It’s another hot, sunny day in Cambridge and the cool blue waters of Jesus Green lido have never seemed more welcoming. Zelna Weich, a 23-year-old doctoral student, has just taken her first swim in the water.
“I thought it would be a lot colder than it was. It’s the perfect temperature,” he says with a smile. He already plans to return on Monday. “It’s supposed to be, like, 39 degrees.”
In fact, Cambridge is just one of many places in the south of the country where temperatures could exceed 40C (104F).
Cambridge University Botanical Garden. Photography: EQRoy / Shutterstock
But local people are used to boiling on hot summer days. It was in Cambridge on July 25, 2019, where the highest temperature ever reached in the UK, 38.7ºC, was recorded at the Cambridge University Botanical Garden (CUBG).
Since then, CUBG has created a “climate change route” in the garden, showing plants that can be affected by climate change, plants that could be used to help mitigate the impact of the climate emergency, and plants capable of deal with the new situation. hot British summers.
Hayley McCulloch, head of learning at CUBG, hopes any visitor to the garden during the heat wave will visit the trail to learn more about how the climate emergency is affecting plants around the world, as well as the work it is doing. doing CUBG to support the climate emergency. research and gardening in a changing climate.
In anticipation of more scorching summers, CUBG gardeners have already tried to reduce the amount of watering they have to do, encouraging the plants to form deep roots in the soil.
I read Jesus Green in Cambridge. Photography: Sophia Evans / The Observer
“We try to leave them for a couple of weeks, if we can, until they are almost dry, and then we water them very thoroughly again,” said Sally Petitt, head of horticulture at CUBG.
“This process is repeated until they are established. If, on the other hand, you do regular light watering, the roots tend to form near the surface. These are much more prone to drying out and you end up with very water-dependent plants. ”
Back at Jesus Green Lido, service manager Chris Green has also been working hard to alleviate the impact of the heat wave, making sure the freezer is fully stocked with ice cream. A record number of people are expected to visit the pool on Sunday.
“Throughout the day, we could see maybe 1,000 customers. The water doesn’t heat up at all, it’s at about 23ºC right now, which makes it a lot more refreshing when you go in on a hot day.”
Enthusiastic swimmer Camila Ilsley. Photography: Sophia Evans / The Observer
The 100-yard swimming pool, built in 1923, is one of the longest in Europe and runs parallel to the Cam River on a large green in the center of the city.
“Some of our swimmers have been here for 50, 60 or even 70 years,” Green says, adding that locals love the “hidden” location of the lido, which makes it seem so far from the busy center of the city.
“And its length means it’s as close to open water swimming as you can get to a pool.”
Camila Ilsley, a wildlife charity worker, plans to take her three children and swim outdoors to the lido and the Cam River today.
“On a hot day, swimming outdoors is fantastic. There’s a feeling of relief from the heat, and being outdoors is really stimulating. It makes us all feel very happy.”