Loading
Everything here happens outside, and most of it means going somewhere to do it: a trail, a park, a pitch, a stretch of coast. They run from a walk you could take this evening through gardening and birdwatching to skiing and surfing, so what you need varies more than on most of these pages. Maybe not if your weather turns for months at a time, because for about two-thirds of them a bad forecast is the end of the session.
101 hobbies. Each has what it costs to start, how much time it takes and a first session to try.
Archaeology digsVolunteer on organised excavations, trowelling back soil and cleaning finds.
AstronomyFind planets, stars and galaxies by eye or telescope, and chase eclipses and auroras.
AstrophotographyPhotograph the moon, planets, stars and galaxies with a camera or telescope.
BackpackingMulti-day walks carrying your tent, food and stove on your back.
BBQ & smokingCook meat low and slow over charcoal and wood smoke, or hot and fast on a grill.
BeachcombingSearching shorelines and riverbanks for sea glass, shells and washed-up finds.
BeekeepingCaring for honeybee colonies in hives and harvesting a share of their honey.
BirdwatchingSpotting and naming birds, from the garden feeder to coastal reserves.
BMXRiding small, tough bikes at skateparks, dirt jumps and race tracks.
BushcraftLearning to light fires, build shelters and carve with a knife in the woods.
CampingPitching a tent at a campsite you drive to, then cooking and sleeping outdoors.
CanyoningDescending a river gorge by abseiling, sliding and jumping into pools.
Citizen scienceHelp real research by joining wildlife surveys and online projects that gather data.
Clay shootingShooting at flying clay targets with a shotgun at a shooting ground.
Coaching youth sportVolunteering at a junior sports club, running drills and games for young players.
CoasteeringScrambling along sea cliffs, swimming the gaps and jumping into the sea.
Cold dips & saunaBrief dips in cold sea, lakes or plunge pools, plus hot saunas and float tanks.
Conservation workPlanting trees, clearing scrub and picking litter to restore local habitats.
CricketBatting, bowling and fielding on a grass pitch, from the nets to weekend matches.
CroquetHitting balls through hoops on a lawn with a mallet, in tactical turns.
Cycle touringMulti-day bike trips with your kit packed on the bike, on roads or rough tracks.
Disc golfThrowing discs into chain baskets round a course, in as few throws as possible.
Dog training & agilityTeaching your own dog tricks and manners, or guiding it around agility courses.
Drone flyingFly camera drones outdoors, practising smooth control and filming from the air.
EntomologyFind and identify insects, from moth trapping at night to butterfly counts.
Field hockeyDribbling and passing a hard ball with a hooked stick in an 11-a-side team game.
FishingCatching fish with rod, line and bait from riverbanks, lakes, piers and beaches.
Five-a-side footballPlaying small-sided football on a compact pitch, usually in a weekly game.
Fly fishingCasting a near-weightless artificial fly on a long line to tempt trout and salmon.
ForagingFinding and identifying wild plants, berries and mushrooms that are safe to eat.
Fossil huntingSearch beaches and cliffs for ammonites, shark teeth and other ancient remains.
FPV dronesBuilding and flying small drones first-person, seeing through video goggles.
FreedivingDiving underwater on a single breath, in pools or open water, without a tank.
GardeningPlanting flower beds, tending lawns, shaping hedges and making room for wildlife.
GeocachingUsing GPS on your phone to track down hidden containers left by other players.
GolfSwinging clubs to hit a ball round a course, or practising at a driving range.
Hacky sackKick a small footbag round a circle of friends, keeping it off the ground.
HikingWalking hill and mountain trails, from ticking off summits to long-distance paths.
Historical reenactmentPortray real history in period kit, from living-history camps to staged battles.
Horse ridingRiding and handling horses, from arena lessons to hacking out on bridleways.
Kayaking & canoeingPaddling a kayak or canoe on rivers, lakes and the coast, on day or camping trips.
Keeping chickensRaising a few hens in a garden coop for company and fresh eggs.
KitesurfingRiding a small board across water, pulled along by a big kite you steer.
LacrosseCatching, cradling and shooting a ball with a netted stick in a fast team game.
LARPAct out a story in costume as your own character, live with other players.
Lawn bowlsRolling weighted bowls across a green to stop them close to a small jack.
Metal detectingSweep fields and beaches with a detector, digging up coins and lost objects.
Model rocketryBuild small rockets from kits and launch them on motors in an open field.
