What will actually introduce me to new people?
Hobbies for meeting people
Meeting people through a hobby works when the hobby requires other people, not when it merely permits them. These are the ones with a genuine structure to join — a club, a session, a team, a fixture — so that turning up alone once is enough. Several also happen to be among the cheapest things in the catalogue.
430 activities in the catalogue, 19 written up so far.
derivative work: Jesfr ( talk ) Track_and_field_stadium.jpg : Eija / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 1.0
Athletics
Track and field as an organised club sport — running, jumping and throwing under one roof, and open to adults at every level.
£25–£100 to start · indoors or out · very demanding
Linsenhejhej / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Dog training
Teaching a dog to live well with people — a genuine skill with a contested literature and a surprising amount of law attached.
£25–£100 to start · indoors or out · moderate effort
Carstor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Downhill mountain biking
Riding gravity tracks at uplift-served bike parks — what the sport actually is, what it costs, and why this page covers everything except how to ride it.
Over £1,000 to start · outdoors · very demanding
Fell running
SportRacing up and down open hillside on unmarked routes — a navigation sport with running attached, where GPS is banned outright.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Historical European martial arts
SportHobbyReconstructing longsword and other historical fighting from surviving manuals — a martial art with a reading list and no unbroken lineage.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
Horse riding
SportHobbyLearning to ride — the routes in, what it honestly costs, and the horsemanship that comes with it, from a page that stops short of the horse’s care.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Horticultural showing
HobbyGrowing and staging produce and flowers for judging — where presentation counts as much as cultivation.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
Indoor climbing
SportRoped climbing on an artificial wall — the route into the sport for almost everybody who now does it outdoors.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
Karate
SportA striking art of forms, partner drills and graded belts — taught in several distinct styles that disagree more than beginners expect.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
Mahjong
HobbyA four-player tile game of drawing and discarding, whose several national rule sets are the single most confusing thing about it.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
Navigational rallying
SportCompetitive motoring on public roads decided by map reading and timekeeping rather than speed — the cheapest way into motorsport in Britain.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
Padel
SportA doubles racket sport played in a glass-walled court where the walls are part of the game.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
Pickleball
SportA paddle sport on a badminton-sized court with a perforated plastic ball and a non-volley zone.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
Pool
SportThe pub and club cue game — and the three different rulebooks everybody assumes are one.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
Ski touring
SportClimbing under your own power on skis and descending away from lifts — mountaineering with a fast way down, and the avalanche knowledge that makes it possible.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Table tennis
SportBat and ball across a net on a table — the most accessible racket sport, and at club level a genuinely brutal one.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
Target shooting
SportPrecision shooting at paper and electronic targets — a club sport where the certificate and the club come before the rifle.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
Triathlon
SportSwim, bike and run in one race, with the transitions counting too — an endurance sport where the hardest part is usually the water.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
Wild swimming
SportHobbySwimming in rivers, lakes and sea — enormously rewarding, and the one hobby here that regularly kills people who get it wrong.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
Also matching, not yet written up
These meet the same criteria and are in the catalogue; we have not written them up in depth.
3D archery
SportShooting foam animal targets at unmarked distances through woodland, judging range by eye.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
3x3 basketball
SportHalf-court basketball to a single hoop, with a shot clock, a twelve-minute game and Olympic status.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Abstract strategy games
HobbyPerfect-information games with no theme — hex, hive, twixt and their relatives.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Acrobatic gymnastics
SportBalance and dynamic routines performed in pairs and groups, where partners are the apparatus.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Adult gymnastics
SportRecreational gymnastics classes for adults, which most clubs now run and nobody advertises.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Adventure racing
SportMulti-discipline team racing over long distances, navigating throughout.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Air hockey
HobbySportA fast table sport with a competitive circuit almost nobody outside it knows about.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Allotment gardening
HobbyGrowing on a rented plot, with waiting lists, site rules and a social world of its own.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Alpine ski racing
SportGate racing in slalom through downhill, with masters categories that adults genuinely enter.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Amateur dramatics
HobbyActing, staging and producing plays with a local company.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Amateur orchestra
HobbyPlaying in a non-professional symphony or string orchestra, which is where most adult instrumentalists actually play.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Amateur radio
HobbyLicensed two-way radio — contacts, contests, antennas and propagation.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Amateur sumo
SportSumo practised as an amateur weight-class sport, with a small but real international circuit.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
American football
SportEleven a side, heavily coached, with a substantial playbook to learn.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aquathlon
SportSwim then run, with no bike — the cheapest way into multisport racing.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Argentine tango
HobbyImprovised partner dance with a milonga culture and an unusually steep first year.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Arm wrestling
SportA table sport of hand control and specific tendon strength, with a real club and league structure.
