Sports, dance and activity clubs around Exeter that welcome newcomers, with their regular sessions. Outdoor clubs further afield are included when they need the landscape.
Sports, dance and activity clubs around Exeter that welcome newcomers, with their regular sessions. Outdoor clubs further afield are included when they need the landscape.
BSAC diving club based at the Haven Road water sports site, training new divers in the pool at Riverside and diving off the Devon coast all year. It suits complete beginners, lapsed divers and qualified divers from any agency.
New here? 'If you can swim, then come and talk to us.' Complete beginners and people who haven't dived for years are welcome at the Friday social; try dives run on Tuesday evenings (book in advance).
Historical European martial arts club teaching longsword, with wrestling and medieval dagger classes. Runs periodic beginner sessions that book up quickly.
New here? Beginners longsword sessions run through the year (the January 2026 one was fully booked; more planned).
Exeter (city centre) · Social dance · £8 for one class, £10 for two on the…
Drop-in salsa classes on Monday evenings at Exeter Phoenix, with a beginners' class, a technique class and an improvers' class. No partner or experience needed.
New here? Drop-in, so you can start any week; no experience needed and your first beginners' class is free.
Exeter (Exwick) · Social dance · Free taster sessions
Scottish country dancing classes on Monday and Thursday evenings at Exwick Parish Hall, with regular social dances to live music. A new beginners' course started this autumn after free taster sessions.
New here? 'Beginners are welcome'; new beginners' course in autumn 2026 with free tasters on 17 and 24 September; all ages welcome.
St Thomas, Exeter · Dance classes · £15 or £12 booked in advance; two £10…
A weekly 5Rhythms movement class on Sunday evenings in St Thomas: free, unchoreographed dancing to music, guided by a teacher. No steps to learn, so it suits complete beginners as well as experienced dancers.
New here? 'A welcoming class for both beginners and experienced dancers'; no dance steps needed. Arrive by 6pm; no entry after 6.20pm.
Exeter (city centre) · Dance classes · £8.50 per class (acro £15)
City-centre dance studio running weekly adult classes in ballet, tap, contemporary and commercial street dance, many of them drop-in with no monthly membership. Suits beginners and returners as well as experienced dancers.
New here? Many adult sessions are drop-in, booked online; the timetable includes Absolute Beginners Ballet and Adults Beginners Tap. No monthly memberships.
Boutique reformer Pilates studio in a listed building on Cathedral Close, with 45-minute instructor-led classes and self-led on-demand reformer sessions. Newcomers start with an orientation session.
New here? An orientation session (£10) is required before joining group classes; it covers health and safety, studio housekeeping and a reformer taster. Intro offer: 3 classes for £30, usable in instructor-led and on-demand classes. Grip socks are required.
Free beginner-friendly meditation sessions at Exeter Phoenix, with short talks, videos and guided practice, sitting on chairs with no mat or special clothing needed.
New here? Everyone welcome, no experience needed; the current 10-week course runs on Monday evenings.
Trains on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with volunteer patrols on summer Sundays
Exmouth · 11 miles from the centre · Watersports
A volunteer surf life saving club on Exmouth beach training lifeguards and running summer beach patrols. New adult members are welcome with no previous experience; juniors join via a waiting list.
New here? New senior members welcome, no previous experience needed; adults can visit the beach to see the club or get in touch. Juniors (Nippers 7 to 12, Graduate Lifeguards 13+) via a waiting list form.
Exmouth · 10 miles from the centre · Watersports · Two free trial rows; then a pro rata…
Friendly community rowing club on Exmouth seafront, rowing stable coastal boats on the estuary and at sea, recreationally or in regattas. It suits adults of any age with no experience.
New here? Two free trial rows during Sunday club sessions before joining; new starter inductions roughly once a month, with an indoor rowing machine lesson then a trial row in a quad with a 'buddy'.