Mountain bikingRiding off-road trails on a sturdy bike, over roots, rocks and descents.
MountaineeringClimbing mountains by alpine routes, scrambles and cabled via ferrata paths.
Nature journalingSketching and writing notes on the plants, birds and weather you see outdoors.
Obstacle racingRunning muddy courses with walls, ropes and crawls to tackle along the way.
Open-water swimmingLake, river and sea swims, often with a group and a bright tow float.
OrienteeringUsing map and compass to find checkpoints in timed races or plot routes on hills.
OverlandingSelf-reliant 4x4 trips along gravel and dirt tracks, camping as you go.
PaddleboardingStanding on a large board and paddling across calm water, or riding small waves.
ParaglidingFlying from hills under a fabric wing, launching on foot and riding rising air.
ParkourMoving through city spaces by vaulting, climbing and jumping over obstacles.
PétanqueTossing metal balls underarm to land closest to a small jack, on gravel or dirt.
PickleballHitting a holey plastic ball with solid paddles on a small court, like mini tennis.
Pickup basketballShooting hoops and joining casual half-court games at public courts.
Plant IDLearn to name wildflowers, trees and grasses where they grow, with guides and apps.
RC cars & planesDrive and fly radio-controlled cars and planes, tuning them for speed and handling.
Road cyclingRiding a road bike on tarmac, from café loops to long, hilly days out.
Rock climbingRoped climbing up tall walls and real crags, with a partner holding the rope.
Rock poolingExploring seashore pools at low tide for crabs, anemones, fish and other sea life.
RockhoundingHunt rivers, beaches and quarries for minerals, crystals, agates and even meteorites.
RoundnetBouncing a small ball off a low round net in fast two-on-two rallies.
RowingPulling oars in a sleek, narrow boat on a river, usually with a club crew.
RugbyRunning, passing backwards and tackling in full-contact union, league or sevens.
RunningRegular runs on roads and paths, from first run-walks to parkrun and races.
SailingSteering a small dinghy and trimming its sails to the wind, usually at a club.
Scout & Guide leadingRunning weekly meetings, games and camps for a local Scout or Guide group.
Scuba divingBreathing from a tank to explore underwater, from pool sessions to reefs and wrecks.
SkateboardingRiding a board at skateparks and on streets, learning to push, turn and ollie.
SkiingGliding down snowy slopes on two skis, from nursery runs to whole mountains.
SkydivingFreefall from a plane before the parachute opens, or float in an indoor wind tunnel.
SlackliningBalancing and walking along a flat, springy line strung between two trees.
SnorkellingFloating face-down at the surface with mask and fins, watching the sea life below.
SnowboardingRiding down snowy slopes sideways on a single board, both feet strapped in.
SoftballHitting, catching and running bases in a social, slow-pitch cousin of baseball.
SpearfishingHunting fish underwater on one breath with a spear, then eating what you catch.
Street art & muralsPainting large designs and murals on legal walls with spray cans and brushes.
Street photographyCapturing candid moments of strangers and everyday life in public places.
SurfingRiding breaking waves on a board, paddling out and popping up to stand.
TennisRallying a fuzzy yellow ball over a net on a full-size court, singles or doubles.
Touch rugbyRunning and passing rugby where a touch replaces the tackle, often in mixed teams.
Trail motorcyclingRiding motorbikes off-road on green lanes, rough tracks and dedicated parks.
Trail runningOff-road runs on woodland, hill and coast paths, walking the steep bits.
TriathlonSwimming, cycling and running back to back in one race, and training all three.
Ultimate frisbeePassing a flying disc between teammates to score in the end zone, no contact.
Urban explorationFinding abandoned buildings and photographing them, leaving everything as found.
Urban sketchingDrawing the streets, buildings and cafés around you on location, often in a group.
VanlifeRoad trips sleeping in a campervan, or converting a van of your own to travel in.
Vegetable gardeningRaising vegetables, fruit and herbs to eat, from windowsill trays to allotments.
WakeboardingRiding a short board across a lake, towed by an overhead cable or a boat.
WalkingRegular walks near home, from slow forest bathing to brisk Nordic walking with poles.
White-water raftingPaddling an inflatable raft through river rapids as a crew, led by a guide.
Wildlife photographyWaiting patiently outdoors to photograph birds, animals and insects in the wild.
Wildlife watchingFinding wild mammals, bats and reptiles, from badger tracks to bat-detector clicks.
WindsurfingStanding on a board and steering a hand-held sail to skim across the water.