Keeping fit and healthy in your golden years can be a challenge but there are plenty of wellness and exercise activities for seniors around Northwich.
There’s plenty of talk out there about how you need to keep fit and active to make the most of life well into old age, but as joints get creaky and energy dips it can be tricky to find something enjoyable enough to keep you both moving and motivated.
Keep your health and wellness up with some of these great senior-friendly exercise spots in and around the Northwich area, from a gentle game of bowls to some more energetic aqua-aerobics, there’s plenty to tempt people of all ages and activity levels.
Just north of the river on Chester Way as it turns into the A559 is Northwich Memorial Court leisure centre, which has everything from a pool and gym to a steam room, jacuzzi and even a huge events hall.
Open from 6.30am to 10pm on weekdays or 8am-8pm on weekends, the centre is easy to reach by car or on foot, and there’s a bus station less than two hundred yards from the entrance. It has its own car park with plenty of disabled bays, and there’s a wheelchair slope to get into the entrance while inside is level and easy to navigate – there’s no hearing aid loop but you can use a motorised mobility scooter in most public areas and lighting is nice and bright.
As well as a nice onsite cafe, which has plenty of room to manoeuvre and also doesn’t have fixed tables or chairs, making accessibility easier, there’s tons to do here and the classes list is well worth checking out – from yoga to HIIT and dance cardio, there’s something to suit everyone. We particularly recommend the aqua aerobics class, always a hit with seniors and a great way to get moving while minimising impact risk on older bones. Even non-swimmers can take part, and those more confident in the water might even want to try the Aqua Jog class, which maximises the benefits of running without the muscle and skeletal stress. Well worth a dive in!
West of the river off Chester Road and down Beeston Street to off David Street, the Castle Sports Social Club is a hidden gem of sports and activities that are ideal for seniors, with plenty of teams and clubs for local and broader leagues. Pool, snooker, darts and dominoes are all on offer inside the club.
The main attraction here, though, has got to be the bowling – big enough that it has its own Facebook page in fact! There are two bowling greens, including one with a grandstand to sit and watch, which are meticulously maintained by the club’s full-time steward. Bowls is a great game for seniors, low energy but good for a little stretch and helping maintain balance as well as hand-eye coordination, so definitely worth a look.
The club does require a membership but it’s easy enough to join and the fees are extremely reasonable (especially for senior citizens) considering what’s on offer. There’s easy access parking on site and, of course, the entire site is flat and easy to navigate at all mobility levels.
Great for socialising, exercise and a breath of fresh air, the Vale Royal Rambling Club is a small walking club with members in the Northwich, Middlewich, Winsford and Crewe areas of Cheshire. They go on local walks, generally of seven to ten miles, on alternating Saturdays, and members are encouraged to car share to get to starting locations, which vary but are always close by.
A first ramble with the club is totally free and then it costs a mere £5 a year to join up for more. Scheduled walks are available to download freely from their website or you can just drop a note there to one of their committee members to ask anything you might need to know.
Needless to say this kind of activity isn’t ideal for the less mobile as the terrain is often quite rough, but if you’ve got seniors who are keen to get some exercise in and fancy something more adventurous than an amble around the local parks or gardens, this club could be the ideal solution.
Off to the east of central Northwich on Wallerscote Road is Hartford Golf Club, a nifty nine-hole course with a driving range and bookable tee times for non members. Green fees are extremely reasonable even for guests, and for those who just want to work on their backswing there’s even a twenty six covered bay driving range priced at just £10 for 100 balls. Plenty to take a swing at!
There’s a nice clubhouse onsite offering tea, coffee and snacks, and plenty of parking on a fairly level terrain. The nine hole course is only available on foot given its size, so don’t expect to get to drive any cute little carts, but even if nobody makes par you’ll still get a pleasant ramble around a beautiful course with a cuppa to round it off.
In central Northwich just past the big roundabout on Station Road, right by the traffic lights, is Breathing Space Yoga, a friendly local studio run by yogi Sarah Clover. She offers a range of weekly in person yoga classes both in person and online, including a range of “gentle yoga” which is ideal for seniors as it focuses on stretches and mobility rather than trying to twist into awkward postures! All ages and abilities are very welcome here and anyone with concerns about mobility or if the class is suitable for them should just drop Sarah a message on her website – she’s super friendly and always happy to discuss the best options for every visitor.
The online and zoom classes of course are completely accessible as they can be done at home, but the Station Road location is centrally located and easy to reach, and is nice and flat (of course) for yoga mats.
Follow Winnington Lane (the A533) up to the north west of Northwich and turn up Park Road to find Winnington Park Recreation Club. This lovely spot offers a huge range of sports and activities that are suitable for all ages and levels of mobility, from chess tournaments to pool, snooker, bowls, table tennis, cricket, or even angling. Take a look at their Clubs page on their website to find out more and see what might suit your seniors for a regular activity to keep mind and body active.
Annual membership is extremely reasonable, generally under £30 for senior citizens depending on activity, and the main club itself has three bars (including a different guest real ale every weekend). There are also plenty of public events on offer, from the local WI quiz to ladies darts and open snooker evenings, so you don’t even have to be a member if you just want to drop in now and then.
The club site is highly accessible, with ramps as well as steps and plenty of accessible toilets, and the option of a portable wheelchair ramp is also available to make moving around even easier for the less mobile. There’s free wifi on site as well.
From keeping fit to exercising mindfulness or just getting a bit of mental stimulation, these kinds of exercise and wellness activities in and around Northwich are a great way to get seniors out and about with a goal in mind. Even the smallest amounts of physical activity is invaluable in keeping brains and bodies fit and healthy, so don’t assume you need to force a senior citizen into some kind of aerobics class just to get them moving; there are plenty of opportunities to get active without getting sweaty!
Learn more about supported living or companionship for exercise and wellness in old age, and find out whether home care in Northwich could be the right choice for your elderly loved ones, by getting in touch with our local team today.