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Gyms in the South West

From Plymouth's 50 m pool and Cheltenham's lido to Dartmoor, Exmoor and 630 miles of coast path. Gymist helps you find where to train in the South West, and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
5,053
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Popular gyms in South West

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Places in the South West

The region's 27 council areas, each with its own page.

Training in the South West

England's most active region, from the cities to the moors and the coast.

The South West had 5,701,186 people at the 2021 Census, up 7.8% since 2011, and it's England's most active region. In Sport England's latest Active Lives survey (Nov 2024–25), 68.8% of adults in the South West did at least 150 minutes of activity a week, the highest share of England's nine regions, against 64.6% for England. Exeter led the region at 76.8%.

Its big indoor venues are spread across its cities. There are 50 m pools at the Plymouth Life Centre, Hengrove Park Leisure Centre in Bristol and the University of Bath's Sports Training Village, and Exeter's St Sidwell's Point is built to the Passivhaus energy standard. Then there's the water outside: Cheltenham Lido's 50 m pool, Jubilee Pool in Penzance, the UK's largest seawater pool, Tinside Lido below Plymouth Hoe and the tidal Marine Lake at Clevedon.

Beyond them are Dartmoor and Exmoor national parks and the South West Coast Path, 630 miles from Minehead to Poole Harbour. Wherever you train in the region, it's easier with someone to train with. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in the South West

The region's landmark public venues, from its 50 m pools to its lidos and sea pools.

50 m pools and big sports centres

Lidos and outdoor pools

Sea pools and tidal lakes

Find a training buddy in the South West

A lane partner for the 50 m pool at the Plymouth Life Centre, someone to swim Cheltenham Lido with through the winter, a running partner for the coast path out of Minehead: find people near you who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a South West training group

A winter dip group at Clevedon Marine Lake, a Saturday walk on the Cotswold Way out of Bath, a Sunday ride on the Camel Trail from Padstow: set it up in minutes and we'll help people nearby find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free places to train in the South West.

  • Dartmoor National Park954 km² of granite moorland and tors in southern Devon, protected since 1951. The highest point, High Willhays, is 621 m.
  • Exmoor National Park692.8 km² of moorland and coast, 71% of it in Somerset and 29% in Devon, with 55 km of Bristol Channel coastline.
  • South West Coast PathEngland's longest National Trail: 630 miles (1,014 km) from Minehead round Devon and Cornwall to Poole Harbour.
  • Cotswold Way102 miles (164 km) along the Cotswold escarpment from Chipping Campden to Bath.
  • The Ridgeway87 miles (140 km) from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire.

Getting around

The main rail routes and traffic-free trails to the region's towns and gyms.

Rail

  • the Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads
  • from Exeter St Davids, trains run on to Plymouth and Penzance, and locally to Exmouth, Paignton, Barnstaple and Okehampton
  • the Cornish Main Line links Plymouth with Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway, St Austell, Truro and Penzance, with branches to St Ives, Falmouth, Newquay and Looe

Sleeper

  • the Night Riviera runs between London Paddington and Penzance six nights a week

Cycle

  • the Bristol and Bath Railway Path runs 13.9 traffic-free miles between the two cities
  • the Camel Trail follows the river Camel 18.3 miles from Padstow to Wenford Bridge, via Wadebridge and Bodmin
  • the Tarka Trail's 31-mile section between Braunton and Meeth is car-free and level

Who trains here

What the census and Sport England say about the people you'll train alongside.

  • 44Median ageAbove England's 40. But the cities run younger: Bristol's median age is 34 and Exeter's 35, while Cornwall's is 47.Census 2021
  • 22.3%Aged 65 and over1,273,632 people, against 18.4% across England.Census 2021 (TS007A, derived)
  • 68.8%Adults active 150+ min a weekThe highest of England's nine regions, against 64.6% for England, and ranging from 76.8% in Exeter to 62.9% in the Forest of Dean.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25

South West gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in the South West?

Gymist lists 5,053 gyms, leisure centres, pools, studios and sports venues across the South West's 27 council areas, from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly through Devon, Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire to Bristol and Gloucestershire.

Where are the biggest places to train in the South West?

Plymouth Life Centre has a 10-lane 50 m pool, a diving pool, a climbing centre with walls from 6 to 16 metres and a 150-station gym. Bristol has Hengrove Park Leisure Centre's 50 m pool. In Bath there's the University of Bath's Sports Training Village, with a 50 m pool, and Bath Sports and Leisure Centre. Exeter has St Sidwell's Point, with an eight-lane 25 m pool and a 100-station gym, and Swindon's Link Centre has a 25 m pool and an ice rink.

Where can I swim in a 50 m pool or outdoors in the South West?

The indoor 50 m pools are at Plymouth Life Centre, Hengrove Park in Bristol and the University of Bath's Sports Training Village. Cheltenham Lido is a 50 m outdoor pool with a cold-water winter season. Jubilee Pool in Penzance is the UK's largest seawater pool; its geothermal pool reopens on 27 March 2027. Portishead Open Air Pool is a 33 m pool, heated from April to October, with cold-water swimming through the winter, and Clevedon Marine Lake is a tidal pool refreshed by spring tides.

Where can I train outdoors for free in the South West?

Dartmoor National Park covers 954 km² of southern Devon and Exmoor National Park 692.8 km² of Somerset and Devon. The South West Coast Path runs 630 miles (1,014 km) from Minehead to Poole Harbour, the Cotswold Way 102 miles from Chipping Campden to Bath, and the Ridgeway starts at Avebury in Wiltshire. In summer, entry to Plymouth's Mount Wise outdoor pools is free.

Which part of the South West is most active?

In Sport England's Active Lives survey for Nov 2024–25, Exeter had the highest share of adults doing 150+ minutes of activity a week (76.8%), followed by Bath and North East Somerset (75.2%), Cotswold (72.0%) and Teignbridge (71.8%). The region as a whole was 68.8%, the highest of England's nine regions.

How do I get around the South West to train?

The Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads. From Exeter St Davids, trains run on to Plymouth and Penzance, and locally to Exmouth, Paignton, Barnstaple and Okehampton. The Cornish Main Line links Plymouth with Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway, St Austell, Truro and Penzance. For cycling, the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, the Camel Trail and the Tarka Trail all follow old railway lines.

How do I find a gym buddy in the South West?

Join Gymist free, add the gyms you use and when you train, and browse members in your town or city. If there isn't a group for your kind of training nearby, you can start one.

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