What do you want this year to be? To kick off the new year I want to share with you a London outdoors and sport calendar, or 12 ideas (one for each month of the year) to have an adventurous year without leaving the British capital city.
It may seem counter intuitive but it’s during my 4 years spend in London, one of the biggest cities in Europe that I became really addicted to the outdoors and developed a passion for sports events. From swimming to cycling to paddling or climbing, living in a big city offers so many opportunities to try out new things and participate in epic events.
I have put together a collection of events, challenges or micro adventure that I have tried myself, loved and which I can highly recommend. For most of these you don’t need any specific equipment, just a dose of adventure and a bit of motivation to get out of your comfort zone and try something new.
January – Get back in shape with Parkrun
Now available all around the world, the first park run was originally started in London in Bushy Park in 2004. The principle is simple: a free 5Km (3.1 miles) every Saturday in your local park with a great sense of community. More than 15 years later, Parkrun has encouraged dozens of thousands to get active all around the globe.
Totally free, just register in advance for one of the many park runs available across London and come into your running kit!
February – Embrace cold water swimming in the heart of the capital
If you have been following for a while, you will know I have developped a deep appreciation of cold water swimming. If you want to give this a try and enjoys running, why not joining The Swimmer, a proper adventure where a group of outdoor lovers run from the North to South of London (a total of 13 miles / 21km) in the middle of the winter and dip in London’s ponds, pools and parks The focus is on enjoyment and not on competitiveness.
It costs around 20-40 GBP depending the events and runs monthly between November and March. You will need your swim suit, a towel and your running kit. Book early as it always sells out!
March – Dream, learn and be inspired at the Night of Adventure
Sometimes all you need is a little of inspiration… The Night of Adventure does exactly that! Alastair Humphreys, the inventor of the concept of “micro adventure” invites world renowned explorers to share their adventures with a live audience. The talks are fast paced and the line-up of guest varied.
Book you ticket now for a night you will remember. It cost 21GBP and profits go to charity.
April – Learn to row
A highlight of London . Inspired by the Oxford vs Cambridge boat race held end of March? Book yourself on a rowing club for a 6 to 8 weeks learn to row course. I was delighted that we spend 100% of the time on the water. It was really pleasant to row in the morning before going to work.
Expect a course to cost around 120 – 180 GBP but you dont need any specific equipment or clothing for a beginner course. There are dozens of rowing clubs in London. Find yours on the British Rowing website and book your course.
May – Cycle London to Paris
Ok for this one you will have to venture outside London 🙂 but you will start from Big Ben. How fast or slow you want to cycle is totally up to you. I really enjoyed to reach Paris only by human power but appreciated also to have a bit of time to enjoy by doing it over 3 days. In may you benefit from long days and the weather should be on your side. There are also a few bank holidays you can take opportunity from, reducing the need to take days off from work!
The costs can vary greatly depending on how many days the challenge will take you, your itinerary and your level of comfort required. For more details, read my dedicated article Cycling London to Paris in 3 days.
June – Kayak under the summer sunset
There is something amazing about being on the water and living in London, you are never really far from the Thames. Though rowing comes first to mind, other paddle sports are also possible. There are several kayak clubs where you can develop and practice your skills.
I joined a kayak club located in Kew, London. I completed the initial training and being on the Thames at sunset became my new favorite way to finish Thursdays!
July – Ride London-Surrey Prudential ride and enjoy the streets of London empty of cars
Yes, another cycling event, but this time it is a massive one: the biggest cycling festival in the world. The Prudential Ride event is held at the end of July or the beginning of August. Inaugurated in 2013 to perpetuate the spirit of the Olympic games, it offers the opportunity to ride through the full city to the Surrey hills on closed roads and finishes back in the heart of London on the Mall.
The odds to get a spot through the ballot for the 100 miles event are low but you can decide to get a charity spot and raise money for a cause close to you. The 46 miles (74km) event is accessible for beginners but is still a lovely leisurely Sunday ride for amateur cyclists or you can participate in the quirkly Bompton fold-up bikes World Championship.
Read more and choose your event on the official website.
August – Participate in the world’s biggest triathlon
Every year, thousands of participants to take on the city for an epic week-end of swim – bike – run in the middle of the city. Including all distances from Sprint (perfect for beginners) to Olympic Plus or even the week-end warrior, the event is supposed to be one of the biggest in the world. Seeing thousands of bikes lined up inside the Excel center is for sure impressive! The event is really well organised and easy to get to. You swim in the docklands and cycle passed Tower of London.
In 2020 London triathlon will be held on 8th and 9th August. Sign-up on the official website. You will need a bike (any will do!) and potentially a wetsuit.
September – Ski in Hyde Park (without snow) with roller skiing
Want to try something different? Join a rollerski club. Rollerski replicates the feeling of cross-country skiing but without snow. It will get you really fit and you provides you with a new way to enjoy Hyde Park. With a bit of practice, maybe you will want to sign-up for the famous Vasalöppet cross country skiing race in Sweden.
You can rent all equipment needed from the club and try out a single lesson if you are unsure. Or you can sign-up for the 5 weeks beginner course which I really recommend, and then join the club. All details on the rollerski club website.
October – Reach new heights with bouldering
Enough of being on your legs? With not practice a bit of climbing. Bouldering, or climbing without ropes, is a full body activity, accessible to anybody. It will challenge you in new ways and provides you with a great sense of achievement. Bouldering is relatively cheap and a great way to meet new friends.
November – Run a marathon along the Thames
Want to run a marathon but didn’t get a spot in the London marathon’s ballot? Take a look at the Thames Meander marathon.
The event is actually held 3 times a year, in March, August and November. You can even aim to complete the 3 to get the “Triple Crown”. At 35GBP it is a marathon that doesn’t break the bank! Sign-up directly on the official website.
December: cycle the iconic Olympic Velodrome track
Made famous by the London 2012 Olympic games, the London velodrome now welcomes beginners, amateurs and professionals alike. Learn to cycle around the wooden track on a single speed bike with no breaks and enjoy the thrill of the speed. The beginner session covers the basics of safety and how to ride around the track and you get plenty of free time to ride freely on your own. It is a great activity to do between friends and being it indoor, the perfect winter activity.
If you decide to go in spring or summer you can also combine the experience with the test of the BMX track, I enjoyed the activity very much too – though I never rode a BMX bike before!
Track session experience costs 40GBP (50 GBP if you want to combine with the BMX) and you can rent all equipment needed at the VeloPark. You can gift the experience as a voucher, the perfect Xmas present ;-).
I hope you are excited about the year ahead and that this article got you inspired to try out new things in London. Happy new year!
Ready to venture outside of the capital? Why not check some more adventures everywhere in the United Kingdom.