Under £25 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Artistic cycling
SportGymnastic routines performed on a fixed-gear indoor bicycle, judged like floor gymnastics.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Artistic swimming
SportChoreographed routines in water, judged on execution and difficulty, with adult and masters entry routes.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Australian rules football
SportAn oval-ball running game with no offside, now with established amateur leagues across Britain.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Autograss racing
SportGrassroots oval circuit racing on grass in home-built cars, the cheapest real motorsport in Britain.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Autosolo & autotests
SportTimed low-speed precision driving around cones, in an ordinary road car.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Axe throwing
SportThrowing hatchets at a wooden target, usually in a supervised venue.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bachata
HobbyA Dominican partner dance built on a four-step with a hip lift, and the usual second dance after salsa.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Backgammon
HobbyA race game of dice and doubling, where equity matters more than luck.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Backyard ultra
SportA last-runner-standing format: a fixed loop every hour until only one entrant remains.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Badminton
SportThe fastest racket sport, played indoors with a shuttlecock.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ballroom dancing
HobbySportPartner dancing through a graded syllabus of standard and Latin styles.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bandy
SportAn eleven-a-side stick-and-ball sport played on a football-sized sheet of ice.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Banjo
HobbyFive-string clawhammer or bluegrass playing, with a strong session culture.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bar billiards
HobbyA timed pub table game with holes and skittles, played in leagues across southern England.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Barbecue & smoking
HobbyCraftCooking with live fire and smoke over hours, controlling temperature by hand.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Barbershop singing
HobbyUnaccompanied four-part close harmony, sung in choruses and quartets with a strong contest circuit.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Baseball
SportBat and ball on a diamond, nine a side.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Basketball
SportFive a side on a hard court, or three-on-three on any playground.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bassoon
HobbyThe bass double reed, with awkward fingering, its own reed craft and a permanent shortage of players.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Beach tennis
SportVolley-only racket sport played over a high net on sand.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Beach volleyball
SportTwo a side on sand, where the surface does most of the damage.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bell boating
SportPaddling twin-hulled stable craft, used as an accessible introduction to team paddling.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Belly dance
HobbyMiddle Eastern solo dance built on isolations of hip, ribcage and shoulder rather than travel.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Benchrest shooting
SportPrecision rifle shooting from a supported bench, where the sport is ammunition and equipment consistency.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bharatanatyam
HobbyA South Indian classical dance of fixed positions, rhythmic footwork and codified hand gesture.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Biathlon
SportCross-country skiing interrupted by rifle shooting at a racing heart rate.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Big band
HobbySectional jazz ensemble playing from charts, with written parts and improvised solos over them.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bike polo
SportThree-a-side polo on bikes in a hard court, with home-made mallets and an urban club culture.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Blind football
SportFive-a-side football with a ball containing bearings, played blindfolded with a sighted guide.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Blokarting
SportSailing a small three-wheeled land yacht on beaches and airfields.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
BMX
SportRacing and freestyle on small-wheeled bikes, at tracks and skateparks.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
BMX freestyle
SportTricks on a small strong bike, in a park, on street or on a ramp.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Boccia
SportA precision target ball sport designed for athletes with high support needs, played to Paralympic level.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bodyboarding
SportRiding waves lying on a short foam board, with fins.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Boxing
SportPunching only, in weight classes, with an enormous fitness base underneath.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Brass banding
HobbyThe British brass band tradition: graded contests, weekly rehearsals and lent instruments.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
SportGround grappling and submissions, with full-resistance sparring from early on.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Breakdancing
SportHobbyToprock, footwork, power moves and freezes, battled one against one and now an Olympic sport.
Under £25 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Broomball
SportA team game on ice played in shoes rather than skates, with brooms and a ball.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cage bird showing
HobbyBreeding and exhibiting budgerigars, canaries and finches to breed standards.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cajón
HobbyA box drum sat on and played with the hands, the standard percussion for acoustic and flamenco settings.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Camogie
SportThe women’s stick-and-ball code of the Gaelic games, with its own association and rules.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canary breeding
HobbyBreeding canaries for type, colour or song, each a separate tradition.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canasta
HobbyA rummy-family card game for partnerships, with melds, wild cards and a long social club tradition.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canicross
SportRunning attached to your dog by a bungee line and harness.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canoe polo
SportFive-a-side ball game played in kayaks, with contact.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Canoeing
SportPaddling an open canoe with a single blade, solo or tandem.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Capoeira
SportBrazilian art blending acrobatic movement, music and play in a roda.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Carom billiards
SportPocketless billiards scored by caroming off both object balls, the dominant cue sport in continental Europe.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Carriage driving
SportHobbyDriving harnessed horses to a vehicle, competitively or for pleasure, with its own licensing culture.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Carrom
HobbySportA flicking board game of South Asian origin, played on a powdered board with pockets at the corners.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cat showing
