My Glorious Summer at Ponty Lido
By David, Trefforest
We’d wake up to blazing blue skies — not a cloud in sight for what felt like weeks on end — and you just knew it was going to be another scorcher. I’d grab my towel, tuck it under my arm, and head out with a grin plastered across my face. The air was thick with excitement and the scent of warm tarmac and cut grass. And once you got close to the Lido, it hit you — that lovely blend of suncream, chlorine, and chips from the snack bar. Magic.
We’d cram into my dad’s old Cortina — me, my brothers, a couple of mates — with jam sandwiches wrapped in greaseproof paper and a flask of orange squash rattling around in the footwell. It wasn’t just a swim; it was a day out, a full-on adventure.
Those changing huts, remember them? Painted in that cheerful seaside blue. Felt like stepping into a beach holiday every time you opened the door.
The diving boards were the real thrill, though. We’d dare each other to go higher, do dafter jumps. My heart would be pounding as I climbed the steps, trying to look braver than I felt. Then — boom! — I’d launch myself off, arms flailing, water crashing, and come up laughing so hard I’d forget where I was.
There were always the regulars. The old fellas in flat caps, parked on deck chairs like royalty. The women in big sunglasses nattering about this and that. Teenagers playing it cool — or trying to, anyway. Someone always had a transistor radio on the go. ABBA, The Bay City Rollers, T. Rex… the soundtrack of our youth, echoing across the water as we bobbed and splashed and mucked about.
What I remember most, though, is the feeling. That wonderful mix of freedom and being part of something. We had the run of the place, but it always felt safe. We’d sprawl out on the warm concrete to dry off, eat a melting choc ice, and dash straight back in when the whistle blew for break time to end.
By the time we headed home, we were shattered. Shoulders glowing pink, fingers wrinkled like prunes, legs aching from all the swimming and messing about — but oh, we were happy. Heart full, always.
Ponty Lido wasn’t just where we swam. It was where summer happened. Where we laughed, grew up a bit, and made memories that still shine in my mind like sunlight dancing on the water.
Funny how a place can stay with you, isn’t it?
Thank you David for sharing your memory with us.
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