Activities in Clapham

A vast, 220-acre open space perfect for sunny days in the capital, Clapham Common has been delighting inner-city dwellers since the Domesday Book. As well as being the ideal picnic or lunch spot, the park has plenty of attractions including a bowling green, basketball and tennis courts and a skate park, most of which are free to use. The park – just a five-minute walk along Cedars Road from our Clapham hotel – has plenty for young children too, with several play areas, a paddling pool, a soft play area, toilets and three separate cafés.

Spanning food, shopping, community enterprises and dozens of local start-ups, Pop Brixton is a vibrant hub bursting with independent spirit. It’s is open daily and is a brilliant place to explore with new stores ‘popping’ up all the time. The creative space also hosts plenty of regular events including food festivals, live music, guest DJs, poetry sessions, photography shows and more.

One of London’s two major cricket grounds, The Oval was the first UK stadium to host an international match back in 1880. Since then, the 25,500-capacity Kennington ground a mile north of Clapham has hosted hundreds of England games and thousands for home team Surrey County Cricket Club who play their T20, one day and four-day games at the ground from April to September.

Spanning a state-of-the-art gym, 25-metre pool, basketball, fitness classes and even canoeing, Clapham Leisure Centre offers a diverse range of fitness activities and sports. Open sessions and lessons are available on a pay-as-you-go basis, with the Clapham Manor Street venue open daily from as early as 6am.

The enigmatically-named 575 Wandsworth Road is a National Trust property quite unlike any other. The terraced 19th-century house might look run-of-the-mill from the outside, but step inside and you’re overwhelmed by wall-to-ceiling fixtures, elaborate, hand-carved pine doors and intricate designs all made over a 20 years by Kenyan-born poet and writer Khadambi Asalache since 1981. Due to the delicate nature of the interiors, only 2,000 visitors are allowed in each year so book ahead.

Just north of Clapham in Stockwell is Oasisplay, a charity-run project spanning a large children’s nature garden, go-kart track and adventure playground. Kids aged eight and over can whizz around the go-kart track from Monday to Saturday while the huge adventure playground is open daily and includes a BMX track, forest garden, zip line, sandpit, football pitch and more.

Battersea Park on the southern border of the River Thames is a sprawling 200-acre park packed with attractions and activities. Active families and children with a feel for heights will love Go Ape and it’s tree-top routes and rope swings while Battersea Park Children’s Zoo houses a wide range of animals including monkeys, wildcats, giant snails and more plus a large adventure playground with a sand pit, wooden fort and lifesize fire engine, tractor and helicopter. The large park also has a boating lake, all-weather sports pitches, an athletics stadium, art gallery, historical monuments and more, making it a real green gem in the heart of London. And the best bit? It’s just a 20-minute stroll from our Clapham hotel.