HobbyBreeding and exhibiting pedigree cats to standard at judged shows.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cavy showing
HobbyBreeding and exhibiting guinea pigs to standard — a distinct fancy from rabbits.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Chamber music
HobbySmall-ensemble playing with one player to a part, rehearsed without a conductor.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Change ringing
HobbyRinging tower bells in mathematical sequences, as a team, from memory.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cheerleading
SportCompetitive stunting, tumbling and pyramids performed to music, now a sport rather than a sideline.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Chess
HobbyThe classical two-player strategy game, playable in a park or a tournament.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Chess boxing
SportAlternating rounds of speed chess and boxing, won by checkmate, knockout or the clock.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Chess variants
HobbyPlaying the family of games around chess — Chess960, bughouse, three-check and others.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Choral singing
HobbySinging in a choir, in parts, to a conductor.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Chrysanthemum growing and showing
HobbyGrowing chrysanthemums for exhibition, with disbudding and timing as the core skills.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cider making
HobbyCraftPressing and fermenting apples, usually with far more fruit than expected.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Circus skills
HobbySportAerial hoop, silks, trapeze, acro and hand balancing, taught in classes.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Clay pigeon shooting
SportBreaking flying clay targets with a shotgun across a course of stands.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Clog dancing
HobbyPercussive step dance in wooden-soled shoes, with distinct northern English traditions.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Club motorcycle racing
SportCircuit racing on closed tracks through a club licence, which is the amateur route into road racing.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Coastal rowing
SportRowing stable open boats on the sea, in crews, often in community clubs.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cocktail making
HobbyCraftMixing drinks properly — balance, dilution, ice and technique.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Combat robotics
HobbySportDesigning and fighting radio-controlled machines to weight classes, from ant weight upwards.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Combined events
SportDecathlon and heptathlon — scoring across ten or seven disciplines over two days.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Competitive diving
SportSpringboard and platform diving, judged on entry and execution, learned from dry land upwards.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Competitive ploughing
HobbyPloughing a measured plot for straightness and finish, with horse, vintage and modern classes.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Competitive sheep shearing
SportHobbyShearing against the clock and on quality, judged in graded competition classes.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Competitive vegetable showing
HobbyGrowing produce to exhibition standard for village and national shows, judged on form as much as size.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Competitive wood chopping
SportTimed axe and saw events — underhand, standing block, and crosscut sawing.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Concert band
HobbyWind band playing — the woodwind and brass equivalent of the amateur orchestra, and usually more welcoming.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Contemporary a cappella
HobbyArranged unaccompanied group singing of popular repertoire, with vocal percussion and close harmony.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Contract bridge
HobbyPartnership trick-taking with bidding as a language of its own.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cornhole
HobbySportPitching bean bags at a raised board with a hole, a American lawn game with a serious league scene.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Correspondence chess
HobbyChess played over days per move, where preparation matters more than clock nerve.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cosplay
CraftHobbyBuilding and wearing costumes of characters, combining sewing, foam and prop work.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cribbage
HobbyA counting card game played on a pegged board, fast once the counting sticks.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cricket
SportBat and ball between two teams, over an afternoon or five days.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Crokinole
HobbyA dexterity board game of flicked discs on a circular board, with a competitive circuit.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Croquet
SportDriving balls through hoops on a lawn, with far more tactics than its reputation suggests.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cross country running
SportWinter league racing over mud and grass, the oldest and cheapest competitive running in Britain.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Crossbow target shooting
SportTarget shooting with a crossbow at a club, under its own governing rules.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
CrossFit
SportConstantly varied high-intensity training in a coached class.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Crown green bowls
SportBowls on an uneven green, a distinctly northern English code.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Curling
SportSliding stones down ice towards a target, sweeping to steer them.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cycle speedway
SportShort oval racing on unbraked bikes with no gears, on a shale track, in a league.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cyclocross
SportShort, brutal winter racing on mud, sand and barriers you carry the bike over.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dahlia growing and showing
HobbyGrowing dahlias to exhibition standard, with classification by form and size.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Darts
SportThree darts, a board, and more arithmetic than anyone expects.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Debating
HobbyArguing a case to a format and a clock, judged on the argument.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Deck-building games
HobbyBoard games where constructing your engine during play is the game.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Demoscene
HobbyWriting audiovisual programs under severe size limits, judged at parties — a computer art form.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dinghy racing
SportRacing small sailing boats around courses, where tactics matter as much as speed.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dinghy sailing
SportSailing small responsive boats where every mistake is immediate.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dirt jumping
SportRiding and building shaped earth jumps for tricks, on short hardtails, at self-maintained trails.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
DJing
HobbySelecting and mixing records or files for a room, on decks or controller.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dodgeball
SportThrowing, dodging and catching foam balls, played seriously in leagues.
