Who doesn’t cherish a dream? Have a plan? A wish list to complete before the body clock passes that looming landmark year?

So I salute the courage of Times columnist Matthew Parris who has just made his 15 year dream come true in the run up to his 61st birthday; for him, his great accomplishment was swimming across the murky River Thames, a feat he succumbed to one dark night at 3.35am, even though he describes himself as “no great swimmer”. This is certainly not on my wish list, though I have ventured into the Cam’s clear water in Grantchester – but then Virginia Woolfe and Rupert Brooke probably did so as well many decades ago, as well as plunging into the romantically named Byron’s Pool.

Matthew was fortunately joined by a supportive LSE student, and, despite studying tide tables, they found themselves being swept further along the river than planned, which must have been very unnerving. Amazingly, it took them only half an hour to reach the opposite bank, and not a  moment too soon as Matthew describes in his column how he was getting breathless and cold.

He ends by saying, “Yes! I did it! I can do it. And I’ll never have to do it again.”

Matthew, one should never say “never”. Okay, I can understand you don’t want to dip your toes into the Thames again. However, one day you might be tempted to join bathers in the Cam (pic left) – there were plenty cooling off  last weekend, surrounded by stunning meadowland. There are no racing tides to take you by surprise, making this much safer and a more enjoyable river swimming experience for you.

Matthew began his daring river escapade report with a warning about the perils and dangers of river swimming, and I guess I should finish on the same note. You have been warned!