Best Summer Sports Camps in Hexham

The Northumberland summer holidays run from mid-July until schools return on Tuesday 1 September 2026, and that is a long stretch to fill. A sports camp buys parents a full day of childcare while children burn off energy, try new activities, and make friends outside their usual school circle. With several weeks still ahead, here are the camps and holiday programmes running in and around Hexham this summer — all worth a look before the remaining weeks book up.

Full of Beans at Hexham Middle School

The most convenient town-centre option is Full of Beans North East, which runs multi-activity and gymnastics holiday camps in the sports hall shared by Hexham Middle School and Queen Elizabeth High School on Whetstone Bridge Road. The camps suit children aged roughly 5 to 11 and mix team games, gymnastics, and confidence-building activities across the day, so there is something for children who love competitive sport and something for those who would rather try a bit of everything.

Full of Beans is an established coaching franchise that also delivers curriculum PE and after-school clubs in Tynedale schools, so many local children will already know the coaches. Camps are booked through the company's online system, and if your child receives benefit-related free school meals, it is worth asking whether a funded lunch place is available. Book via the Full of Beans North East page or check the school's news page for the current dates.

Best for: Best for: town-centre convenience and a mix of gymnastics and multi-sports for primary-age children.

Holiday Activities at Wentworth Leisure Centre

Wentworth Leisure Centre on Wentworth Place is the hub of active family life in Hexham, and it runs a range of holiday activities alongside its everyday facilities. The centre has two pools with moveable floors, an eight-lane ten-pin bowling centre, and the three-storey Jungle Jacks soft play for children up to ten — plenty to build a day around even without a formal camp.

During the school holidays Wentworth offers intensive swimming courses that pack a term's worth of lessons into a single week, which is a genuinely useful way to get a nervous swimmer over the line. The Rise gymnastics programme also runs for children of all abilities. Sessions and the kids' timetable are best confirmed by calling the centre on 01670 620200 or booking through the Places Leisure website, as holiday timetables change week to week.

Best for: Best for: swimming crash-courses, gymnastics, and a flexible pick-and-mix of pool, bowling, and soft play.

Rugby at Tynedale RFC

If your child is rugby-mad, Tynedale RFC at Tynedale Park in Corbridge — a short hop east of Hexham — is one of the largest junior sections in the North East, with around 350 mini, junior, and youth players and roughly 50 RFU-qualified coaches. The club fields male and female age-group sides from age 6 to 18 and also runs mixed family touch-rugby sessions over the summer, which are a gentle, non-contact way to try the game.

New players are always welcome, so the summer is a good time to give it a go before the autumn season starts. Contact the club at mail@tynedalerfc.co.uk to check what holiday sessions and pre-season training are running. The 35-acre riverside site is one of the best sports settings in the valley.

Best for: Best for: rugby-keen children and families wanting a low-pressure introduction through touch rugby.

Golf Taster Sessions at Hexham Golf Club

For something a little different, Hexham Golf Club at Spital Park welcomes visitors and juniors to its picturesque parkland course just above the town. Junior coaching and taster sessions are a good way for older children to pick up a lifelong sport, and the club has a friendly clubhouse for the inevitable post-round chips. Ring 01434 603072 to ask about junior availability over the holidays, as coaching slots are limited and worth booking early.

Best for: Best for: older children keen to try a sport they can keep up into adulthood.

Free Places Through Northumberland's HAF Programme

Cost need not be a barrier. Northumberland County Council runs the government-funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme every summer, offering free activity places and a healthy meal to children from reception to Year 11 who receive benefit-related free school meals. Places are delivered by trusted local providers and often include multi-sports camps, swimming, and family days out.

Eligible families book through the county council's holiday activities platform. If your child qualifies, it is well worth signing up early, as popular sessions fill quickly. Details are on the Northumberland Holiday Provision page.

Travelling East: Next Generation NE Sport

Families willing to travel towards Newcastle have more options. Next Generation NE Sport runs six weeks of camps for children aged 5 to 13, from 8:45am to 3:30pm, with its nearest venue to Hexham at Ponteland Community Primary School (running in the second, fourth, and sixth weeks). It is a fair drive east, so it suits parents already commuting that way rather than those staying local — but it is a genuine alternative if the Hexham camps are full. Details are at nextgensportscamps.co.uk or on 07885 379410.

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Running a Hexham sports camp we have missed? Get in touch and we will add it.