Under £25 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dog agility
SportGuiding a dog around an obstacle course at speed, on voice and body cues.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dog showing
HobbyExhibiting dogs against a breed standard, with its own handling craft and circuit.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dominoes
HobbyTile games from simple blocking to fives-and-threes scoring.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Doubles squash
SportSquash played four to a court, on a wider court where positioning replaces retrieving.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Drag performance
HobbyCraftPerforming in drag, combining costume, makeup, lip sync and stagecraft.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Drag racing
SportTwo vehicles, a straight quarter or eighth mile, and a sport decided largely by the start.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dragon boat racing
SportTwenty paddlers in one boat, to a drum, over short sprints.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Draughts
HobbyA short-rules capture game with far more depth than its reputation.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dressage
SportRiding a horse through precise judged movements at a marked arena.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Drifting
SportJudged sustained oversteer through a marked course, scored on line, angle and commitment.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Drums
HobbyPlaying a kit — the instrument with the loudest practice problem.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dry slope skiing
SportSkiing on brush matting, which is how most British skiers actually learn.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dry tooling
SportClimbing rock with ice axes and crampons, competed indoors and used to train for winter routes.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Duathlon
SportRun, bike, run — triathlon without the swim, and a common way in.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Early music performance
HobbyPlaying pre-classical repertoire on period instruments and at period pitch.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Endurance riding
SportLong-distance competitive riding with veterinary checks that decide as much as speed does.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Enduro motorcycling
SportLong off-road motorcycle competition over timed sections and liaison stages, on road-legal machines.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Enduro mountain biking
SportTimed descents linked by untimed climbs, the dominant modern MTB race format.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
English billiards
SportThree balls, cannons, pots and in-offs on a full-size table — the game snooker displaced.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Épée fencing
SportWhole-body target, no right of way, and the fencing weapon closest to a duel in logic.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Equestrian vaulting
SportGymnastics performed on a cantering horse on the lunge, judged as a team or individual routine.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Escape rooms
HobbySolving a themed room of puzzles against a clock, in a small team.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Esports
HobbySportCompetitive video gaming in teams and leagues, trained for like a sport.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Eurogames
HobbyStrategy board games built around resource management and low luck rather than direct conflict.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Exhibition onion and leek growing
HobbyGrowing onions and leeks to competition size and form, strongest in the north of England.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Fancy pigeon keeping
HobbyKeeping and showing ornamental pigeon breeds, distinct from racing them.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Fencing
SportSword sport in three weapons, decided by electrical scoring.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Field archery
SportShooting a course of targets at unmarked distances through woodland.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Field hockey
SportEleven a side with sticks on artificial turf.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Field target shooting
SportAir rifle shooting at knockdown metal targets over a woodland course, at unmarked ranges.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Filipino stick fighting
SportStick and blade-based martial arts from the Philippines, drilled in flowing partner patterns.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Finswimming
SportRacing in a monofin or bifins, on the surface or below it, at very high speeds.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Fire performance
SportHobbySpinning and manipulating burning props, taught with strict safety protocol.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Fistball
SportA net sport where the ball may bounce once and is struck with fist or forearm only.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Five-a-side football
SportShort-sided football on a small pitch, usually one booked hour a week.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Flag football
SportAmerican football with belts and flags instead of tackling.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Floorball
SportIndoor stick hockey with light sticks and a perforated ball, huge in the Nordics and cheap to start.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Flyball
SportRelay racing for dog teams over hurdles to a ball box.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Foil fencing
SportThe fencing weapon with right of way and a torso target, and the one most beginners start on.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Football
SportEleven a side, the most played team sport in the world.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Footgolf
SportGolf played by kicking a football into oversized holes, on courses that already exist.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Free flight models
HobbyCraftModel aircraft with no control at all, trimmed on the ground and then simply let go.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Freediving
SportDiving deep on a single breath, with formal training in safety and technique.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Freestyle skiing
SportPark, pipe and mogul skiing, judged on tricks and technique rather than time.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
French horn
HobbyThe orchestral horn, notorious for its partials and unusually rewarding in an ensemble.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Frontenis
SportTwo players striking a ball against a front wall with strung rackets, from the Basque court tradition.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Futsal
SportIndoor five-a-side on a hard court with a low-bounce ball and real rules.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Gaelic football
SportFifteen a side, hand-passing and kicking towards an H-shaped goal.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Gig rowing
SportRacing six-oared wooden pilot gigs off the south-west coast, a revived Cornish tradition.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Gliding
SportFlying an unpowered sailplane using rising air, from a club airfield.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Glima
SportIcelandic folk wrestling fought upright on a fixed belt grip, with throws rather than groundwork.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Go
HobbyThe ancient territory game with the simplest rules and the deepest play.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Goalball
SportA Paralympic team sport played blindfolded with a bell ball, where everybody plays blind.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Grass track cycling
SportRacing on grass ovals at village sports days and dedicated meetings.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Grassroots coaching
SportHobbyCoaching a club or junior side, which is a taught qualification and a genuine second hobby.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Handball
SportSeven a side, indoors, throwing at a goal — fast and physical.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Handbell ringing
HobbyTuned handbells rung in teams, from tune ringing to change ringing on the table.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hang gliding
SportFlying a rigid-wing glider suspended in a harness beneath it.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hapkido
SportA Korean art combining strikes, joint locks and throws, closer to jujutsu than to taekwondo.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hardbat table tennis
SportTable tennis with pimpled rubber and no sponge, producing longer rallies and a different game entirely.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
