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Gyms in Westmorland and Furness

Windermere, the eastern fells and part of the Yorkshire Dales, with 25 m pools in Kendal, Ulverston, Penrith and Appleby and four heated village pools in the Eden valley. Here's where to train in Westmorland and Furness, and who to train with.

Gyms and venues
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Towns in Westmorland and Furness

From Kendal and Penrith to the Furness peninsula and the market towns of the Eden valley.

Training in Westmorland and Furness

Lakes, fells, dales and a shipbuilding town, with some of England's most active adults.

Westmorland and Furness had 226,592 residents at the 2021 Census. The council was created on 1 April 2023 from the old Barrow-in-Furness, Eden and South Lakeland districts, and its west lies in the Lake District National Park, its south-east in the Yorkshire Dales. It is the second most active council area in the North West, after Ribble Valley: in Sport England's Active Lives survey for Nov 2024–25, 73.5% of adults did at least 150 minutes of activity a week, against 64.6% for England.

Better runs the main public centres: Kendal Leisure Centre, with a 25 m pool, learner and teaching pools, Ulverston Leisure Centre, home to Cumbria's largest tennis centre, Penrith Leisure Centre, with a climbing wall and indoor bowls hall, and Appleby Leisure Centre. Barrow Park Leisure Centre and the charity-run Dalton Leisure Centre serve Furness. Kendal Wall has roped climbing and bouldering, and there are CrossFit boxes in Kendal, Penrith and Ulverston and jiu-jitsu, judo and boxing clubs.

In summer, volunteers open heated outdoor pools at Askham, Greystoke, Lazonby and Shap. Wherever you train, it's easier with someone to train with. Gymist is how you find them.

Where to train in Westmorland and Furness

Better's leisure centres first, then Furness's community centres, the Eden valley's outdoor pools, climbing and CrossFit, and fight gyms.

Better leisure centres

Community leisure centres in Furness

Heated outdoor pools in the Eden valley

Climbing, strength and CrossFit

Fight gyms and martial arts

Find a training buddy in Westmorland and Furness

A lane partner at Kendal Leisure Centre, someone to belay you at Kendal Wall, a tennis partner at Ulverston: find people near you who train when you do.

Find a buddy

Start a Westmorland and Furness training group

A summer swim group at Askham or Lazonby, a fell-walking group from Windermere station, a weekly WOD crew in Penrith: set it up in minutes and we'll help locals find it.

Start a group

Train outdoors

Free and low-cost places to train in Westmorland and Furness.

  • Lake District National ParkEngland's largest national park, 2,362 km², with over 350 fells; a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017.
  • WindermereEngland's longest lake, 10.5 miles (17 km), with the Lakes Line ending at Windermere station.
  • Yorkshire Dales National ParkThe south-east of the district lies inside it.
  • Eden valley outdoor poolsAskham, Greystoke, Lazonby and Shap: heated, volunteer-run and open May to September.

Getting around

The rail lines that link the district's towns and gyms.

Main line rail

  • the West Coast Main Line calls at Oxenholme Lake District and Penrith

Lakes Line

  • Northern runs about 16 km from Oxenholme Lake District through Kendal, Burneside and Staveley to Windermere

Furness line

  • Northern runs from Carnforth to Barrow-in-Furness, calling at Arnside, Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston and Dalton

Settle–Carlisle line

  • Northern calls at Kirkby Stephen, Appleby, Langwathby and Lazonby & Kirkoswald

Who trains here

What the census and Sport England say about the people you'll meet in the pool, at the wall and on the fells.

  • 226,592ResidentsWestmorland and Furness's population at the 2021 Census, spread across lakes, dales and the Furness peninsula.Census 2021 (Nomis)
  • 73.5%Active adultsShare of adults doing 150+ minutes of activity a week, well above England's 64.6%.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25
  • 18.1%Inactive adultsFewer than one adult in five does less than 30 minutes a week. If that's you, a training partner is a good place to start.Sport England Active Lives, Nov 2024–25

Westmorland and Furness gym questions

What people ask before they train here.

How many gyms are there in Westmorland and Furness?

Gymist lists 256 gyms, leisure centres, pools, climbing walls, studios and sports venues across Westmorland and Furness, from Kendal and Penrith to Barrow-in-Furness, Ulverston and the Eden valley.

Which leisure centres are in Westmorland and Furness, and who runs them?

Better runs Kendal, Ulverston, Penrith and Appleby leisure centres, Frenchfield Sports Centre near Penrith and the Windermere Outdoor Adventure Centre. Barrow Park Leisure Centre is branded Barrow Leisure, and Dalton Leisure Centre is a charity centre owned by the Dalton and District Recreational Charity Trust.

Where can I swim in Westmorland and Furness?

Kendal, Ulverston, Penrith and Appleby leisure centres all have 25 m pools, and Kendal also has learner and teaching pools. Dalton Leisure Centre has a 20 m warm-water pool and Barrow Park Leisure Centre has a pool. From May to September, volunteer-run heated outdoor pools open at Askham, Greystoke, Lazonby and Shap.

Where can I climb indoors in Westmorland and Furness?

Kendal Wall, on the Lake District Business Park off Mint Bridge Road, has indoor roped climbing and bouldering, with drop-in climbing for experienced adults. Penrith Leisure Centre also has a climbing wall.

Where can I train outdoors for free in Westmorland and Furness?

The Lake District National Park covers 2,362 km² and includes Windermere, England's longest lake at 10.5 miles (17 km). The south-east of the district lies in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

How do I get around Westmorland and Furness to train?

The West Coast Main Line calls at Oxenholme Lake District and Penrith. The Lakes Line runs from Oxenholme through Kendal to Windermere, the Furness line links Arnside, Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston and Dalton with Barrow, and the Settle–Carlisle line calls at Kirkby Stephen, Appleby, Langwathby and Lazonby & Kirkoswald.

How do I find a gym buddy in Westmorland and Furness?

Join Gymist free, save the gyms you use and share when you train. People nearby, whether they swim in Kendal, climb at Kendal Wall or swim outdoors at Shap in summer, can see when you're going and train with you.

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