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Runnymede at Play

Something for Everyone
Leisure and recreation opportunities abound in Runnymede. Details of just a selection can be found below.

Sports and Fitness

There are two Sports and Leisure Centres in the Borough, both of which have recently benefited from substantial investment in new facilities. Egham Leisure Centre provides some of the best facilities in the south east with a wide range of sports and health and fitness activities, equipment and courses. Recent improvements include the refurbishment of the fitness suite and provision of 6 new artificial pitches for 5-a-side football. Prices and memberships are designed to suit everybody’s pockets with five star service at a fraction of the cost of exclusive private health clubs. Addlestone Leisure Centre, a dual use facility shared with Jubilee High School, offers a similar range of activities in the south of the Borough and has recently reopened after a comprehensive £1.5m redevelopment. In addition to the usual sports facilities it now provides a 60 station fitness suite, fitness studio, new changing rooms and café-bar.

There is a thriving amateur sporting scene with clubs suited to all ages, tastes and abilities. All the major sports, including football, cricket, tennis and golf are well catered for in the Council owned parks, recreation grounds and playing fields as well as private facilities. The swimming pool at the River Bourne Health Club, Chertsey is open to the public and there are also indoor pools at Staines, Woking, Windsor and Walton.

For the spectator, Chertsey Town and Egham Town are the senior football clubs in the Borough. Although they currently compete in the Combined Counties League, the facilities at both clubs match their former Isthmian League status. The numerous Premiership and Football League clubs in London are within easy reach while, even closer to home, Woking are one of the giants of the non-league scene. Surrey County Cricket Club play a programme of County Championship and limited over matches at nearby Guildford each summer.

The Arts

The Magna Carta Arts Centre is a modern community arts facility shared with the Magna Carta School, Egham. The Centre boasts a 272 seat auditorium, drama, dance and television studios, a music suite with practice rooms, a dark room and bar and catering facilities. It is the perfect venue for the thriving local arts community and is in constant demand for plays, lunchtime and evening concerts, exhibitions and participatory workshop type activities. Chertsey Hall, with its convenient town centre location, modern facilities and raked seating, is another popular venue for plays and performances.

Museums

Chertsey Museum, housed in a Grade 2 Listed Regency town house, explores the history of the area through its hands on exhibits and varied collections. These include archaeological items of national importance, such as a rare 10th Century Viking sword and medieval decorative tiles from Chertsey Abbey. The outstanding Olive Matthews Collection of dress and textiles features fashions from the last 300 years. A discovery zone offers further opportunities for exploration using the senses and there are a wide range of activities and facilities for children. Admission is free and it is well worth a visit.

Egham boasts its own museum, in the Literary Institute, which is run by members of the Egham by Runnymede Historical Society. Open three days a week, it offers a range of displays of local interest and research facilities.

Shows/Events

Every year summer brings an exciting programme of shows and events for residents and visitors to enjoy. Chief amongst these are Chertsey’s Agricultural Show and Black Cherry Fair and the Egham Royal Show. The Black Cherry Fair, held on the Abbey Field each July, can trace its roots to the 15th Century (when Chertsey also staged goose, horse and onion trade fairs). The Egham and Chertsey shows, both staged in August, have their origins in the County agricultural shows of the 19th Century, although naturally these days they also cater for more modern tastes in entertainment.

Walks

The Borough has an extensive network of public footpaths. More than 120 public rights of way provide access to historic attractions, woodland, peaceful parks and the River Thames. From bluebells in spring at Callow Hill to the autumn colour reflected in Virginia Water lake, from the bustle of the Thames on a busy summer weekend to a roaring log fire in a village pub during the winter months, this is perhaps the best way to discover all that Runnymede has to offer. Leaflets containing fourteen suggested routes, varying in length from 3 to 9 miles, are available from the Borough Council.

Parks and Open Spaces

The Borough is blessed with a wide variety of parks and open spaces perfect for the children, sports, dog walking, a gentle riverside stroll or picnic, or perhaps just space for quiet contemplation.

There are a large number of recreation grounds, both manned and unmanned, offering football and cricket pitches, bowling greens, putting greens and paddling pools. The Runnymede Pleasure Grounds in Windsor Road, Egham is a large Thameside park adjacent to the historic Runnymede Meadows. The long river frontage at the 170 acre Chertsey Meads provides a habitat for wildlife and a natural haven for those seeking peace and quiet. Tranquillity is also easy to come by at St. Ann’s Hill, Chertsey with 57 acres of hilly woodland and panoramic views over the Thames basin. The unrivalled delights of Windsor Great Park and Savill Garden have already been highlighted in these pages. Rivers and Waterways

Runnymede is the ideal location for messing about on the river. The Thames, naturally, offers outstanding opportunities for boating, rowing, sailing and canoeing or you could just sit back and let others take the strain on a leisurely cruise. River steamers call at the lock near Chertsey Bridge and the Bell Weir Lock, Egham, the largest on the Thames. Trips are also available from the Runnymede Meadows. Swimming in the Thames is discouraged as the river bed is not even and the currents can be deceptive.

The Basingstoke Canal, originally constructed in the 18th Century and now fully restored, and the River Wey Navigation to which it connects, also flow through the Borough, providing a similar range of water borne pursuits. Even if you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, the towpath and river bank make for ideal walks or bicycle rides.

Childrens Playschemes

Not sure how to keep the children occupied during those long summer holidays? Runnymede’s ever popular playschemes have the answer! Schemes for the 5 – 7 and 8 – 11 year age groups operate for four weeks during the summer holiday at various locations around the Borough in public halls and schools. Activities on offer include sports, arts, crafts, drama, games and onsite entertainment such as circus skills. A variety of off site trips to venues such as Thorpe Park and Marwell Zoo are also offered.

The Splash Scheme, unique to Runnymede, extends the concept to 11 – 16 year olds. For four weeks each summer young people can not only join in a variety of on-site activities but also enjoy an exciting off-site programme which includes paint balling, quad biking, absailing and visits to theme parks and football grounds.

Activities are also offered in the Easter and half term holidays. These range from playschemes and sports courses through to outdoor adventure activities and arts, crafts and drama workshops.

Thorpe Park

Thorpe Park opened in 1979 as Britain’s first theme park and is now recognised as one of Europe’s leading family leisure attractions with over one million visitors every year. There are more than 70 rides and shows, a farm and a 630 seat theatre. The Wentworth Club

The prestigious Wentworth Golf Club is one of England’s premier sporting venues. The West Course staged the forerunner of the Ryder Cup in 1926 while, not to be outdone, the East Course witnessed the first Curtis Cup match, the ladies equivalent, in 1933. The West Course is the permanent home of the annual World Match Play Championship. The Club also offers tennis, swimming and health and fitness facilities for members and their guests.

Foxhills Country Club

The Foxhills Country Club is one of Surrey’s major leisure facilities, set in 400 acres of Ottershaw park land. The Manor House, built in 1840 is Jacobean in style. The complex offers golf, tennis, squash, swimming and a health suite with gym as well as a restaurant and facilities for weddings and conferences.

Further Afield

There is an enviably wide range of nationally recognised leisure and tourist attractions on the Borough’s doorstep. These include Legoland, the Motor Sport and Aviation Museum at Brooklands, Chessington World of Adventures, Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace. All of the top visitor attractions in London are also, of course, close at hand.