Keeping Active

Our fully equipped, air-conditioned gyms offer a range of equipment for everyone. You can choose from cardiovascular machines such as rowing machines, bikes, treadmills and X-trainers, resistance equipment including free weights or try our dedicated stretch and functional fitness areas with stability balls, kettlebells, medicine balls and more.

Visit the NL Active Gym page for more information. 

We operate five swimming pools across North Lincolnshire and offer a wide range of swimming sessions.

• NL Active at Ancholme – five lane, 25 metre pool with separate teaching pool
• NL Active at Axholme North – four lane, 25 metre pool
• NL Active at Baysgarth – four lane, 20 metre pool
• NL Active at Riddings – six lane, 25 metre pool
• NL Active at The Pods – eight lane, 25 metre pool with separate teaching pool

Swimming is great fun at any age. Whether you want to learn to swim, improve your technique, get fit or just have fun, we’re sure you’ll find a session you enjoy.

Visit the NL Active swimming page for more information and pool timetables. 

Read further information on our SwimLincs learn to swim programme.

Playing racket sports not only keeps you active, it’s also good fun and a great way to socialise.

We have a number of racket sport options across NL Active facilities:

• NL Active at Ancholme – Squash, tennis, badminton, table tennis, short tennis, pickleball
• NL Active at Axholme North – Tennis, badminton, table tennis, pickleball
• NL Active at Baysgarth – Badminton, table tennis, short tennis, pickleball
• NL Active Epworth – Badminton, table tennis, tennis, short tennis, squash
• NL Active at Riddings – Table tennis
• NL Active at The Pods – Badminton, table tennis, short tennis, pickleball

With over 150 fitness classes across our five centres, we aim to cater for all fitness levels and ages. We offer a wide range of different classes from high energy to relaxation and well being, both online and in our centres.

NL Active delivers live lessons in centres, a live streamed programme that you can access from home, and Ancholme Leisure Centre, Baysgarth Community Hub and The Pods have virtual studios. The virtual studios are much more than a fitness class, they’re an immersive sensory experience with classes delivered by Les Mills superstar instructors.

Visit the NL Active group fitness page for more information.

Book an appointment at an NL Active centre for a personalised exercise plan. A fitness assistant will discuss your fitness aims and work with you to devise a plan that will help you achieve them.

Cycling can make you feel good about life – whether you want to improve your fitness, explore the locality, or have a little fun with your family, cycling is the ideal activity.

Read more information on cycling across North Lincolnshire

Jogging or running is a free and easily accessible form of physical activity. Jogging or running regularly is a great way of improving your overall physical health. It can improve heart and lung health, increase joint strength and stability, reduce your risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Running is also thought to improve mental wellbeing and can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress, and simply improve your mood.

Running groups in North Lincolnshire

Scunthorpe & District Running Club hold regular running sessions every Tuesday and Thursday evening behind Brumby Hall. The group caters for all levels of ability. Speed doesn’t matter, the only criteria is that you want to run. All sessions are led by UKA accredited and CRB checked Coaches and Run Leaders.

You can find more information on the Scunthorpe & District Running club website or email them for more information secsadrc@gmail.com

Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K is a running plan for absolute beginners. It was developed by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his 50-something mum get off the couch and start running.

The plan involves 3 runs a week, with a day of rest in between, and a different schedule for each of the 9 weeks.

Visit the NHS Couch to 5k page

Fancy a walk, jog or run in one of our local parks? Join one of the Parkruns; a five kilometre timed walk, jog or run that happen across the country at 9am every Saturday morning.

We’re really proud and grateful to the army of volunteers that organise the Parkruns in North Lincolnshire; Central Park, Scunthorpe, Normanby Hall, and Ancholme Valley Way, Brigg. Visit their Parkrun pages to register or just head to the venue one Saturday morning 9am to see what it’s all about. It really is a sight to behold – people of all ages, abilities, some with push chairs and dogs enjoying our beautiful parks whilst getting fit.

A dedicated Junior Parkrun event takes place weekly at Brumby Wood Recreation Ground on a Sunday morning. Visit the Junior Parkrun website for more information.

Is it true you’re allowed to WALK at Parkrun?

Yes! People all around the world are joining in and walking at Saturday morning Parkrun events.

Recovering from an injury or illness, have a long-term health condition or would like to be more active?

Walking can help prevent and manage health conditions, lift your mood, and get you moving more in the great outdoors.

Bring a friend, family member or a work colleague and give Parkwalk a go!

