Chew Valley - Sport and Leisure Facilities

Sport and Leisure Facilities

The local villages have football pitches and children's play areas. Gymnasium facilities, squash courts, badminton etc., and outdoor all-weather pitches are available at the Chew Valley Leisure Centre between Chew Magna and Chew Stoke. There are a range of clubs and societies for young and old, including Scout groups, gardening society, and the Women's institute. There are areas in the valley which the Countryside Agency has designated as access land; Burledge Hill (south of Bishop Sutton)(grid reference ST589590), Castle Earthworks (between Stowey and Bishop Sutton)(grid reference ST597592), Knowle Hill (Newtown south of Chew Magna)(grid reference ST583613), Round Hill (Folly Farm)(grid reference ST605608) and Shortwood Common (Litton) (grid reference ST595553)

A Bowls club is in Chew Stoke, cricket pitches and teams in Chew Magna and Blagdon. There are football teams in the valley including Chew Valley Football Club and Bishop Sutton F.C.. The rugby club is based next to the leisure centre. The Bishop Sutton Tennis club is the largest in the valley, there is also a tennis club at East Harptree. Both Chew Valley Lake and Blagdon Lake provide extensive fishing under permit from Bristol Water. The River Chew and most of its tributaries also have fishing but this is generally under licences to local angling clubs. Chew Valley Sailing Club is situated on Chew Valley Lake and provides dinghy sailing at all levels and hosts national and international competitions. There are no swimming pools in the valley, and swimming is not allowed in the lakes, however these are available locally in Bristol, Bath, Cheddar and Midsomer Norton.

Each year the Chew Valley Arts trail takes place in October during which over 50 local artists display their work in 20 or so venues around the valley such as; painting, printmaking, sculpture, decorative glass, pottery, photography, jewellery and sugar craft. The valley and lakes have been an inspiration to artists and there is a small art gallery at Chew Valley Lake. Live music and comedy events take place in local pubs and village halls, with the village of Pensford holding a music festival every year.

To combat the declining provision in leisure and recreational activities for young people in the region, residents of the Chew Valley area formed the Chew Valley Youth Trust charity in 2011, which combats issues of rural isolation and provides young residents with recreational activities.