Summer is here, and it's time to start the full Nene swim from Woodford to Wansford this Thursday 28th May. This is a great adventure, and has become an annual Pactrac tradition. You don't have to be a top swimmer to come along - we usually have the full range, all the way from breaststrokers to accomplished Ironman swimmers. Everyone is welcome. The faster swimmers either wait every now and then, or swim back.
We need to make a start, in order to reach Wansford by September. This is now the fifth year that we are doing a Pactrac Nene Swim Marathon. We start at Woodford and then make our way to Wansford, 26.2miles downstream, in thirteen bite-sized chunks, on Thursday evenings. If you are new to this and want to get an idea, have a look at previous years' Forums, e.g. http://pactrac.co.uk/forums/topic/490.
The first stage is this Thursday, 28th May, from Woodford to Denford. The route is on MapMyRun: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/96296057
We will get in just upstream of the village of Woodford and swim down to Denford. MapMyRun says it's 1.73miles, so that's a good distance to start with. This is a really pleaseant, open and rural stretch of the Nene. We will have our first lock to cross and will finish at the second lock. Denford is where the Nene Turtle was spotted four years ago. Maybe he'll be waiting for us again.
The plan is to meet at the finish, and then share cars to the start. That makes it easier for most people to get home after the swim. So we will meet in Denford at 6.15pm, near Meadow Lane which leads to the lock where we will finish this leg. Meadow Lane is in the centre of the village, across the road from the petrol station / pub on the Denford High Street, you can't miss it.
We will then take a few cars to drive to the start in Woodford. We will park at the end of Church Street; from Woodford's village green, take one of the narrow lanes to the bottom of the village and then turn right. Note there isn't much car parking space. From the end of Church Street there is a footpath; turn left just after the gate and you'll get to the river. We will start the swim at 6.30pm. If anyone is able to bring any designated drivers along, that would help a lot with the logistics.
If you are not confident to do the whole swim, you could come to the finish and swim upstream until you meet the others. Don't do this on your own (for safety), but there may be a few others interested - best to post on the Forum.
We will do a short briefing before the start and will need to sign in and out. This year, I am happy to say, we have Steve Mould as kayak safety cover, but of course everyone still participates at their own risk.
Can you also post on the Forum if you think that you might be late, or intend to do things slightly differently.