High jump
SportA curved approach and a back-first bar clearance, learned almost entirely through drills.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Highland dancing
SportHobbySolo Scottish dancing on the balls of the feet, judged on technique at Highland games and championships.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Highland games
SportTraditional Scottish heavy events — hammer, stone, weights and the caber — with a season.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Historical wargaming
HobbyRefighting real battles with miniatures and rules that model period tactics.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hnefatafl
HobbyThe Norse tafl family — asymmetric board games with a besieged king and unequal sides.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Honey showing
HobbyPreparing and exhibiting honey, wax and mead in show classes.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Horse showing
SportIn-hand and ridden classes judged on conformation, way of going and turnout rather than a clock.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Horseball
SportA mounted team ball sport, part rugby and part basketball, played at a canter.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Horticultural judging
HobbyTraining and serving as a show judge, which turns a growing hobby into a formal expertise.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hot air ballooning
HobbySportFlying a balloon, which mostly means understanding the wind at every height.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hound trailing
HobbySportRacing hounds over a laid aniseed trail across open fell, a Cumbrian sport.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hurdling
SportSprinting over barriers to a fixed rhythm, which is a technical event disguised as a running one.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hurling
SportAncient Irish stick-and-ball game, and one of the fastest field sports there is.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hyrox
SportA standardised indoor fitness race — eight runs alternating with eight stations.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Iaido
SportThe solo art of drawing, cutting and resheathing a sword, performed as precise set forms.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ice hockey
SportSix a side on ice, at considerable speed and expense.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ice sailing
SportSailing bladed craft across frozen lakes at several times wind speed.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ice skating
SportSkating on a rink for its own sake, before any discipline is chosen.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ice swimming
SportSwimming in water near freezing, a governed sport distinct from ordinary cold-water dipping.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Indoor bowls
SportBowls played year-round on an indoor carpet rink.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Indoor skydiving
SportBodyflight in a vertical wind tunnel, which is a real discipline rather than only a taster for the sky.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Inline hockey
SportFour-a-side hockey on skates on a hard floor, with no offside and no icing.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Irish bouzouki
HobbyA flat-backed long-necked accompaniment instrument invented for Irish sessions in the 1960s.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Irish dance
SportHobbyStep dancing in soft and hard shoes, with a competitive feis circuit and a strict body carriage.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Janggi
HobbyKorean chess, played on the lines of the board with a distinctive palace and cannon.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Javelin throwing
SportThe most technical of the athletics throws, and the one where poor technique reliably injures shoulders.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Jazz dance
HobbyThe theatre dance vocabulary behind musicals — isolations, turns and travelling combinations.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Jodo
SportJapanese short-staff forms practised in paired sets against a swordsman, with no free sparring.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Judo
SportThrows, holds and submissions from a jacket grip, on a mat.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Jujutsu
SportThe Japanese grappling and joint-locking tradition judo and aikido came out of, still taught in its own right.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kabaddi
SportA raiding and wrestling team sport played on breath, enormous in South Asia and growing in Britain.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Karting
SportRacing small open karts on short circuits, the usual entry to motorsport.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Keelboat racing
SportClub and one-design racing in ballasted boats, sailed as a crew with defined roles.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kendo
SportJapanese sword sport in armour, with bamboo shinai and full-voice strikes.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kickboxing
SportStriking with hands and feet, widely taught as a fitness class as well as a sport.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kite buggying
SportHobbyBeing pulled across sand or hard ground in a three-wheeled buggy by a power kite.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kizomba
HobbyAn Angolan close-embrace partner dance, walked rather than stepped, with a strong European scene.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kobudo
SportThe Okinawan weapon arts — bo, sai, tonfa, nunchaku — usually studied alongside karate.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Korfball
SportA mixed-gender court sport with a high basket and no dribbling.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kubb
HobbyA Swedish lawn game of throwing batons at wooden blocks, with a world championship.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kung fu
SportThe Chinese martial arts as a family — forms, conditioning and application across many named styles.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kyudo
SportJapanese archery practised as a discipline of form, where how you shoot matters more than where it lands.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Lacrosse
SportCarrying and passing a ball in a netted stick, at speed.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Land yachting
SportSailing three-wheeled craft on beaches and airfields, one of the fastest wind-powered things you can do.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Lawn bowls
SportRolling biased bowls towards a jack on a flat or crown green.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Lindy hop
HobbyThe original swing partner dance, danced to live big band tempo with an eight-count base.
Under £25 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Line dancing
HobbyChoreographed group dancing in rows, no partner required.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Live-fire cooking
CraftCooking over wood and charcoal at controlled low temperatures for many hours.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Magic
HobbyLearning and performing close-up or stage conjuring.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mancala
HobbyA family of seed-sowing board games played across Africa and Asia for centuries.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mandolin
HobbyA small paired-string instrument at the centre of folk and bluegrass sessions.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Marbles
HobbySportCompetitive ring marbles, played in Britain to a fixed ring size and an unbroken championship.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Masters athletics
SportAge-banded track and field from thirty-five upwards, with its own records and championships.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Masters swimming
SportStructured adult squad swimming with age-group competition, open to anyone over about twenty-five.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mixed martial arts
SportStriking and grappling combined under one rule set.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Model rocketry
HobbyBuilding and launching solid-motor rockets, and recovering them safely.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Model United Nations
HobbySimulated diplomatic committees debating to procedure, with adult and alumni circuits as well as student ones.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Model yachting
HobbySportRadio-controlled sailing on ponds, raced competitively in classes with strict rules.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Modern board gaming
HobbyPlaying designer board games — the hobby, the collection and the group.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Modern jive
