Faversham Life
Faversham Life
Faversham has a range of organised outdoor fitness classes that will provide the encouragement you need to stay motivated through Spring and beyond. More than that, each group offers a new community, a new-found appreciation for the countryside that surrounds the town and a mood-boost that will last well beyond the activity itself.
Faversham Walking Group
Best foot forward … The Faversham Walking Group
The Faversham Walking Group started only a year ago and has already attracted a loyal following of like-minded ramblers keen to explore the surrounding countryside. “The idea of the walks are to get people socialising,” says co-founder of the group, Ian Henderson. “People often meet as strangers and leave as friends.” Ian – a qualified walking leader and first-aider – and his partner, Erika, lead the group on a three-hour ramble each Sunday, passing through woodlands and fields along ancient pathways, passing castles and neolithic monuments, and often finishing in a pub or coffee shop (when restrictions allows). Weekday evening walks are planned for later in the year, as are weekend get-aways once restrictions are lifted. There is no joining fee; simply search for @favershamwalking on Facebook, “like” the page, and look out for news of their next walk.
Sunday walks cost £3.50
JAG Outdoor Fitness
Lakeside burpees at Mount Ephraim Gardens
For those who want to loosen their lockdown loungewear, JAG Outdoor Fitness will certainly set you on the right path. This friendly group have just resumed classes in the picturesque grounds of Mount Ephraim Gardens. The group meet three times a week for an hour-long circuit-training session. There is no equipment necessary – participants simply turn up with a bottle of water and follow the orders of instructors, Jamie and Gerrard, (hence the name) who take it in turns to lead each workout. The class begins with a gentle warm-up, followed by a set of exercises that take place throughout the 800-acre estate. The instructors cleverly cater for all abilities – you set the level of intensity by adjusting the repetitions of each exercise. No two sessions are the same, and you get to soak up the serene surroundings of Mount Ephraim all year-round. Get in touch for your free trial session.
£10 for a single class pass; monthly membership from £25; jagoutdoorfitness.com
Faversham Running Club
Members of Faversham Running Club. Photograph by Nick Beal.
Faversham Running Club was formed five years ago and – much like its members – has gone from strength to strength, with up to 50 runners convening on Wednesday evenings. The club has an online booking system with groups of up to 10 runners leaving at five minute intervals between 6:30-7pm from the Abbey Gym car park. Each group has a designated leader, who makes sure no one gets lost and no one is left behind. The groups run at various speeds and distances along different routes, meaning runners of all abilities are welcome. On darker evenings, running takes place around the town: in the summer months, groups head out into the surrounding countryside.
Runs start from 14 April. Membership is free for the first four weeks, £30 a year thereafter. Email frcclubsecretary@hotmail.com for more information or go to the Faversham Running Club on Facebook
The Great Outdoor Gym Company
If you find yourself doing a few laps of Faversham Rec, make time to investigate the free, state-of-the-art gym equipment supplied by The Great Outdoor Gym Company and installed last summer. It includes a smart energy hand bike which generates power as you use it, a recumbent bike, a cross trainer and a spin bike. There is also a lateral pull-down and shoulder press machine, an assisted pull-up machine, double-sided dip and leg raise machines, a leg press, bench and multi-use rig with monkey bars and parallel balancing beams. If self-motivation is in short supply, download the free The Great Outdoor Gym Company app (TGO Activate) which allows you to create your own workouts, keep track of your activity and share with fellow users.
West Beach Fitness
Workout on West Beach
Personal trainer, Katie Grover, runs these HIIT (high intensity interval training) classes three times a week on Tankerton Slopes with a bonus online evening session each Thursday. These sessions use a combination of body weight and resistance exercisers to help burn calories, build lean muscle and stimulate your metabolism: all whilst giving you a mood-boosting blast of fresh sea air.
£8 per session or £65 for 10; westbeachfitness.com
