Downstream

the Thames, I’ve never been
ill. There have been recent
sewage leaks, but mainly it’s
scare-mongering.’ As for
other river users, ‘most
rowers are friendly and fine
but there’s the odd one . . .
Once I nearly bumped into
some and they thought we
should be swimming under
the trees and that we didn’t
have the right to be in the
river. But mostly people just
say “you’re mad”. I try to be