Break your Routine: A Sunny Weekend Outside in Leicester
If you've been living in the UK your whole life, it's easy to forget how much there is to do outside. We're here to give you some fresh ideas for a super-fresh outdoorsy weekend. Use this blog post as encouragement to break your work-gym-eat-sleep routine, switch up your weight-lifting fitness regime, and get your sweat on in the sun. The vitamin D will do you good. We promise.
In this post we'll walk you through an action-packed weekend outside that won't cost your savings and will leave you feeling refreshed on your way back to the office Monday morning.
Saturday morning
Start off your weekend with a bang and a splatter! Get your anger out in a game of paintball at Skirmish Combat Games. Drive on down 25 minutes from Leicester city centre and pay at little as 13 pounds for a full day of paintballin’.
The venue provides paintball guns, canopies for shade (when the sun starts to hit hard), and a range of other awesome activities (hello, air-soft!). Battle it out with your mates and be ready to get a little messy. We do not recommend you wear your Sunday best to this Saturday morning showdown!
Where? Skirmish Combat Games Swinford Road Shawell Woods LE17 4HP Lutterworth, LEI
Saturday afternoon
Once you've cleaned the paint off your shoes (and your mates have had time to ice their bruised egos), go for a relaxed hike out in the hills.
Enjoy untouched nature (that's not covered in neon paint) at the Old John – Bradgate House Loop in Cropston. It's 5 miles for the whole walk and will take you about 2 hours.
Highlights include a lightening-stuck tree, Old John (an iconic lookout tower that sits at the park's highest point and showcases views of the surrounding area), and plenty of quiet, open, grassy fields to fight your weekday office-claustrophobia.
Where? Bradgate Park, Newtown Linford, Leicester LE6 0HE, UK
Saturday evening
Head home for the evening, maybe stopping off at Soar Point pub in Leicester to keep the "outdoor" theme going. Sit riverside in their backyard beer garden or enjoy the warmth inside and play a game or two of pool.
Where? Soar Point, The Newarke, Leicester, LE2 7BY
Sunday morning
Start your day off with a bike ride on the sweet, lazy Cloud Trail. This 13-mile cycle trail has minimal traffic and is perfect for less-experienced cyclists! As you follow it, enjoy chilled-out riverside cycling and take in stunning views of the area.
Where? Park at the Cloud Trail Parking Lot, Worthington, Ashby-de-la-Zouch LE65 1RN, United Kingdom
Sunday afternoon
Finish your adventure weekend on a tipsy paddle adventure around the River Soar with Let’s Get Lost UK! Hop in your kayak with your pals and glide on down to the pub. Re-fuel your body along the way with wood-fired pizza, strawberry fizz, halloumi chips, or roast pork belly if you're feeling fancy.
Where? Park at The Waterside Inn in Mountsorrel
Sunday evening
Drive home and rest easy, tiger. You’ve had a big weekend and are probably ready for a protein shake.
Hiking through the hills, biking in the forest, playing paintball, or kayaking down the river with friends are all great options to get more fresh air in Leicester. So go on now and get out there! The gym will be waiting for you when you get back.