Hobbies · Sports
Music & performance
Playing, singing, dancing and performing.
Tim Walker / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Music production
Recording, arranging and mixing music on a computer — a craft with a very low entry cost and a famously steep middle.
£300–£1,000 to start · indoors · sedentary
Kritzolina / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Luthiery
Building and repairing stringed instruments, where fine woodworking meets acoustics.
Over £1,000 to start · indoors · moderate effort
Cristian Bortes from Cluj-Napoca, Romania / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Harp
Learning the harp as an adult — which harp, why the answer is almost never the one in the orchestra, and what it actually costs to find out.
Over £1,000 to start · indoors · gentle
Songwriting
HobbyCraftWriting original songs — and the finishing problem that stops most people, which almost nothing written for beginners is about.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
Live action roleplay
HobbyPlaying a character physically, in costume, at an event — and the thing nobody outside it writes down, which is what actually happens on the day.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
Also in this category
Classified but not yet written up.
188 activities in the catalogue, 5 written up so far.
78rpm record collecting
HobbyCollecting shellac discs and the equipment to play them, a separate world from vinyl in every respect.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Accordion
HobbyA portable free-reed instrument central to folk traditions across Europe and beyond.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
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 ballet
HobbySportClassical ballet technique taught to adults, beginners included.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aerial hoop
SportCircus performance on a suspended steel ring, taught in classes and genuinely strenuous.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Aerial silks
SportClimbing, wrapping and dropping on suspended fabric. Upper-body strength is the barrier.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Amateur conducting
HobbyDirecting a choir or orchestra, which is score study and people management.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
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
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
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
Audio drama production
HobbyCraftWriting, recording and editing dramatic audio, where sound design carries what a picture would.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Autoharp
HobbyA chorded zither where bars damp everything but the wanted notes, playable within an hour.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Bagpipes
HobbyHighland and small pipes, learned on a practice chanter for a year before the bag.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
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
Banjo
HobbyFive-string clawhammer or bluegrass playing, with a strong session culture.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Bass guitar
HobbyThe instrument bands are always short of, and the fastest way into one.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Beatboxing
HobbyPercussion made entirely with the mouth, needing no equipment and no space at all.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
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
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
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
Birdsong recording
HobbyField recording of bird and wildlife sound, halfway between birdwatching and audio work.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Bodhrán
HobbyThe Irish frame drum, played with a tipper and central to session music.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
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
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
Burlesque
HobbyTheatrical variety performance built around character, costume and comic timing.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Busking
HobbyPlaying in public for passers-by, which teaches repertoire, projection and nerve faster than anything else.
Under £25 to startOutdoorsGentle
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
Capoeira
SportBrazilian art blending acrobatic movement, music and play in a roda.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cassette collecting
HobbyCollecting tapes and the machines that play them, revived by a small but real scene.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ceilidh dancing
HobbyCalled social dancing needing no partner and no prior knowledge. Turn up and be told.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cello
HobbyThe bass voice of the string family, with a large amateur orchestra and chamber tradition.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Chiptune
HobbyCraftComposing music with the sound chips of vintage computers and consoles.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Circuit bending
CraftRewiring toys and cheap electronics to make instruments nobody designed.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Clarinet
HobbyA woodwind with a wide amateur repertoire from classical to klezmer, and a reed to manage.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Classical guitar
HobbyNylon-string guitar played with the fingers from notation, a distinct tradition with its own repertoire.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Classical singing
HobbyTrained solo voice — lieder, oratorio and opera — built on breath support and resonance over years.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
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
Close-up magic
HobbySleight of hand performed at arm’s length, where the method must survive scrutiny.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Clowning
HobbyPhysical comedy performance as a trained discipline, taught through play and status work.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Community choir
HobbyNon-auditioned group singing, which is the lowest-barrier social hobby that exists.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Community radio
HobbyProducing and presenting on a licensed local station, run almost entirely by volunteers.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Concertina
HobbyA small free-reed instrument central to English and Irish traditional music, in several incompatible systems.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Contact juggling
HobbyRolling and manipulating a ball across the hands and body without throwing it.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
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
Contemporary dance
HobbyModern technique and improvisation, taught in open classes.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Contra dance
HobbyLong-set American folk dancing, called as you go, so no experience is needed to join a line.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Cyr wheel
HobbySportA single large ring the performer rides and spins inside, learned at circus schools.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Dawn chorus recording
HobbyRecording and identifying birdsong at first light, for pleasure and for data.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
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
Diabolo
HobbyA Chinese yo-yo spun and thrown on a string between two handsticks, with a deep trick tree.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Djembe and hand drumming
HobbyWest African hand drums played in circles and community groups, learned by ear and by imitation.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
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
Double bass
HobbyThe largest orchestral string instrument, in demand in orchestras, jazz groups and folk bands alike.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
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
Drums
HobbyPlaying a kit — the instrument with the loudest practice problem.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsDemanding
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
English country dance
HobbyFigured set dancing from Playford onwards, walked to live music and called from the front.
