Page 352 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

350  TR A VELLERS ’ NEEDS

Sport Rugby Union
International matches are
The range of sports on offer in London is quite phenomenal. played at Twickenham Rugby
Should you feel the urge to watch a game of medieval Football Ground. The season
tennis or go scuba-diving in the city centre, you’ve come runs from September to April
to the right place. More likely, you’ll just want to watch a and you can watch “friendly”
weekend games at local
football or rugby match, or play a set of tennis in a park. grounds. Top London teams
With far more public facilities than most European capitals, Saracens and Rosslyn Park can
London is the place to enjoy cheap, accessible sport. To be seen at their own grounds
top if off, sports fan can relive the Olympics at the Queen outside the centre of town.
Elizabeth Park, where venues built for the 2012 Games,
including the Aquatics Centre and Olympic Stadium, are Squash
open to the public. Squash courts tend to be busy,
so try to book at least two days
Athletics scattered around the outskirts. ahead. Many sports centres
The most accessible public have squash facilities and will
Athletes will find a good courses are Hounslow Heath, hire out equipment. Try Swiss
choice of running tracks, often Chessington (nine holes, train Cottage Leisure Centre and
with free admission. Linford from Waterloo) and Richmond the Oasis Sports Centre.
Christie Stadium has good Park (two courses, with lessons
facilities; Regent’s Park is free; available). If you didn’t pack your
try also Parliament Hill Fields. clubs, sets can be hired at a Swimming
For a sociable jog, meet the reasonable price. The best indoor pools include
Mornington Chasers in Chelsea Sports Centre, the
Kentish Town, Camden, on Oasis and Porchester Centre;
Tuesdays at 7pm. Greyhound Racing for outdoor swimming, try
At a night “down the dogs”, you Hampstead and Highgate
can follow the races on a screen Ponds (two separate ponds
Cricket in the bar, stand by the track or for men and women and one
Five-day test matches and one- watch from the comfort of the mixed) and the Oasis. Out of
day internationals are played in restaurant (book in advance) at town, the London Aquatics
summer at Lord’s (see p250) and Romford Stadium or the Grey­ Centre at the Queen Elizabeth
the Kia Oval, near Vauxhall. hound Stadium in Wimbledon. Olympic Park (see pp254–5),
Tickets for the first four days purpose-built for the 2012
of tests and for one-day games Games, has world-class facilities,
are hard to get, but you may Horse Racing a state-of-the-art gym and a
get in on the last day and see a High-class flat racing in summer full programme of activities.
thrilling finish. When Middlesex and steeplechasing in winter
and Surrey play county games can be seen at Ascot, Kempton
at these grounds, there are Park and Sandown Park, which Tennis
always seats. are all less than an hour from There are hundreds of tennis
central London by train. Britain’s courts in London’s public
most famous flat race, the parks, most of them cheap to
Football (Soccer)
Derby, is run at Epsom in June. hire and easily reserved. It can
This is the most popular be busy in the summer, so
spectator sport in Britain, its Horse Riding book your court two or three
season running from August to days ahead. You must supply
May, with matches at weekends For centuries, fashionable riders your own racquet and balls.
and on weekday evenings. It have exercised their steeds in Good public tennis courts
is the most common topic of Hyde Park; Ross Nye will provide include those at Holland Park
conversation in pubs, where you with a horse so that you and Parliament Hill.
games are often shown live on can follow a long tradition. Tickets for the Centre Court
TV. Premier League and FA Cup of the All England Lawn Tennis
games are frequently sold out Ice­Skating Club at Wimbledon are hard
in advance. London’s top clubs to obtain – it is possibly easier
include Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ice-skaters should head for to enter the tournament as
Ham and Tottenham Hotspur. London’s best-known rink, a player. Try queueing
Queens. The most attractive overnight, or queue for return
ice rinks, open only in winter, tickets after lunch on the day –
Golf
are at Somerset House (see for a bargain price, you can still
There are no golf courses in p121) and at the Tower of enjoy a good four hours of
central London, but a few are London (see pp158–61). tennis (see p61).

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