Ladies of Leisure (on a budget)

Monday is Ladies Day.

Over the summer months, this has often involved hours spent at London Fields Lido, or sometimes a shopping expedition - starting at the nicest most expensive shops where we pick out things that we will buy when we are rich - and ending up buying 6 packs of nickers at Primark for £2.20. Anyway these days always involve coffee, and cake or usually humus and pita bread.

This week however we, the ladies, ventured out a little further, to Hampstead Heath.

Trekking through the long grass, over the hills, past the mixed pond and then the men's pond, carrying our picnic goods, we were lightly perspiring and gagging for a swim by the time we finally found the ladies only pond.

What a haven!

It was so idyllic - a mini lake sheltered by willow trees with a secluded grassy slope for sunbathing - much more comfortable than the concrete slab at the Lido. The water was super-fresh and just cold enough to be invigorating, but warm enough to paddle about on the rubber rings. There were certainly all shapes and sizes there, and I overcame my inner prude and coped with the partial nudity. A delicious picnic of strawberries and roquefort and pea+mint dip and a cheeky half-pint on the way home topped off a perfect day.

How will I ever go back to the Lido???