HobbyA simplified partner dance with no footwork requirement, designed to be danceable on a first night.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mölkky
HobbySportThrowing a wooden pin to knock numbered skittles for an exact score, from Finland.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Motocross
SportOff-road motorcycle racing over jumps and ruts on a closed circuit, with strong youth and club structures.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Motorcycle trials
SportRiding a lightweight bike over obstacles without putting a foot down, scored on balance rather than speed.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Motorsport hillclimbing
SportTimed solo runs up a closed road or private hill, the cheapest way into competitive four-wheel motorsport.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mountain marathon
SportA two-day self-supported navigation race over mountain terrain, carrying camp between stages.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mounted games
SportFast relay races on ponies with batons, poles and vaulting mounts, run by clubs across all ages.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Muay Thai
SportThai boxing using fists, elbows, knees and shins.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Musical theatre
HobbyAmateur companies staging full productions, combining singing, acting and dance.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Muzzleloading shooting
SportTarget shooting with black powder originals and reproductions, under its own governing body.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Naginata
SportThe Japanese polearm art, practised as form and as armoured competitive striking.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Naval wargaming
HobbyRefighting naval actions with models and rules, at fleet or squadron scale.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Netball
SportSeven a side, no dribbling, positions that limit where you may go.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Night orienteering
SportOrienteering after dark by headtorch, where map reading and route choice change completely.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Obstacle course racing
SportTrail racing broken up by walls, water, carries and mud.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Offshore yacht racing
SportRacing yachts overnight and across open water, with watch systems, weather routeing and safety qualifications.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
One-wall handball
SportStriking a small ball against a single wall with a gloved hand, from an urban street tradition.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Orchestral percussion
HobbyTimpani, tuned percussion and the kit of small instruments an orchestra needs one person to own.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Othello
HobbyA minute to learn and a lifetime to master, on an eight-by-eight board of flipping discs.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Outdoor bouldering
SportBouldering on real rock, where pad placement, spotting and reading the landing are the new skills.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Outrigger canoeing
SportPaddling a stabilised ocean canoe, individually or in crews, over long open-water distances.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Para swimming
SportCompetitive swimming within a functional classification system, from club galas upwards.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Paragliding
SportFlying a foot-launched fabric wing from a hill or by tow.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Paramotoring
SportHobbyPowered paragliding with a motor on your back, launched on foot from a field.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Parkrun
SportA free, timed, weekly 5k in a local park — the usual on-ramp into running.
Free or near-free to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pelota vasca
SportThe Basque family of court games played with hand, basket or racket against a fronton wall.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pencak silat
SportThe Indonesian and Malay martial art, taught as combat, as form and as cultural performance.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Penny farthing riding
SportHobbyRiding and racing the ordinary bicycle, a small revival with its own clubs.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pétanque
SportThrowing steel boules at a small wooden jack on rough gravel.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pigeon racing
HobbySportBreeding, training and racing homing pigeons over hundreds of miles.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pinball
HobbyCompetitive play on electromechanical and solid-state machines, with leagues and rankings.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Platform tennis
SportA cold-weather racket game on a heated raised court with screens the ball may be played off.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Play-by-mail gaming
HobbyLong-form games conducted by post or email over months, with turns rather than sessions.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Poker
HobbyBetting games decided by incomplete information and long-run decision quality.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pole fitness
SportStrength and technique on a vertical pole, with competitive and fitness branches.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pole vaulting
SportClearing a bar with a flexing pole, and the athletics event with the steepest coaching requirement.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Polo
SportA mounted stick-and-ball team game on ponies, with a real amateur and university entry route.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pop tennis
SportSolid paddles on a shortened tennis court, with the net and scoring largely unchanged.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Popinjay archery
SportShooting blunts vertically at wooden targets on a mast, a surviving medieval form.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Portrait photography
HobbyCraftPhotographing people, where lighting and direction matter more than the camera.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Poultry showing
HobbyBreeding and conditioning birds to a published standard and exhibiting them at shows.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Practical shooting
SportTimed courses of fire scored on accuracy and speed together, under strict range discipline.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Public speaking
HobbyPractising speaking to an audience, usually in a structured club.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Push hands
SportThe partnered half of tai chi, testing balance and structure against somebody actively taking it.
Free or near-free to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Puzzle hunts
HobbyTeam events solving chained cryptic puzzles against the clock, often across a city.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Quadball
SportThe full-contact mixed-gender field sport adapted from fiction and since separated from it.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Quizzing
HobbyCompetitive general knowledge, from the pub league to national championships.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Quoits
HobbySportThrowing rings at a pin, in several regional forms with their own leagues and dimensions.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rabbit hopping
HobbySportTraining rabbits over a course of jumps, a Scandinavian sport now run in Britain.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rabbit showing
HobbyBreeding and exhibiting rabbits to breed standards at judged shows.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Race walking
SportCompetitive walking under strict rules about contact and knee lock.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Racketball
SportPlayed on a squash court with a shorter racket and a bouncier ball.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Racquetball
SportFast indoor court game with a hollow rubber ball and no tin, played off every wall.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Radio direction finding
SportHobbyLocating hidden transmitters on foot with a directional aerial — orienteering with radio.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Radio-controlled aircraft
HobbyFlying model planes and helicopters, usually from a club field.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Radio-controlled car racing
HobbySportBuilding, tuning and racing radio-controlled cars on and off road.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Raft building
HobbySportBuilding a floating craft from barrels, poles and lashings, then finding out whether it works.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rallycross
SportShort wheel-to-wheel racing on mixed tarmac and gravel circuits, with a compulsory joker lap.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Real tennis
