Sport and Activities in Bristol

If it's fitness kicks you're after, Bristol has it all. The UK’s first cycling city has a veritable sporting heritage, with two top-flight football teams, the Bristol rugby team, and is home to Gloucestershire County Cricket club, not to mention being the South West’s triathlon Mecca. But you certainly don’t have to be a pro to enjoy the city’s facilities – there are countless gyms, tennis and squash clubs, football pitches and open spaces to get your requisite exercise hit and a real culture of keeping active, at every level. Here's a selection of just some of the big hitters you'll find within jogging distance.

Gyms, tennis, squash and badminton

You’ll be spoilt for choice, wherever you live – David Lloyd has recently opened its second branch in Bristol, offering year-round indoor and outdoor tennis and swimming, squash, badminton, and state-of-the art gym facilities, not to mention crèche facilities so your kids don’t need to hamper your game. The list of top-end exclusive clubs continues through the Redwood Hotel and Leisure Club just over the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Clifton College’s Sports Centre, Canons at the top of Park Street and the member-owned Welshback club on the harbour, ever-popular with city-based professionals during lunchtimes. There are also some fantastic council-owned facilities, with the new 25-metre pool at Horfield Leisure Centre and the Kingsdown Sports Centre. And the Bristol Lawn Tennis and Squash Club has an excellent social scene and eight grass courts to keep any Murray wannabe sated during Wimbledon fortnight. 

Bristol is home to a thriving badminton community with opportunities available for all ages and all levels of ability. If you are new to the area or simply want to start playing badminton then please contact Hayley Franc, Badminton England Regional Officer – hayleyfranc@badmintonengland.co.uk or 07827 351 250.

Football

Bristol is well served by organised amateur football leagues. There are organised Saturday and Sunday leagues for juniors and seniors. The most well established league is the Bristol Downs League made up of 56 teams, playing across 4 divisions. The unique feature of the Downs League is that all of the fixtures are played on one site, the Downs. This central and one-site location makes it very easy for those new to the city to get involved. 

Although the pitches are not what they could be, the skill level and quality of football is very reasonable by amateur league standards. However, you can be pretty sure that, whatever your skill level, you would get a game in the 4th Division! Clubs are always on the look out for talented players (or at least enthusiastic ones!). For further information about the Downs League, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/sport/downs_league/.

Rugby

Rugby is deeply ingrained in the South West and there are several competitive teams and leagues in Bristol.  Sadly, the Bristol Rugby Team slipped back out of the premiership last season after a fine season the year before. Bath and Gloucester both remain in the premiership and are only a short trip from Bristol. There is always the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for some great international rugby with tickets normally relatively easy to get hold of for the autumn internationals.

Golf

The full range of golfing abilities is catered for around Bristol. Bristol and Clifton and Long Ashton are the two best courses around Bristol. Both are situate in the countryside on the other side of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and offer a good challenge to all standards of golfer. Bristol and Clifton is more prestigious and Long Ashton a little more relaxed. Annual membership is around £900. Another good members owned course to consider is Henbury, near Westbury Village. It is a bit shorter than B&C or Long Ashton as it is within the city limits, but still a good challenge and has a good friendly atmosphere.

There are a good selection of corporate owned courses like The Players (very challenging), The Kendleshire (some interesting holes, but more forgiving), The Bristol Golf Club and Woodspring or for beginners there’s a pitch and put at Ashton Court and a nine hole course at Thornbury. It’s only about forty five minutes drive down the M5 to Burnham and Berrow, which is an excellent links course. If you don’t mind the trip it is also considerably cheaper than the main Bristol courses at around £600 per annum.

Other Sports

Here is a taste of some of the other sports on offer in Bristol or nearby: softball and ultimate frisbee leagues on the Downs in the summer; great climbing in the Avon and Cheddar gorges with an excellent climbing wall in the converted St Werburghs church; the surfing beaches at Croyd and Woolacombe in North Devon are less than 2 hours away; great mountain biking at Ashton Court just over the Suspension Bridge; and fantastic walking in the Cotswolds, Mendips, Exmoor or the Brecon Beacons all within easy reach.

For more information on these and other facilities, go to www.venue.co.uk/health/health_home.html

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