• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Columns / London Fiver / The London Fiver – Five Unusual Hobbies You Can Learn in London

The London Fiver – Five Unusual Hobbies You Can Learn in London

Apr 21, 2022 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

River Thames in London at low tide with exposed sand. View of the city in the background

When people go on holiday, they might opt for taking a course to learn something like French pastry making or Italian cooking.  London certainly has its own share of courses tourists can take from chocolate making to beer brewing, but there are also more than a few unusual hobbies that you can learn while you’re visiting the city.  From centuries-old skills to fictional sports, we have identified five such weird activities for you to study.  If there’s something you think we left out, please share that with us in the comments.

Mudlarking

Once upon a time, digging through the mud along the banks of the River Thames was something people did to survive.  Scavengers looked for things they could sell in the hopes of making a living.  Now, it’s a fun day out for people who just hope to find something cool washed up from the riverbed.  Make sure to adequately prepare by bringing non-slippery shoes, gloves, and even a guide since a local will know more about how quickly the tide will rise than you do.  Additionally, one major rule for mudlarking is “eyes only”, meaning that you shouldn’t go digging for anything, just keep your eyes on the ground. 

You can register for a mudlarking permit on the Port of London Authority website.

Butchery

Not as gruesome as it sounds, Butchery Classes are for those with an interest in meat.  If you’ve ever found yourself wanting to know how to pick out the choicest cuts of steak at your favorite restaurant, make your own sausages, or getting yourself ready for your next outdoor barbecue.  Many of the available classes also help to instill an appreciation in the history and tradition behind one of the city’s oldest professions.  No matter the reason for taking the class, you’re sure to learn something valuable…even if it seems icky. 

Pyrography

There are plenty of craft-making classes all over the city, but none are quite like pyrography lessons.  No, you won’t be burning anything down, but you will learn how to use a wood-burning pen and other implements to decorate some timber.  From learning the different kinds of tips to free handing designs or following a template, pyrography courses can help you learn a new skill that you can use for fun or to start up a small crafting business.  The courses do have some requirements and necessary safety equipment that you’ll need to bring with you (if they don’t provide it themselves), so make sure to read all the prerequisites for a class. 

Quidditch

Whether you’re a kid or a kid at heart, fans of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter can learn to play one of that universe’s greatest sports while visiting London.  Quidditch for Muggles offers classes, school events, and birthday parties for young witches and wizards that want to learn the sport.  For the older quidditch enthusiasts, the quidditch club Werewolves of London invites anyone who wants to get in touch and join them at their Saturday morning training.  Who knows, you might find yourself good enough at it to play in an actual match or just take what you’ve learned back home to start your own club. 

Trapeze

Lots of people dream of running away to join the circus when they’re kids, and London’s trapeze classes can help fulfill those dreams of long ago.  There are a number of trapeze schools throughout the city that will help you learn the death-defying aerial arts—with the help of nets and harnesses of course.  Plenty of these trapeze schools offers classes for all ages from children to teens to adults, so don’t be afraid to jump right in there and learn alongside your family. 

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: London Fiver, Travel, Weird London

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • More than 200 looks to feature in V&A exhibition on Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel
  • Souls Grown Deep like the Rivers: Black Artists from the American South at The Royal Academy
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen with exhibition on pioneering color photographer
  • London Eye gets spring clean to mark start of the season
  • Natural History Museum named most visited indoor UK attraction again
  • The Ugly Duchess: Beauty and Satire in the Renaissance at the National Gallery
  • Gatwick returns to profit as air travel bounces back
  • Sir Mark Rylance brings role as Dr Semmelweis to West End
  • Shire horses prepare Tower of London moat for next wildflower display
  • In Video: Watch pianist Lang Lang perform at St Pancras station

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

10 Interesting Facts about the Hammersmith and City Line

Nearly half of Londoners have used Elizabeth line so far – survey

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in