Racing on Sundays and other programmed days, tide dependent
Starcross · 9 miles from the centre · Watersports · Subscriptions on the club's price…
A dinghy, catamaran and yacht club on the west bank of the Exe estuary with year-round racing, training for members and a junior section. Membership has no waiting list.
New here? No waiting list for membership; visitors are invited to come along on a race day.
Topsham · Watersports · Membership fees on the club's…
A friendly sailing club on the Exe estuary running dinghy, yawl and cruiser racing plus a social calendar. It welcomes new members who simply want to sail.
New here? Welcomes new members; 'all that is needed is enthusiasm for sailing'. Prospective members can visit on race nights or events to meet the Membership Secretary.
Martial arts
A multi-discipline school teaching Brazilian jiu-jitsu, traditional jiu jitsu, kickboxing, kenjutsu and tai chi, with children's and women's classes. No experience needed, and every discipline has a free taster.
New here? No experience is needed for any class; free taster class available for every discipline; flexible monthly membership with no long-term contract.
Exeter (Whipton) · Martial arts · Trial class bookable online
Krav Maga self-defence training for adults at Whipton Barton on Thursday evenings, with trial classes bookable online. Novices are welcome.
New here? 'Novices are most welcome'; trial class bookable online; new members always welcome in Exeter.
Social dance
Volunteer-run swing dance group teaching Lindy Hop and Charleston in central Exeter, with a Thursday jam and Wednesday class. No partner needed; partners rotate and complete beginners start in Level 1.
New here? Level One classes suit complete beginners; no partner needed; new beginners can start on week 1 of any four-week block.
Exeter (University) · Social dance · Lessons £3 for one or £5 for two…
Weekly ballroom and Latin lessons from beginner to intermediate, run through the Students' Guild. Weekly lessons are open to non-members and non-students aged 18 and over.
New here? Weekly lessons are open to 'members, non-members and non-students (18+)'; classes start Monday 21 September with beginner tasters in fresher's week.
Weekly salsa, bachata and rueda classes at the University of Exeter, taught by named teachers at several levels. Classes are open to students, staff and members of the public, including complete beginners.
New here? Classes are for 'students, staff and members of the public'; Salsa Fundamentals and Beginners Bachata classes are for newcomers.
Tue
6:30pm
Wed6:15pm
Thu6:15pm
Exeter (city centre) · Dance classes · £6 to £7 per session (sources differ)
Weekly adult jazz dance classes in Exeter, including a beginners and improvers class for those new or rusty, plus a low-impact fitness class. Join at any time and pay weekly.
New here? Adult classes are ongoing so you can join at any time; the Thursday class is for beginners, improvers or those feeling rusty.
Free outdoor yoga on Sunday mornings in summer at Cowick Barton Playing Fields and Heavitree Pleasure Ground, part of the national Park Yoga scheme. All levels are welcome.
New here? Free sessions; look for the large Park Yoga flag. The Cowick Barton instructor says all levels are most welcome.
Free groups for adults run by the Step One charity from the X Centre: an easy-paced walk of about 3 miles along the Exe from the Quay, and an eight-week Yoga4Wellbeing course for any ability or health condition.
New here? Walk-ins welcome on the walk (registering helps). The yoga course is open to all abilities and health conditions; sign up through BeWell (course 222).
An official Hyrox training club in Marsh Barton with a sled track and coached group classes in Hyrox conditioning and strength, for anyone from beginners to people training for a race.
New here? One-week free trial with no commitment: sign up, then book as many classes as you like through the PushPress app. A coach introduces themselves, checks you're comfortable and explains the session; you're welcome to drop in just to look around.
Pole fitness studio at Exeter Phoenix with beginner, intermediate and advanced pole classes, pole flow, floorwork and heels choreography on weekday evenings. Pay as you go, with free taster sessions.
New here? Complete beginners can join a taster session (held every four weeks) or book straight onto a regular beginners' class; all classes pay as you go. 16+ (under-18s need adult consent).