermia. She may be wearing a wet suit, a bit like David Walliams when he swam the length of the Thames, but it doesn't alter the fact that after she's swum a mile or so, she is so cold she can hardly move her fingers, her speech has become incoherent. It is a case of a quick change into lots of warm dry clothes & a hot mug of something to drink down  to warm her up from the inside, if she isn't to suffer long-term consequences from her exploits.

We wish her well. She's already raised several thousands of pounds for the cause & is hoping for yet more to come in. I wonder if we will ever see her again. We just may as she lives not so far away & has now renewed acquaintance with a friend of her youth & of her husband who died several years ago.