Under £25 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Erhu
HobbyA two-string Chinese fiddle with no fingerboard, bowed between the strings.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Escapology
HobbyPerformed escapes from restraints and containers, built on rehearsed method and hard safety limits.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Field recording
HobbyCraftRecording places and soundscapes, which teaches you to hear where you already live.
£300–£1,000 to startOutdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Figure skating
SportJumps, spins and edge work, choreographed and judged.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsVery demanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Film scoring
HobbyWriting music to picture against timecode, where the cut rather than the phrase sets the structure.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Fingerstyle guitar
HobbyPlaying bass, melody and accompaniment together on one steel-string guitar, arranged rather than strummed.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Flamenco
HobbySpanish dance, guitar and song as a single tradition, learned through palos and compás.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Flute
HobbyA transverse woodwind that is portable, quiet to practise and unusually well supplied with local groups.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Foley and sound design
HobbyCraftMaking sound effects physically, for film, games and radio drama.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Folk sessions
HobbyPlaying traditional tunes by ear in a pub circle, with etiquette nobody writes down.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Free-form dance
HobbyUnchoreographed movement practice in a facilitated group, with no steps to learn.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
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
Gamelan
HobbyIndonesian percussion orchestra played as a group, usually on an instrument set owned by the group.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Generative music
HobbyBuilding systems that compose rather than composing directly, in patchers, code or hardware.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Gramophone collecting
HobbyCollecting acoustic gramophones and phonographs, played with steel needles and no electricity at all.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Guitar
HobbyPlaying acoustic or electric guitar, by ear, by tab or by notation.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Guitar pedal building
CraftHobbyBuilding effects pedals from kits and stripboard, the most common route into practical electronics.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Guzheng
HobbyA large Chinese zither played with picks, where the left hand bends pitch behind the bridges.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hammered dulcimer
HobbyA trapezoidal box of doubled strings struck with light beaters, laid out by fifths rather than by scale.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hand balancing
SportHobbyHandstand training as a discipline in itself — line, wrist conditioning and slow strength.
£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
Handpan
HobbyA tuned steel percussion instrument played with the hands, forgiving to start and hard to master.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Harmonica
HobbyA pocket instrument that plays a whole key with almost no theory needed.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Harpsichord
HobbyA plucked keyboard with no dynamics, where articulation and timing do all the expressive work.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hi-fi restoration
CraftHobbyRecapping and realigning vintage amplifiers, turntables and tape machines back to specification.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Hoop dance
HobbyDancing with one or more hoops on and off the body, on and off beat.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Hurdy-gurdy
HobbyA cranked string instrument with a drone and a buzzing bridge, undergoing a revival.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Improv comedy
HobbyMaking scenes up on stage with a group, to learned formats and rules.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Jaw harp
HobbyA framed lamellophone held against the teeth, shaped entirely by the player’s mouth cavity.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
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
Jazz improvisation
HobbyLearning to solo over changes — a studied discipline with its own literature, not a matter of instinct.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Juggling
HobbyThrowing and catching in patterns — balls, clubs, rings and beyond.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Jukebox restoration
CraftHobbyRestoring the selection mechanisms, amplifiers and lighting of coin-operated record players.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Kalimba
HobbyA tined thumb piano, tuned to one scale, and one of the very few instruments with no wrong notes.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
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
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 sound engineering
HobbyMixing bands and events in the room, on desks and systems learned largely by doing.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Live streaming
HobbyBroadcasting yourself playing, making or talking, live to an audience.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Loudspeaker building
CraftDesigning and building speaker cabinets and crossovers.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
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
Melodeon
HobbyA diatonic button accordion, the standard instrument behind English and French traditional dance music.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mentalism
HobbyThe branch of magic performed as apparent mind-reading, built on scripting far more than props.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mime
HobbyCorporeal mime and illusion technique, a trained physical discipline rather than a party trick.
