Santon Downham, Little Ouse River; something of a spiritual home during this strange time

A lovely stretch of the Little Ouse River between Thetford and Brandon, the area around Santon Downham and the St Helens Picnic Site in Thetford Forest is a wonderful place to enjoy a peaceful, leisurely swim and makes a great gentle introduction to river swimming. It was the site of my inaugural swim in the UK.

The photos captured below at 20:00 on an early summer evening after a brief period of rain and colder temperatures during the preceding couple of days show a significantly higher water level and much colder water temperature, making it also a great place for a proper workout or to focus upon your technique without worrying too much about the underwater garden and rising riverbed.

The little All Saints Church at Santdon Downham

Down the river towards the foot bridge at St Helens

And at the same site, back up the river towards the church.

The view from the foot bridge itself one evening.

Further down the river, from the footpath that follows alongside it

And one of the local dogwalkers told me this is Brian, though Brian wasn't in the mood for posing

From a later visit with DSLR...


Copyright © Adrian Lees 2020