Discover Your Inner Adventurer: Affordable Outdoor Pursuits For Students In and Around Manchester

Manchester is the best of many worlds when it comes to offering students a fun night and city life, deals widely available for activities, charming locals but also a range of natural beauty spots for you to explore. Being a student doesn’t mean you are locked in your student accommodation in Manchester at all hours of the day and eventually leave for another night out drinking at the locals. Being in a new city leaves you with so much more to do and that’s why people travel from all over the world to this friendly, diverse and rainy city.

Taking into consideration that being a student doesn’t leave much change in your purse, looking for a good bargain or something free is always ideal. Getting out of student accommodation in Manchester is more than necessary, so we are leaving you with no excuse because price, location and level of fun are all within your range.

Hiking and Walking Trails

All you need is a friend who drives or plans a safe route to the hiking trails and you will be on your way to a fulfilling and fun day. Here are some popular walking trails and locations that you can try while you are in Manchester.

The Peak District

A short train ride away from your student accommodation in Manchester, you have this beautiful national park that offers an extensive range of walking trails. Whether you want something to take you up great views or you want something more relaxed, there is something here for you. The best part is that you can keep coming back to try new trails or even attempt to map out your own with your friends. 

The Pennine Way

Pack your bag, wack your gym leggings on and get your boots laced up for a multi-day hike that can take up to 19 days to walk. While this sounds insanely intimidating, it could be something you and your university friends are passionate about. There is more than an opportunity for you to do only parts of it but it’s something to keep in mind in case you want to knock it off your bucket list. 

Do Your Research

This list goes on for the number of places, routes, and distances of walks you can be part of locally to your student accommodation in Manchester. Everyone is different about what they like in a walk. For example, I am not a fan of really steep walks as I don’t feel like I can enjoy the views as much but I know my boyfriend loves them so doing research to find local walks that suit us both really helps. Using the power of social media to your advantage is a must when it comes to finding new and exciting spots to explore. 

Water Based Adventures

You will be surprised at how affordable and fun some water-based sports are that are also really close to Manchester. 

Sale Water Park

Also known as Trafford Water Sports Park, they allow anyone with a licence to have some fun with paddle boarding, kayaking, canoeing, windsurfing and even sailing. Whether you have a boat, something cheap online to try out, or you want to go people-watching, there is something fun for you to take part in.

While strolling is wonderful, what if you could discover new places more quickly? Take your best set of wheels and ride your bike through the park! A variety of routes are accessible. Do you not own a bike? To explore miles of breathtaking, traffic-free trails, simply rent a bike from Velo Times. Discover the industrial history of Manchester by strolling along its canals, seeing the deer in Dunham Massey Park, or being in awe of the local animals in our water parks in Sale and Chorlton. Adult bicycles are priced starting at £10.

Helly Hansen Watersports Centre

An exciting family outing awaits you when you visit Helly Hansen Watersports Centre, formerly known as Salford Watersports Centre.

There are plenty of sailing dinghies, windsurfers, kayaks, and canoes at this amazing watersports complex, waiting for you to come try them out. You can even give bellboating and raft construction a shot. If you’d rather keep your feet dry, you can also try your hand at climbing an 8-metre indoor wall or see how well you can read a map by going urban orienteering around Salford Quays.

Formby Beach

Another short train ride away is Formby Beach, and while you can come here to enjoy some sunbathing and relax, there is also so much fun to be had, including water activities for which you can rent jet skis, paddle boards, and much more, or you could bring your own.

Overall, a day on the beach is both affordable and a full day of fun that is suitable for a range of people and interests and is basically right on the doorstep. While the UK is not best known for its long summers, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the beach any day of the week.

Urban Exploration

Climbing Gyms

Not only is this a good way to get in some fitness but it’s also great to test your limits and get your adrenaline pumping. Manchester has a growing climbing community with both indoor and outdoor options and the beauty is that there are so many styles to choose from that something is bound to fit. 

Personally, I am not a fan of heights so I enjoy more caves and horizontal climbing routes. This way, I’m pushing myself without getting deterred by the height.

Running Clubs

A great social and fitness task for students would be, of course, jumping on the bandwagon by joining a running club and you will find there are quite a few running clubs for you to try and see which one is the best fit in terms of intensity, routes and socialising. 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to finding the perfect alternative, thrill and active fun for you to do while you are at university, the list just continues to grow. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box but also bargain hunt as best you can.