SportThe medieval ancestor of tennis, played indoors off sloping roofs and buttresses.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rhythmic gymnastics
SportApparatus work with hoop, ball, clubs, ribbon and rope, judged on difficulty and artistry.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rogaining
SportLong-format team navigation events, scoring controls over many hours.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Roller derby
SportA full-contact team sport on quad skates, with a distinctive volunteer-run club culture.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Roller skating
SportQuad skating in rinks and parks, revived hard and with a strong social scene.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rounders
SportThe British bat-and-ball game most people last played at school.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Roundnet
SportFour players around a small trampoline net, spiking a ball off it.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rowing
SportSweep or sculling on flat water, individually or in a crew.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rugby league
SportThirteen a side, six tackles, and far fewer stoppages.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rugby union
SportFifteen a side, contested at every breakdown.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Rummikub and tile rummy
HobbyRummy played with numbered tiles, where rearranging the table is the whole game.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sabre fencing
SportThe fastest fencing weapon, scored on cuts as well as thrusts, with right-of-way rules.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sailing
SportUsing wind to move a boat, from a dinghy on a lake to a yacht offshore.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Salsa dancing
HobbySocial Latin partner dancing, learned in classes and danced at socials.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sambo
SportThe Soviet grappling sport, close to judo with leg locks and its own combat variant.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Savate
SportFrench kickboxing fought in shoes, with a distinct emphasis on precision and footwork.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Scale aeromodelling
HobbyCraftBuilding and flying accurate models of real aircraft, judged on fidelity as well as flight.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Scrabble
HobbyWord placement for score, with a competitive scene built on word lists.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sepak takraw
SportVolleyball played with the feet and head over a net, with a rattan ball and overhead kicks.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shinty
SportThe Highland stick-and-ball game, played in the air as much as on the ground.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shogi
HobbyJapanese chess, where captured pieces change sides and return to the board.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Short tennis
SportTennis on a reduced court with soft balls, used as a junior route in and as an adult social game.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shot put
SportPutting a heavy metal ball from a circle, by glide or rotation, on strength and sequencing.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shove ha’penny
HobbyA pub board game of sliding coins into scoring beds, still played in leagues in parts of England.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Show pigeon breeding
HobbyBreeding and exhibiting fancy pigeon breeds, distinct from racing them.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Showjumping
SportRiding a horse over a course of fences against the clock and the faults.
Over £1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shuffleboard
HobbySliding weights down a long table, revived in bars and requiring almost no fitness.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sim racing
HobbySportRacing in simulators on a wheel and pedals, competitively or for practice.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sitting volleyball
SportVolleyball played seated on a smaller court with a lower net, at club and Paralympic level.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ski jumping
SportJumping from a graded hill to a measured distance, scored on distance and style together.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ski mountaineering racing
SportTimed racing up and down mountains on light touring kit, with transitions as a discipline of their own.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Skiing
SportDescending snow on two skis, on piste or off it.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Skirmish wargaming
HobbySmall-scale miniature games with a handful of figures each.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Skittles
HobbyRegional pin-bowling games played in pub alleys, with rules that change by county.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Skydiving
SportJumping from an aircraft under a canopy, progressing through a formal syllabus.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Slot car racing
HobbyRacing electric cars on a grooved track, with club leagues, tuning and scratch-built chassis.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Snooker
SportThe long-table cue game of position play and safety exchanges.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Snowboarding
SportDescending snow sideways on a single board.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Snowkiting
SportCrossing snow on skis or a board under a traction kite, which can climb as well as descend.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Snowmobiling
HobbySportRiding tracked machines on trails and open snow, licensed and regulated differently in every country.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Soapbox racing
HobbySportBuilding and racing unpowered gravity carts, where scrutineering and brakes matter more than speed.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Soft tennis
SportTennis with a soft rubber ball and light rackets, played competitively across East Asia.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Softball
SportBaseball’s more accessible cousin, widely played in mixed social leagues.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Speed badminton
SportBadminton without a net, played outdoors with a heavier shuttle that ignores wind.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Speed climbing
SportRacing a standardised route against the clock, now an Olympic discipline.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Speed skating
SportRacing on long or short track blades.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Speedway
SportFour riders, four laps, no brakes, on shale — the most accessible motorcycle racing to watch and the hardest to enter.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Spinning tops
HobbyThrowing and controlling string-launched tops, a competitive tradition in several countries.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Spoken word
HobbyPerforming poetry and monologue live, at open mics and slams, where delivery is half the work.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sport climbing
SportLead climbing on routes protected by pre-placed bolts.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sports officiating
SportHobbyRefereeing or umpiring at grassroots level, which is a qualification, a skill and a shortage everywhere.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sprinting
SportThe short track events, where start, acceleration and mechanics matter more than fitness.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Square dancing
HobbyCalled dancing in sets of four couples, with a graded international programme of calls.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Squash
SportA punishing enclosed-court game where both players share the whole space.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Steel pan
HobbyPlaying tuned steel drums, usually in a band, with a repertoire from calypso to classical.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stoolball
SportA bat-and-ball game older than cricket, still played competitively in southern England.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Street dance
HobbySportThe social club styles — hip hop, house, popping and locking — taught in classes and danced in cyphers.
Under £25 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Strongman
SportLifting, carrying and dragging awkward heavy objects against the clock.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stunt scootering
SportPark and street riding on a stunt scooter, a discipline in its own right rather than a children’s version of BMX.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sumo
SportAmateur sumo, where the whole contest is decided by leverage, timing and a very short burst of power.
