There is no getting away from the fact that London is huge. Massive. Very, very big. So, you’d think that with its size comes plenty of things to see and do, right? Yes, this is true. However, what do you do if you feel the need to get active, grab a bit of exercise, and burn off those calories you keep consuming at dinner and cocktail time?
Luckily, there are plenty of things you can get up to in London that will work up a sweat, and keep you occupied all at the same time. Of course, you could just hit the shops of Oxford Street and make it your mission to shop yourself into a sweat, but we’re aiming towards something a little less likely to cause bankruptcy. Here’s five ideas you might like to look into.
Walking tours
There are plentiful walking tours you can take around the major sightseeing areas of the city, as well as some of the lesser known ones. The major perk here is that you get to learn something, as well as keep fit, for quite a small cost. Tours are guided in the main, and within groups too. You could also head out at night if the mood takes you, maybe on a ghost walk, or even a Jack the Ripper walk.
Cycling tours/Rent a bike
Another guided way of seeing the city and keeping your heart rate up, is a cycling tour. You could of course hire a bike yourself and head off on your own steam, but we did discuss earlier that London is huge and unless you want to keep checking a map or the GPS on your iPhone every five seconds, maybe a guided tour is the best option. Again, you learn something too.
Jogging Hyde Park
It doesn’t have to be Hyde Park you head to if you fancy a spot of jogging, but this is probably one of the most famous and scenic routes you can take. 5km long, quite flat, so it’s perfect for every ability level, and if you head out early in the day, or towards the early evening, you should be able to run like the wind without having to avoid too many dog walkers or other runners! Very scenic too, especially during the spring and summer months.
City jogging tours
Moving on from the Hyde Park idea, if you want to venture further, you can actually book a jogging sightseeing tour! Again, this is a guided tour, with an experienced jogging guide to help you find out more about the area, when you stop for a breather of course, and find the best and safest jogging routes around.
Hampstead Heath
The view from the top of the Heath is stunning on a clear day, but it does take a bit of walk to get up to the top. A good idea is to take a picnic for your reward once you reach your perfect stop, where you can lay down on the grass and get your breath back.
All this talk of active ideas has made me break into a sweat just thinking about it, but it goes to show that London isn’t all about shopping and theatre breaks.
Photo Credit: Creative Commons, Paul Williams Royal Parks half marathon.
All this talk of exercise is making me HUNGRY! But seriously I agree that the best way to get the feel of a city is to explore it my bicycle or on foot. We did a “free” bike tour ( for tips only) in Berlin and it was excellent, albeit a little scary at times avoiding buses.