The outdoor alternative to a gym in Rotherhithe
If you have joined a gym in Rotherhithe, gone for three weeks and then quietly stopped, you’re the person we built this for. Coached outdoor sessions at Stave Hill, a fixed time in the diary, and a group who notice when you’re not there.
From £9 a session. Start with the Trial Experience.
Why the gym didn’t stick
Almost nobody stops going to the gym because they stopped caring about being fit. They stop because nothing in the arrangement makes them go out on a wet Tuesday.
A gym gives you access to equipment. That’s useful if you already know what you’re doing and you’re the kind of person who will go on your own. For a lot of people in Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays, what’s actually missing is a fixed time and someone expecting you there.
That’s the whole difference. We’re not better than a gym. For most people who have already tried the gym route and stopped, this is what works.
An honest comparison
Worth being straight about this, because for some people a gym is the better answer.
| What you might want | A gym | Bootcamp SE16 |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment whenever you want it | Yes, that’s the point of it | No, sessions run at set times |
| Somewhere warm and dry | Yes | No. We’re outside all year |
| A coach watching your technique | Usually costs extra | Included in every session |
| Someone noticing you stopped coming | Rarely | Yes, and we’ll ask where you got to |
| Being told exactly what to do | Only if you pay a trainer | Every session is programmed for you |
| Meeting people who live near you | Not really | That’s most of why people stay |
If you read that and the gym column is what you want, a gym is the right call and we mean that sincerely.
Getting here from Rotherhithe
Sessions run at Stave Hill Ecological Park, Dock Hill Avenue, SE16 6AX, in the middle of the peninsula between Rotherhithe, Canada Water and Surrey Quays.
From Rotherhithe station it’s about fifteen minutes on foot along Salter Road, or five on a bike. From Canada Water or Surrey Quays it’s around ten minutes.
Plenty of members come straight from work, and plenty come in the morning before it. The park has steps, a hill, woodland paths and open grass, which is why the sessions never look the same twice.
Session times
Twelve sessions a week at Stave Hill, seven days a week, from mid-morning to evening, every one an hour long. Call 07496 871663 or send us a WhatsApp and we’ll tell you which suits you best.
From people who made the same switch
“I have been training with BCSE16 for just over a year now, which surprises me more than anyone. I could never stick to a workout routine before this. Ever.”
“I have found the sessions far more productive than working out on my own in a traditional gym.”
Common questions
Is this better than joining a gym in Rotherhithe?
It depends what stops you going. If you want equipment on demand and a swim afterwards, a gym is the right answer. If what you actually need is a coach who notices you and people expecting you, then a coached outdoor group works far better. Most of our members had a gym membership first.
How far is Stave Hill from Rotherhithe station?
About fifteen minutes on foot along Salter Road, or five minutes on a bike. From Canada Water and Surrey Quays it’s around ten minutes.
What happens in winter?
Sessions carry on outdoors through the winter. Dark mornings and cold evenings included. It sounds like the hard part and it turns out to be the part people are proudest of.
Can I come if I haven’t exercised in years?
Yes, and most people arrive exactly like that. Every exercise has an easier version, the coach will show you which to use, and nobody is watching what anybody else is doing.
Closer to the park itself? See bootcamp in Canada Water. Coming from the other direction? See bootcamp near Bermondsey.
What’s really holding you back?
Take our quick quiz and find out what might be getting in the way of your consistency, and what could help you finally make training stick.
Try two weeks before you decide anything
No contract to try it. We give you a ring to book your sessions, and nobody pushes you into anything.
From £9 a session once you join