Unfortunate, then, that my favorite spot for escape is inappropriate for any winter refreshment. The Blue Hole is a delicious swimming hole above the Sugar Hollow Reservoir and Dam, and while it is an absolutely delightful, icy retreat from August's swelter, it would be unthinkable for a winter's dip. But go swimming there some lazy afternoon this month and you'll come back dreamy, slightly tired, and ready for dinner.

To rush an episode at the Blue Hole would be a travesty. Do not, under any circumstances, set aside less than three hours of your day for this trip. In preparation for embarkation, you will need to convene a bathing suit, suitable outerwear, a towel (unless you don't mind getting your car damp and looking as if you've wet yourself), shoes with traction (and which you don't mind getting wet -- I generally wear my oldest pair of sneakers), sunscreen, a camera, drinking water, and a friend or six. If you plan to stay very long, fresh bread and butter or Cool Ranch Doritos and Oreos are the perfect snack for a gentle ride home.

Sugar Hollow, on the outskirts of Crozet, is a 30 minute drive from grounds. Make certain that you roll down your windows and turn up the radio (something mellow) for your ride up. Don't drive too fast, enjoy the scenery (the reservoir sometimes turns a lovely turquoise green in the spring) and, if you've brought a friend, engage in some [very] light conversation.

Once you park, you'll have to cross a stream and climb up a small but steep incline to reach the trail. Said trail takes about thirty minutes to hike -- just long enough to work up a sweat, but short enough to keep you from becoming exhausted. The trail is wide and easy to walk, shady, and pretty. Watch out for road apples, however, because this is a popular riding trail.

ou'll know you're about half-way up when you are forced to ford a small stream, and you're two-thirds of the way when you see an old chimney in a clearing on the left. Why would someone have built a house out here? Rumor has it that this trail used to be the main highway to Lynchburg from Albemarle.

The trail will steepen just a bit as you near the hole, and you'll be able to see the brilliant water on your right. Trip your way down the rocks and survey. There'll be a rocky, shallow bit on your right, a large, low, slippery rock (perfect for tanning) across from you, a tall rock from which you can jump on your near left, and a small waterfall further down.

Now you must choose your fate: enter suddenly by jumping, or ease yourself in inch by inch. Choose to enter suddenly, because there's a small rush you'll get as your blood rearranges itself. Swim quickly over to the fall and back, and enjoy the sensation of coolness seeping into your flesh. If you decide to get out again for a minute, you'll notice that your skin warms to the sun almost immediately, but your red and white corpuscles will follow a little less quickly. Now you know what it feels like to be cold-blooded.

The deepest section of the Blue Hole is normally about 12 feet down; it is likely to be a little less deep this year because of the drought. I last visited in July, and the waterfall was down to a trickle. You'll also have noticed that the reservoir is a bit low, and that the Moorman's River (the one fed by that very reservoir) is almost nonexistent this summer. Seeing the sad state of these waters is a good reminder of the caution we ought always to exercise in our water consumption. Each of us uses nearly eighty gallons of water a day ... multiply that by a few thousand undergrads, and we have major depletion going on.

But back to that waterfall: Climb up. It's pretty slick because of algae, but you can always find some kind of hand or foot hold. There's another little pool at the top, and it's full of minnows. Stand still for a couple of minutes and you will feel their ticklish mini-bites all over your legs.

Shake your legs when you've tired of them, then go sit and block the fall for a while. You'll be able to see the upper pool rising, and when you stand up again in a few minutes, the waterfall will make a bit more splash. (If someone's sitting down there, s/he'll get pushed off the rock.)

I'm sure you'll be able to devise other methods of pleasure and torture while you're there. Have fun! Just remember to clean up wherever you've been and say "Hi" to the folks you see on the trail.