Guide to outdoor gyms in London

Finsbury Park is an expansive North London park with a wide choice of facilities. It’s also a venue for music festivals. An outdoor calisthenics gym is available, constructed from knives confiscated from the streets of London. The space has been designed by calisthenics professionals and has bars for a variety of abilities.

Close to Turnpike Lane you'll find Duckett's Common, a small green space with a range of facilities. These include a popular outdoor gym with a variety of equipment like exercise bikes, sit-up benches, and calisthenics bars. Other on-site facilities include a café, basketball courts, and a playground for children.

Islington's Elthorne Park is a neighbourhood park with a range of appealing spaces and facilities. There's an outdoor gym in a floodlit area that's free to use. In the park you'll also find a walled peace garden, conservation area, football pitches and basketball courts, and a playground for younger visitors.

Stepney Green Park is an award-winning green space but also has facilities for sports and fitness. There's outdoor gym equipment that was installed in 2022, as well as astroturf pitches and changing rooms. You can also join free digital classes in the gym area. There's a playground for kids too.

Get fit for free at Polygon Road Outdoor Gym, conveniently based close to King's Cross St Pancras. A variety of equipment is available here such as climbing bars, bodyweight equipment, and exercise bikes. There are benches to relax on after your session plus there's a kids' play area here.

Bollo Brook Park was regenerated in 2020 and offers modern sports and recreation facilities in South Acton. A variety of spaces are on the site - a multi-use games area, astroturf pitches, and an outdoor gym that includes a dedicated section for older users. There's also a marked circuit for walkers and joggers.

Chestnuts Park in Haringey was previously a watercress farm and is now a popular green space. This award-winning park has an orchard of 21 fruit trees and a community willow garden. You can also use outdoor gym equipment here including calisthenics bars. Other facilities include sports pitches and a zip wire.

The entrance to Whittington Park is marked by a large arrangement of succulents in the shape of a cat - Dick Whittington's cat to be exact. Inside the park you'll find various facilities. It's an area of local importance for conservation but also has outdoor gym equipment and other sports facilities.

If you want to find a gym that's contemporary and inclusive you might like Strong + Bendy. This space in Hackney welcomes everybody and is all about making fitness fun. There are indoor and outdoor gym spaces with classes taking place in both. Spaces are decorated with lively and colourful murals.

Next to the larger Mile End Park you'll find Wennington Green. This green space offers modern outdoor gym equipment that's suitable for all ages. Children are welcome to use it if supervised by an adult. The equipment here is popular with locals and includes tools for cardio, strength, and conditioning.

As well as boasting fantastic views of the capital, Primrose Hill has a variety of sports facilities, including a street workout park. Whilst enjoying the attractive scenery, you can use equipment like sit-up benches, rings, and pull-up bars. The variety of facilities give this outdoor gym real versatility and wide appeal.

Based in Walthamstow, Dench Fitness Gym is open 24 hours a day and takes a holistic approach to health and fitness. There are spaces, machines, and classes to meet a wide range of needs. Both indoor and outdoor gyms are available to use here with equipment like calisthenics bars and treadmills.

Calisthenics fans can get a workout at Monk's Outdoor Gym in Wembley. This is a straightforward set-up of calisthenics equipment that's free to use. Exercise bikes and cross-trainers are also available here. The space is green and usually fairly quiet and peaceful. Equipment is available for the whole community to use.

Get some exercise with relaxing views of Shadwell Basin at Shadwell Basin Outdoor Gym. This well-equipped tarmac space includes a range of calisthenics bars and other exercise machines. Community fitness classes and gym inductions take place here frequently to help you make the most of the equipment on offer.

First opened in 1928 and later extended, Betts Park is home to a variety of facilities and attractions. This includes an outdoor gym with equipment like bikes, cross trainers, and rowing machines. Machines are free to use and suitable for all abilities. Other facilities include a skate park and sports pitches.

Measuring more than 85 hectares, Clapham Common is one of London's most significant outdoor spaces. It's a community hub with a wide range of facilities for visitors. Two different outdoor gyms are available to choose from, plus extensive green spaces, cafés, kids' play areas, ponds, a Victorian bandstand, and sports facilities.

Opened in the 19th century, Roundwood Park in Willesden measures just over 10 hectares and is a popular local space. It has an aviary and a wildlife area that attracts many types of wild birds. The facilities here include outdoor gym equipment, a bowling green, basketball courts, and a playground.

West London’s Holland Park is a spacious park with gardens including the landscaped Kyoto Garden. As well as beautiful scenery, the park has a variety of facilities including a small outdoor gym for bodyweight training, including incline benches and monkey bars. The facilities are great for all ages and abilities.

From Bartlett Park you can take in great views of Canary Wharf or make use of various facilities. Stroll through gardens, meadows, and canal-side walkways or get active at this 20th century park. There's an outdoor gym on the site, as well as an inclusive playground and a grass football pitch.

Wandsworth Common dates back to medieval times and is specially protected as a result. Wander around woodland, lakes, and heath, or use the facilities here. There's a petite outdoor fitness trail that includes calisthenics equipment. You'll also see playgrounds, a café, bowling lawns, and tennis courts set in this extensive natural landscape.

Roe Green Park developed from park and farmland that was originally built in the early 20th century. Now it offers open space and facilities for the community. There's an appealing walled garden plus places for getting active. These include an outdoor gym that's designed for everyone, with regular induction sessions being held.

Voted the nation’s favourite park and open for over 150 years, Victoria Park is one of the most visited in London. The picturesque space includes a boating lake and pagoda, and recreation facilities include tennis courts and an outdoor gym. Facilities are free to use and there’s equipment for cardio and calisthenics training.

Gladstone Park in Neasden is a popular spot for exercising locally. Walking around you'll see duck ponds, walled gardens, floral arrangements, meadows, and trees. There's outdoor gym equipment that's free to use, with instructions provided and inductions taking place frequently. Equipment is designed to suit all levels of ability.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has lots to discover, from contemporary art trails to picturesque waterways and a stadium. There are a variety of sports and recreation facilities throughout the space too, including an outdoor gym. This modern exercise space offers a range of colourful equipment, including bars and exercise bikes.

Visit Kennington Park and you'll find a Victorian public park and gardens. It's a hotspot for wildlife and is the base for a centre for beekeeping and conservation. The park has facilities for sports and fitness including an outdoor gym laid out like an obstacle course, featuring pull-up bars and parallel bars.

Lordship Recreation Ground opened in Tottenham in 1932. You can relax in the grounds, including the café or picnic area, or as an alternative you can use the fitness facilities. There are a variety of options including sports pitches, a BMX track, and a popular outdoor gym next to the lake.

GoodGym is kind of different to your average outdoor gym. Instead of being an equipment set-up, this is a community that's committed to fitness and giving something back. Active in local areas throughout London, members run, walk, or cycle to complete community tasks. Help or make a social visit to an isolated older person or join a group to do community work like planting trees or cleaning up.

Thomas Gamuel Park, situated next to Thomas Gamuel Primary School in Walthamstow, may be compact but it boasts all the essentials of a proper park. It features verdant green spaces, picnic tables, a children's playground complete with a zipline, and an outdoor gym where you can work on your fitness. There's also a climbing boulder if you want to challenge yourself further.