Under £25 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Surf lifesaving
SportA competitive sport built from beach rescue skills — swims, board races, runs and rescue drills.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Swimrun
SportAlternating swimming and trail running in the same kit, usually in pairs.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Swing dancing
HobbyLindy hop, balboa and charleston, danced to live and recorded jazz.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sword dancing
HobbyRapper and longsword traditions, danced in teams with linked steel rather than sticks.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Table football
HobbySportCompetitive foosball, which has a governing body, a ranking system and a serious technique.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Table shuffleboard
HobbySportSliding weighted pucks down a long waxed table to score in the far zones.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tabletop wargaming
HobbyPlaying battles with miniatures on terrain, under a published rule set.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Taekwondo
SportKorean striking art built around fast, high kicking.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tai chi
SportHobbyA slow martial form practised for balance, health and continuity of movement.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Taiko drumming
HobbySportJapanese ensemble drumming, physically demanding and as much choreography as music.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tap dancing
HobbyRhythm made with the feet — as much a percussion instrument as a dance.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Target archery
SportThe Olympic form: fixed distances, round faces, scored ends.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tchoukball
SportA non-contact indoor team sport where the ball is rebounded off angled frames at either end.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ten-pin bowling
SportRolling a heavy ball at ten pins, socially or in a serious league.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tennis
SportThe full-size racket game, played on hard, clay or grass courts.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Teqball
SportFootball played over a curved table, no hands, no contact, and unusually easy on the joints.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tiddlywinks
HobbyA genuinely tactical adult game of squidging counters into a pot, with national associations and a rulebook.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Touch rugby
SportRugby without contact — mixed, fast, and the usual way adults start.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
TouchTennis
SportA codified short-court tennis format with foam balls, its own ranking system and adult tournaments.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Track cycling
SportFixed-gear racing on a banked velodrome, no brakes.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Track days
SportDriving your own car on a circuit, uncompetitively but at speed.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trading card games
HobbyCompetitive card games with constructed decks from a collectable card pool, played at organised events.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Traditional archery
SportShooting longbow or horsebow without sights or stabilisers.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Traditional folk wrestling
SportRegional jacket and belt wrestling styles kept alive at fairs and festivals across Europe.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trail riding
SportHobbyRiding off-road motorcycles on green lanes and enduro trails.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trampolining
SportA gymnastic sport with graded skills, coached at clubs and requiring a proper rig.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trugo
SportDriving a rubber ring through a distant goal with a mallet, invented by Melbourne railway workers.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trumpet
HobbyPlaying the trumpet or cornet, with a strong British brass band tradition behind it.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tuba
HobbyThe bass of the brass family, in constant demand in bands and almost never chosen first.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tug of war
SportA governed international sport with weight classes, technique and a national championship.
£25–£100 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ultimate
SportSeven a side, no referees, disputes settled by the players themselves.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Underwater hockey
SportA six-a-side sport played on the bottom of a pool with short sticks and a weighted puck.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Underwater rugby
SportA three-dimensional pool sport played on the bottom with a negatively buoyant ball, on breath-hold.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Unicycle hockey
SportFive-a-side hockey played on unicycles, with an established league structure.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Viola
HobbyThe alto of the string family, read in its own clef and always wanted by amateur orchestras.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Volleyball
SportSix a side over a high net, three touches at a time.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wakeboarding
SportRiding a board towed behind a boat or on a cable park.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Walking football
SportFootball with running banned — designed to keep older players playing.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Walking netball
SportNetball without running, designed for returning and older players and growing fast.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Walking rugby
SportNon-contact rugby at walking pace, aimed squarely at people who thought they had stopped.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Water polo
SportSeven a side in deep water, treading water for the whole game.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Water skiing
SportSkiing on water behind a boat, on one ski or two.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wheelchair basketball
SportA fast Paralympic team sport played in sport chairs, open to disabled and non-disabled players.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wheelchair fencing
SportFencing from frames fixed to the piste, with the full weapon set and no footwork.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wheelchair rugby
SportA full-contact indoor team sport in purpose-built chairs, classified by functional ability.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wheelchair tennis
SportTennis with a two-bounce rule, on a full court and integrated into mainstream competition.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Whist
HobbyA trick-taking card game with a long club and village-hall drive tradition in Britain.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
White water kayaking
SportPaddling rapids, where reading water is the whole skill.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Whitewater rafting
SportDescending rapids in a crewed inflatable raft, paddled to commands from a guide at the stern.
£100–£300 to startOutdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wild water racing
SportRacing long unstable kayaks down whitewater against the clock rather than through gates.
Over £1,000 to startOutdoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wine tasting
HobbyLearning to taste and describe wine systematically, often towards a qualification.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wing chun
SportA close-range southern Chinese martial art built on structure, centreline and sticking hands.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wrestling
SportFreestyle and Greco-Roman grappling for control and pins.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Wushu
SportThe modern competitive codification of Chinese martial arts, judged on form, difficulty and execution.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Xiangqi
HobbyChinese chess, played on the intersections with a river across the middle of the board.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
This is one hand-picked cut through the catalogue. If your constraints are more specific than a single question, the hobby finder takes several at once and shows you why each suggestion matched.