London has a wide range of sports to offer. London Marathon is run by 30,000 people every year and they manage to raise £130 million for charity. The marathon might not be everyone’s cup of tea – so there is the medieval
If you’re into athletics you will find a good choice of running tracks, often with free admission. West London Stadium has good facilities and Regent’s Park is free. On Tuesdays at 6pm meet the Bow Street Runners at Jubilee Hall for a sociable jog.
In summer, five-day test matches and one-day internationals are played in summer at Lord’s and the Oval, near Vauxhall. Tickets for these one-day games and for the first four days of test are hard to get, but you might get on the last day and see a thrilling finish.
As football is the most popular spectator sport in Britain, it is the most common topic of conversation in pubs. London’s top football clubs include Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
The busy central London does not offer any golf courses but there are a few scattered around the out-skirts. The easiest to get to from central London are Hounslow Heath, Chessington and Richmond Park. If you haven’t got your clubs, sets can be hired at a reasonable price.
If you’re into horse racing, the Ascot, Kempton Park and Sandown Park are the places for you. These places are less than an hour by train from central London. The most famous flat race in Britain, the Derby, is run at Epsom in June. If you’re a horse rider and fancy having a ride whilst you’re in London, go to Hyde Park and Ross Nye will provide you with a horse so that you can follow a long tradition.
If you fancy some ice-skating you should head for London’s best-known rink, Queens. But the most attractive ice rinks are in the Broadgate complex in the city and at Somerset House, and are open only in winter.
There are squash courts all over the city; Swiss Cottage Sports Centre and the Oasis Sports Centre are some of the sports centres where they have squash facilities and will hire out equipment. These courts tend to be busy, so it’s best if you book at least two days ahead.
Some of the best indoor swimming pools include Chelsea Sports Centre, the Oasis and Porchester Baths. If you’re after outdoor pools try Highgate, Hampstead and the Oasis.
There are hundreds of tennis courts in London’s public parks. Most of them are cheap to rent and easily reserved, especially if the weather is not so good, but you need to have your own racquet and balls. Some tennis courts include Holland Park and Parliament Hill. It’s quite hard to get a ticket for the centre court of the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon.
