Downstream

‘All the stretches are
different. North of
Wolvercote is Amazonian
with long branches hanging
down, whereas at Newbridge
it’s flat farmers’ fields.’ Then
in the summer of 2012 she
‘hooked up with faster, more
serious swimmers’ and now
she and two other women –
Kate and Katia – swim all
year round. ‘Men say, “ah,
it’s too cold to swim in the
Thames”, but women are