There are plenty of ways to get involved in sports and leisure in the UK, and whether you live in a town, city or village there will almost certainly be something for you.

Leisure centres 

The majority of towns and cities in Britain have leisure centres or sports complexes with facilities for a number of different sports – from football, rugby and golf to squash, tennis and badminton. Some have gyms and swimming pools, and almost all will have organised sports clubs and activities that anyone can join. Have a look on your local leisure centre’s website or notice board for clubs, which can include anything from karate to swimming.

Prices for using facilities at a leisure centre or sports complex vary from place to place. Swimming, use of squash or tennis courts, and other activities can be anything from £1 to £5 for an hour or two. There is often discount for students, children and old age pensioners (OAPs). Membership of a leisure centre can vary a lot and will often depend on who owns the facilities and how modern they are. Leisure centres that are run by local government authorities will usually be cheaper than privately run facilities – and the standard will reflect the difference in price. To find out where your nearest local authority run leisure centre or sports complex is, have a look at your local authority website.

For a selection of leisure services, see our "Find a..." section.

Gyms & health clubs

While many local-government run leisure centres and sports complexes have their own gyms, there are also countless private and independent gyms all over the UK. To have access to a gym’s facilities you must usually become a member and pay a membership fee. This can be anything from £10 per month, but more likely will be in the region of £30 to £40 per month. Discounts are available for certain groups e.g. students, so ask about that when you join.

For a selection of gym services, see our "Find a..." section.

Outdoor activities

If a gym or leisure centre isn’t for you, there are also plenty of opportunities for outdoor sports and activities in the UK. There are numerous marked footpaths, cycle ways and bridleways (for horse riders) across Britain – local tourist information centres and libraries should have details of these. Many universities and colleges have sports clubs, but don’t worry if you’re not in education – there are many clubs for walkers, joggers, climbers and even skiers in the UK. Have a look on the internet or at your local library for details of clubs and how to get involved.

Fun Stuff

For a birthday party, family trip or just a fun day out, there are various centres all over Britain where you can go paint-balling (shooting paint at each other), go-karting, quad-biking, sailing (or windsurfing) or skiing. There are even several snow domes in the UK in Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Castleford, and Glasgow, amongst other places.


By Jennie Musgrove

USEFUL WORDS

Sport                                                   Place                         Equipment
golf                                                      course                       club
squash/tennis/badminton              court                          racket
cricket                                                 pitch                           bat
hockey                                                pitch                           stick
snooker/pool/billiards                     table                           cue
fishing                                                river/pond                  rod/line
canoeing                                           river/sea                     paddle
rowing                                                river/sea                     oar
athletics                                             track                            running shoes
motor racing                                     circuit                          crash helmet
swimming                                         pool                             swimming costume (women);
                                                                                                 trunks (men)
boxing                                                ring                              gloves
ice hockey                                         rink                              stick, skates, puck

 

VERBS & COLLOCATIONS - SPORTS

Our team won/lost by three goals/points.
He broke the Olympic record last year.
She holds the record for the 100-metre breast-stroke.
Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-2 yesterday.
Our team has never been defeated. (more formal than beat)
How many goals/points have you scored this season?
I think I’ll take up (start) tennis next spring and give up (stop) hockey.

ADJECTIVES DESCRIBING FREE TIME & LEISURE ACTIVITIES

rewarding = gives you a lot of positive experiences (e.g. doing voluntary work, helping charities)
fruitful = produces good results (e.g. collaborating/cooperating with someone in an activity)
lucrative = makes a lot of money (e.g. selling your own arts or crafts, writing computer games)
therapeutic = makes you healthy in mind and/or body (e.g. gardening, yoga, meditation)
relaxing/calming = reduces stress, gives a peaceful feeling (e.g. reading, listening to music)
time-consuming = takes a long time to do (e.g. being president of a club, being a member of a committee)

COLLOQUIAL WAYS TO DESCRIBE LEISURE TIME

Tom’s a real culture vulture; he goes to every theatre and art gallery he can find.
I’m a bit of a couch potato: I spend hours every day just watching TV.
Susan’s a dabbler: she does a hobby for a couple of weeks, then she gets bored and starts something different.
Julie is a real doer.  She never sits down for long and always has some project or other.
Mary’s a shopaholic.  She buys all sorts of things she doesn’t need.  She’s addicted to shopping.