Meet in front of Normanby Hall at 8.45am, where there will be a briefing for first-timers and an opportunity to ask questions. Marshals will be along the route offering you encouragement and support.

It’s FREE and a chance to walk and talk, catch up with a friend or enjoy time with your family in the beautiful grounds of Normanby Hall Country Park. Afterwards why not grab a coffee at the café, it’s a great way to meet fellow walkers.

It doesn’t matter how slow you go, don’t worry about not being fit enough, there’s a volunteer Tail Walker, meaning nobody finishes last!

Register for Free at www.parkrun.org.uk/register print off two bar codes, one for displaying in your car for free parking and bring the other one with you to get scanned at the end.

How does parkrun actually work? | parkrun UK Blog

Walking is simple, free and one of the easiest ways to get more active and become healthier.

Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.

You don’t have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week.

Visit the walking in North Lincolnshire page for information walking routes and the Walking the Way to Health programme.

Why not try out walking at the Parkrun events? Further information is in the Parkrun dropdown above.

Park Fit is a simple but effective 10 station exercise circuit which is designed for everyone to benefit from. Circuits are located at:

• Baysgarth Park, start near Baysgarth Leisure Centre (Brigg Road, Barton-upon-Humber)
• Central Park, start near The Pods (Ashby Road, Scunthorpe)

The circuit is free of charge and available to use anytime.

How does it work?

• You can choose to run, jog or walk around the circuit, looking out for the numbered Park Fit Circuit signposts
• When you get to each signpost, you can stop and complete the exercise which is displayed on the sign
• Each sign has its own QR code which you can scan with a mobile device to view the exercise demonstration video
• Each video also has modified versions of each exercise to simplify your workout if needed.

Please remember you are responsible for using Park Fit safely and as directed. You must behave sensibly, exercising within your limits, and follow any safety instructions so as not to hurt or injure yourself or others. In the absence of any negligence or other breach of duty by us, the use of Park Fit is entirely at your own risk. During the exercise if you feel you are exercising beyond your current fitness abilities or feel discomfort, dizziness or sickness you should stop exercising immediately. If you’re currently under medical supervision, please consult your doctor before using Park Fit and follow their advice.

Paddlesports: Kayaking, Canoeing and SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard)

There’s so much to love about being out on the water. As well as being great for your health and wellbeing, paddling immerses you in nature, builds your confidence, and gives you the chance to connect with others.

Paddlesport now covers a wide range of interests and passions as a sport and as a leisure activity. As a sport, you can race in sprint, marathon or slalom, or you can play in a canoe polo team. As a leisure activity you can go touring in rivers, lakes and the sea, or run whitewater rapids.

Everyone can enjoy and realise their potential within all aspects of canoeing regardless of their age, background or ability.

Paddlesports in North Lincolnshire

Glanford and Scunthorpe Canoe Club are based behind the Ancholme Leisure Centre in Brigg, in their own boathouse. They hold regular sessions every Tuesday and Thursday evenings from April to September on the River Ancholme, and pool sessions in the swimming pool at Brigg every Saturday evening from October to March. They also run year-round training sessions on the river on Saturday afternoons for their marathon racing squad. All sessions are led by British Canoeing qualified coaches who are all DBS checked and have rescue, safeguarding and first aid qualifications. You can find out more information on their website at www.gscc-online.com, on their Facebook page FriendsOfGSCC, or by emailing publicity@gscc-online.com

In addition to the group fitness classes taking place in our leisure centres, we also offer a live streamed group fitness programme so you can workout at home with instructors you know.

The timetable includes a variety of workouts that are suitable for all fitness abilities.

You can find the timetable and more information on our group fitness page and the classes can be booked online under The Pods group fitness classes. The live streamed classes are currently free of charge.

Public Health England and Sport England have developed an Active at Home workbook for older people. The guide helps you build physical activity in to your day around the home.

Five ways to Wellbeing is a way of looking after our physical health and mental wellbeing.

The five ways to wellbeing are:

1. Keep learning
2. Connect
3. Give
4. Be active
5. Take notice

Find more information on the Five Ways to Wellbeing webpage.

Active Ageing and Active Lincs are programmes aimed at increasing the activity levels of older people or those who have limited mobility or underlying health conditions. Activities include seated exercises, walking sports and active circuits. Classes are delivered in NL Active facilities, hub settings and local community venues. To find out more about the offer: in facilities email referral@northlincs.gov.uk or in the community email community.recreation@northlincs.gov.uk

Active Lincs sessions form part of the NL Active group fitness offer and can be found on the facility group fitness timetables. The Active Ageing sessions are below.

