Monday 16 May 2016

swimmer's library at Loch Ness

During the Scotlandtrip in 2012 we passed Loch Ness one day. Of course I had read about swimspots in the wildswim book by Kate Rew.
It said to drive along the south side of the Loch, where you can find small parking spots at the river bank.
I don't know, if I stopped at the right place or if I wasn't patient enough to wait for a better spot a few miles later. There was a small space next to the road to park the car and I wanted to get into the water. That's how I decided on the spot ;-)
Getting into the wetsuit was quick, getting down into the water included careful walking over the rocks at the bank side. It was not the easiest entry, but it passes as accessable. It was August and the water was nice - at least when wearing a wetsuit. 
I call a swim a swim even when I just floated on the water. The water felt good, the weather was sunny and I was totally at peace with feeling the bouyancy of the wetsuit and being a part of the loch. Finally I turned on my belly and did some strokes. It was the first time I saw "black water". The water in the lochs is sometimes very peaty and has a brownish colour. I did some crawl strokes and watched my hand going through this strange coloured water.
Even though I know it is just a myth about the Loch Ness Monster, I felt queer in the dark water with my feet hanging down and no bottom in sight...
When I came out of the water and walked towards the car, a large bus stopped and parked next to our car. It was the "Library Leabharlann"
I thought it was a slapstick moment. Apperently there was no busstop and no one got out. Still wet from the swim I grabbed my "The History of Scotland" book to have this picture taken:
a swim-in bus-libary, what a service!


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