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Gyms in Charnwood

Leicestershire's most populous borough, with Loughborough University's 50 m pool open to community members, three council leisure centres and the hills of Charnwood Forest. Here's where to train in Charnwood and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
211
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Showing 1–24 of 211 gyms

Places in Charnwood

Loughborough, Shepshed, Syston and the villages of the Soar valley.

Training in Charnwood

A 50 m pool, three council centres and the rocks of Charnwood Forest.

Charnwood is home to around 184,000 people (Census 2021), up 10.8% since 2011, against 7.7% across the East Midlands. Its median age stayed at 39, two years below the region's 41, and 8.7% of residents are aged 20 to 24. In Sport England's Active Lives survey for November 2024 to 2025, 64.6% of adults here did 150 minutes or more of activity a week, level with England.

Charnwood Borough Council owns three leisure centres, run as MORE Leisure: Loughborough Leisure Centre on Browns Lane, Soar Valley Leisure Centre in Mountsorrel and South Charnwood Leisure Centre in Syston, each with a pool and a gym. Loughborough University sells community memberships to anyone 16 or over, with its eight-lane 50 m pool and the Holywell Fitness Centre. Around them sit Charnwood Barbell for powerlifting and weightlifting, HW1's matted MMA floor, Rings Boxing and Fosse Fitness 365 in Syston.

Then there's Charnwood Forest: Bradgate Park's 850 acres of deer park, Beacon Hill at 248 m and the ancient woodland of Swithland Wood. It's easier to keep going with the right company. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in Charnwood

The leisure centres and the university first, then strength gyms, boxing and martial arts.

Leisure centres and the university

Gyms and strength

Boxing and martial arts

Find a training buddy in Charnwood

A lane partner for the university's 50 m pool, a spotter at Charnwood Barbell, someone to walk Beacon Hill with: find people near you who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Charnwood training group

A Sunday run round Bradgate Park, a weekday lunchtime swim at Loughborough Leisure Centre, a hill walk across Charnwood Forest: set it up in minutes and we'll help locals find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free places to train in Charnwood.

  • Bradgate Park850 acres of deer park in Charnwood Forest, with around 550 red and fallow deer and the Old John folly, open 7.45 am to dusk.
  • Beacon Hill Country Parkmore than 330 acres of grassland and woodland near Loughborough, rising to 248 m, with an Iron Age hill fort.
  • Swithland Wooda national nature reserve of ancient woodland and old slate quarries, north-east of Bradgate Park.
  • The Outwoodsmixed woodland and rocky outcrops near Loughborough, with open public access.

Getting around

Rail to Loughborough and the Soar valley stations.

Rail

  • Loughborough on the Midland Main Line: East Midlands Railway to London St Pancras, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield
  • Syston, Sileby and Barrow-upon-Soar on the Leicester to Nottingham and Lincoln local service

Walk

  • Bradgate Park, Swithland Wood and Beacon Hill across Charnwood Forest

Who trains here

What the census and Active Lives say about the people you'll train alongside.

  • 64.6%Adults active 150+ min a weekLevel with England. Charnwood is a place where plenty of people already train, from university athletes to Bradgate walkers.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25
  • 39Median ageUnchanged since 2011, two years below the East Midlands' 41 and England's 40.Census 2021
  • 8.7%Aged 20 to 24Twice Harborough's share. Lots of people at the stage of life when a training partner makes the difference.Census 2021

Charnwood gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in Charnwood?

Gymist lists 211 gyms, leisure centres, pools, studios and sports venues across Charnwood, from the three council leisure centres and Loughborough University to strength gyms, boxing, martial arts and yoga studios in Loughborough, Shepshed, Syston and the Soar valley villages.

Which leisure centres are in Charnwood, and who runs them?

Charnwood Borough Council owns Loughborough Leisure Centre (Browns Lane), Soar Valley Leisure Centre (Kingfisher Road, Mountsorrel) and South Charnwood Leisure Centre (Parkstone Road, Syston). They are run under the MORE Leisure name by Serco Leisure and Leisure Solutions Community Trust. Each has a pool and a gym; Loughborough also has a sports hall with badminton and squash, and a sauna and steam room.

Can I use Loughborough University's sports facilities?

Yes. Loughborough Sport sells community memberships to anyone aged 16 or over. Silver membership covers the Holywell gym, the swimming pool and classes; Bronze covers the pool with limited Powerbase and Holywell sessions. The pool is an eight-lane 50 m pool that can be split into two 25 m pools. Pay-as-you-go swims and gym sessions are also sold.

Where can I train outdoors for free in Charnwood?

Bradgate Park, north-west of Leicester, has 850 acres of deer park topped by the Old John folly and is open from 7.45 am to dusk all year. Beacon Hill Country Park covers more than 330 acres and rises to 248 m. Swithland Wood is a national nature reserve, and the Outwoods near Loughborough have open public access.

How do I get to gyms in Charnwood without a car?

Loughborough station is on the Midland Main Line, with East Midlands Railway trains to London St Pancras, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. Syston, Sileby and Barrow-upon-Soar have stations on the Leicester to Nottingham and Lincoln local service.

How do I find a gym buddy in Charnwood?

Join Gymist free, add your gym and when you train, and browse members in Loughborough and the villages nearby. If there isn't a group for your kind of training yet, start one.

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