North Lincolnshire Council’s Active Exercise Referral programme supports people with existing medical conditions to become more active and improve their health.

The Active Exercise Referral Programme will help improve, manage, or prevent health conditions such as diabetes, impaired mobility, COPD, asthma,
depression, hypertension, obesity, stroke recovery, and controlled coronary heart disease.

NL Active has a team of exercise referral qualified Health & Wellbeing Activators who will work with you to design a personal fitness plan to suit your medical conditions and abilities. They will provide support, advice and encouragement throughout the programme, helping you improve your health by becoming more active.

The Active Exercise Referral Programme will be personal to you and will be designed to suit your lifestyle and needs. The programme will include one-to-one consultations with your Health & Wellbeing Activator as well as access to NL Active facilities and suitable group fitness classes. The programme is divided into two phases, each 12 weeks long.

For more information email referral@northlincs.gov.uk or visit our Health Programmes page

Public Health England (PHE) has developed an Active at Home guide. Initially developed to help older people keep active at home during Covid-19, the guide is a great tool to help people build physical activity into their day.

Download the booklet here – PHE Active at Home booklet.

Junior gym is a supervised session where 11-16 year olds can access the gym and get active. Sessions are 45 minutes long. The Junior Gym sessions can be found on the NL Active group fitness timetables.

Football or dance more your thing?

Try the On Target programme! FREE football and dance sessions are open to young people aged between 8 and 19 years old (or age 25 for people with a disability) on Friday evenings.

On Target sessions are led by qualified coaches from Scunthorpe United Community Sports and Education Trust and StreetBeat. Follow our latest updates on our Street Sport Facebook page.

A signed parental consent form is required prior to taking part in your first session of Street Sport or On Target.

Brumby Wood Rec Ground junior parkrun is a FREE 2km event for junior runners of all standards, which takes place every Sunday at 9:00am in Brumby Wood Recreation Ground, Brumby Wood Lane, Scunthorpe, DN17 1AA.

Vist the Brumby Wood Junior Parkrun website for more details.

Parkrun Juniors is organised and managed by a team of volunteers in association with the national Junior Parkrun programme. The 2k timed run can be whatever you want it to be, whether for fun or as part of a training plan.

It offers an opportunity for all the family to get involved and come together on a regular basis to enjoy this beautiful park. We want to encourage people to jog or run together irrespective of their ability – this event is truly open to all and best of all it really is FREE!

Taking part is easy – just register in advance before your first ever parkrun. Your individual barcode can then be used for this weekly 2k run, or on any of the weekly 5k Parkruns around the country.

The junior parkrun is a great way to get involved and introduce yourselves to a sport without any of the normal outside pressures. A great way to improve health, confidence and to enjoy a great location. It can also be part of getting fit for sport for your school or to train for a specific target such as the Mini-Marathon trials, or for a full 5k parkrun distance. In short, you are welcome to come along and have fun.

Scorers is a free multi-sport programme for young people with a disability for people aged between 8 and 25 years old.

The weekly session takes place every Tuesday 5pm to 6pm at The Pods, Ashby Road DN16 1AA.

A signed parental consent form is required prior to taking part in your first session. Call 01724 297270 for more information or email community.recreation@northlincs.gov.uk.

There are skate parks at Epworth Leisure Centre, Winterton Gym, and Ancholme Leisure Centre.

Ancholme Leisure Centre – open hours are the same as the leisure centre open hours

Winterton gym – open hours are the same as the building open hours

Epworth Leisure Centre – school holidays open hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to 8pm and weekends 12noon to 4pm. Term time open hours are Monday to Friday 4pm to 8pm and weekends 12noon to 4pm.

We have a programme of Street Sport sessions for young people aged 8 to 18 years old (or age 25 for people with a disability). Sessions are completely FREE to attend and are led by qualified and experienced sports coaches in parks, schools and playing fields across North Lincolnshire.

Activities at the Street Sport sessions include dodgeball, rounders, football, cricket and many more fun games to get you moving. Follow our latest updates on our Street Sport Facebook page

A signed parental consent form is required prior to taking part in your first session of Street Sport or On Target.

You can find information on our SwimLincs programme on the swimming lesson page of the website.

Swimming is an important life skill and our SwimLincs learn to swim programme will ensure children become confident and safe in the water.