Under £25 to startIndoorsModerate effort
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
Modular synthesis
HobbyCraftBuilding sound from patched modules, where the instrument is assembled rather than bought.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Morris dancing
HobbyEnglish traditional dance performed in sides, with live music and a season.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Mountain dulcimer
HobbyA diatonic fretted lap instrument, arguably the easiest stringed instrument in the world to start.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Music composition
HobbyCraftWriting music down for others to play, from song to score.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Music transcription
HobbyWorking out recorded music by ear and writing it down, which is how most players actually learn to hear.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Musical arranging
CraftRewriting existing music for different forces — a choir, a band, a quartet.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Oboe
HobbyA double-reed woodwind where reed-making is part of the instrument rather than an accessory.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Organ building
CraftMaking and maintaining pipe organs, an intersection of joinery, metalwork and acoustics.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Organ playing
HobbyPlaying the pipe organ, which needs feet as well as hands and an instrument you cannot own.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Oud
HobbyThe fretless Arabic lute, played with a plectrum in a maqam tradition of microtonal modes.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Overtone singing
HobbyProducing two audible pitches at once by shaping the vocal tract.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Pedal steel guitar
HobbyA pedal- and knee-operated lap instrument that retunes itself while you play, and the steepest curve in popular music.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Piano
HobbyPlaying piano or keyboard, the instrument most other music theory is taught on.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Poi spinning
HobbySwinging weighted tethers in patterns, from Māori origins into a large modern flow-arts scene.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
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
Puppetry
HobbyCraftBuilding and performing puppets, from rod and glove to full marionettes.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Recorder
HobbyA serious early-music instrument with a whole consort tradition, badly served by its school reputation.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Salsa dancing
HobbySocial Latin partner dancing, learned in classes and danced at socials.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Saxophone
HobbyA reed instrument with an unusually quick first year and a long road after it.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Scenic painting
CraftHobbyPainting flats, cloths and textures for the stage, at a scale and speed easel work never demands.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shakuhachi
HobbyThe Japanese end-blown bamboo flute, historically a meditation practice as much as a musical one.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Shanty singing
HobbyGroup singing of work songs and maritime folk, usually unaccompanied and in a pub.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sheet music collecting
HobbyCollecting printed music for its covers, its history and its performance record.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Singing
HobbyLearning to use your own voice properly, alone or in a group.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Sitar
HobbyThe North Indian long-necked lute, learned inside a raga tradition rather than from notation.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Slide guitar
HobbyPlaying with a bottleneck or tube against the strings, usually in open tunings.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
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
Stage combat
SportHobbyChoreographed fighting for theatre and film, where the whole craft is looking dangerous and being safe.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stage lighting design
CraftHobbyDesigning and rigging light for live performance, which is an electrical craft and an artistic one.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stagecraft
CraftHobbyThe backstage crafts of amateur theatre — set building, lighting, sound and stage management.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Stand-up comedy
HobbyWriting and performing your own material at open mics and clubs.
Under £25 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Steel tongue drum making
CraftMaking tuned steel tongue drums by cutting and tuning sheet steel.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoors or outdoorsModerate effort
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Storytelling
HobbyTelling traditional and original stories aloud to an audience, without a script.
Free or near-free to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
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
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
Synthesiser building
CraftHobbyAssembling modules and instruments from kits or from scratch, where calibration is half the work.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tabla
HobbyThe North Indian drum pair, taught through spoken syllables before hands ever touch the skins.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Theatrical costume making
CraftBuilding costume for the stage — period shapes, quick changes and clothes that survive a run.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Theremin
HobbyPlayed without being touched, and the only instrument where the hardest part is the first note.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Tin whistle
HobbyThe cheapest real instrument there is, and the standard route into Irish traditional music.
Under £25 to startIndoors or outdoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Trombone
HobbyThe slide brass instrument, with no valves and therefore no fixed notes to hide behind.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
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
Tune ringing
HobbyPlaying melodies on handbells as a team, distinct from the mathematical sequences of change ringing.
Free or near-free to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Turntablism
HobbyUsing turntables as instruments — scratching, beat juggling and cutting — judged in battles.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ukulele
HobbyFour nylon strings, and the fastest route to playing songs with other people.
£25–£100 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Unicycling
HobbySportRiding one wheel — for transport, trials, or the sheer difficulty of it.
£100–£300 to startIndoors or outdoorsDemanding
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Valve amplifier building
CraftBuilding and restoring thermionic valve audio equipment, at lethal voltages.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Ventriloquism
HobbySpeaking without visible articulation, and the character work that makes it worth watching.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Vinyl record collecting
HobbyCollecting records — pressings, labels, conditions and the gear to play them.
£300–£1,000 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Violin
HobbyBowed strings, from classical training to folk fiddle.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Violin bow making
CraftMaking bows for stringed instruments from pernambuco and horsehair, a specialism within luthiery.
Over £1,000 to startIndoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet
Voice acting
HobbyPerforming with the voice alone for audio drama, animation and games, usually recorded at home.
£100–£300 to startIndoorsSedentary
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
Yo-yo
HobbyTrick play across five competitive divisions, from string tricks to offstring and freehand.
£25–£100 to startIndoors or outdoorsGentle
In the catalogue, not written up yet