Our lessons run for 50 weeks a year, with each lesson lasting 30 minutes, or which at least 25 minutes will be water-based activities. The SwimLincs learn to swim programme is available at:

• Ancholme Leisure Centre
• Axholme North Leisure Centre
• Baysgarth Community Hub
• Riddings Community Hub
• The Pods

The SwimLincs programme is divided in to nine stages:

SwimLincs Minis

• Adult and baby – four months to 17 months (STA starfish awards 1 to 3)
• Adult and tots – 18 months to three years (STA starfish awards 4 to 6)
• Pre-school lessons – three to four year olds (STAnley awards 1 to 4)

SwimLincs

• Non-swimmer – four years plus (Seahorse awards 1 to 2)
• Beginner – four years plus (Seahorse awards 3 to 4)
• Improver – (Dolphin awards 1 to 2)
• Intermediate – (Dolphin awards 3 to 4)
• Advanced – (Dolphin award 5)
• Development classes – Rookie lifeguard and Challenge awards

Children are continually assessed throughout their lessons. You can view your child’s progress online using our SwimLincs Home Portal. To access this service we require your email address. To register you will need your child’s SwimLincs card number. If you don’t have a card number please contact the customer service desk at the centre where your child swims.

We also run crash course swimming lessons at NL Active pools during school holidays.

Do you and your family enjoy a challenge?

For information on outdoor challenges in the North Lincolnshire area, including scavenger and treasure hunts, visit the Fuelled (Holiday activities) webpage.

Have you given the Park Fit circuits a go? Find the ten-station exercise circuits in Baysgarth Park and Central Park. Find out more in the ‘Keeping active outdoors’ section above.

A NL Active facility is the perfect venue for a children’s parties. We have a wide range of options available to suit all ages and interests including:

Pool party

If a party in a pool is what you’re looking for we have a number of options to suit your child’s interests including pool floats, inflatable assault courses, mermaid parties, and jet skis. Each facility has a different party offer, but we’ll do all we can to accommodate you.

Dry party

If you’d prefer to keep dry we have a number of options available including football parties, Nerf parties, inflatable assault courses, bouncy castles and multi sports. Again, get in touch with us and let us know what you’re looking for and we’ll do what we can to arrange you a no fuss party!

Visit the NL Active facility pages for information on the party offer at each site or contact bookings@northlincs.gov.uk for more information.

Unleash your inner mermaid / merman with our underwater activities!

Delve under the water on our mermaid / merman sessions. You’ll wear a mermaid / merman mono fin and tail skin, take part in treasure hunts, play games, learn mermaid / merman skills, and choreograph your own routine.

Suitable for children aged 6+. Children must be able to swim 25m unaided and a safety test will be carried out before your child puts on the mono fin and tail skin.

Mermaid / merman sessions will take place during school holidays. Check back for more details.

The Bujin karate club based at The Pods practices the style Wado Ryu. The main elements of the training are Kata and Kumite.

Come along and try our ‘Do Something Different’ sport, leisure and cultural sessions specifically for adults with a disability aged 16 and above. Have fun, meet new people and learn new skills. Activities include rebound therapy, archery, table tennis, boccia and multi sports. To find out more call 01724 297270 or email community.recreation@northlincs.gov.uk.

Our Do Something Different video shows some of our previous activities and what people think to them.

Scorers is a free multi-sport programme for young people with a disability for people aged between 8 and 25 years old.

The weekly session takes place every Tuesday 6pm to 7.30pm at West Common Sports Hall (term time only) A signed parental consent form is required prior to taking part in your first session. Call 01724 297270 for more information or email community.recreation@northlincs.gov.uk.

Axholme North Leisure Centre and The Pods have weekly SEND pool sessions. There’s a pool hoist available and also a Changing Places facility. Contact the centre for more information and find the sessions on the pool timetables.

Sport England works with a range of partners to help more disabled people get active.

We Are Undefeatable is a campaign supporting those with long term health conditions to be more active.

Aspire is a national charity that gives practical help to people who’ve been paralysed by spinal cord injury.

Sense Arts, Sport & Wellbeing – inspires people with complex disabilities to be creative and active.

Sport England supports International Mixed Ability Sports to expand the delivery of the mixed ability model into new sports and new areas of the country.

The NHS has pulled together a guide to getting active if you have a disability or long-term health condition.

This guide will help you:

• build activity into your day
• search for activities or classes
• browse activities and sports

Visit the Get active with a disability page