Our Sporting Life

Hiking, Adventure and Sports Magazine

Proud Sponsors of the Saddleworth 3Ds U9 Whites

We’re over the moon to sponsor the kit for an under 9s football team this season. The Saddleworth 3Ds U9s Whites are playing their football in the East Manchester Junior Football League!

Good luck, 3Ds!

u9 whites

Our Hiking Life – Hiking Blog

Hiking. From gentle flat trails to mountain ridges, getting out on foot can be the most relaxing or the most exhilarating way to experience the scenery around you. We love a good hike. And in our hiking blog, we share trails, reviews, hints and tips on all things hiking.

 Read them all. 

portable power banks for charging while hiking
Hiking Blog
Stacey MacNaught

Best Portable Charging Banks for Hiking in 2025

Traditionalists may not like it! But personally, I don’t like to risk being stuck on a hill or mountain with a dead phone or head torch battery. So I like to carry a portable charging device (or 2, or 3) with me. Here are the best portable charging banks for hiking that I’ve used. (And I’ve used a lot, by the way).

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Hiking Blog
Stacey MacNaught

Alternatives to Ben Nevis (With Fewer Crowds)

Ben Nevis always feels like something of a “must bag” for hill baggers (being the highest and all). And that makes it pretty busy. So if you’re less bothered about elevation and more bothered about a peaceful mountain hike, you might want to check out some super alternatives to Ben Nevis where you’re far less likely to encounter a crowd. Let’s check them out!

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Hiking Blog
Stacey MacNaught

Meall Nan Tarmachan – A Summer Hike

I set out for a straightforward summer hike up the Munro of Meall Nan Tarmachan. Here’s the route taken, a few photos and how the day went on this beautiful, straightforward and scenic walk.

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hiking statistics 2024
Hiking Blog
staffwriter

Hiking 101: What First Timers Need to Know

Hiking is a fun pastime that combines nature, the outdoors and exercise – making a superb hobby for both mental and physical health. And if you’re new to it and you’re just thinking about getting involved, here are of the very basic tips to know!

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The Latest
Sports

From the Pitch to the Dentist’s Chair: What to Do If You Lose a Tooth Playing Sports

Dental injuries are more common than you might expect in sport. And while losing a tooth to a fast moving cricket ball, a rogue elbow or a fall might sound like the stuff of Sunday League horror, there are things you can do to reduce the risk. In this article, we’re looking at reducing the risk of dental injuries in sport and also what to do in the event you find yourself losing a tooth mid game.

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Football

So Much More Than Exercise: Why Team Sports are So Good for Women

Having not played any team sports in well over a decade, the last year has seen me take up football again and, more recently rugby. The benefits for me personally have been incredible. But it’s not just anecdotal. Science too backs up the benefits of team sports in particular and they stretch way further than just the exercise.

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Our Writers and Editors

It’s really important to us that our content is created by people who know and love their topics. So we source contributions from external experts as well as having our own in house writers who cover their own areas of expertise. If ever we’re offering up health or fitness advice, we want to know it’s coming from someone qualified to give it. So we work with doctors and personal trainers as well. Some of our writers and listed below.

Stacey MacNaught

Stacey MacNaught

Hiker & football lover

Stacey is a keen hiker and mountain ridge walker. She runs a women’s over 30s football team and recently took up rugby (with a questionable degree of skill).

Christopher Czermak

Tennis player & coach

Christopher is an enthusiastic tennis player and qualified coach. He’s been playing since the age of 6 and now shares his love of the sport with other aspiring players. 

Dr Andres Maldonado

Dr Andres Maldonado

Doctor

Andres Maldonado is a a doctor currently located in Venezuela and working at the country’s International Unit of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery. He writes for us on anything health related.

Melanie Gilder

personal trainer

Melanie Gilder is a qualified personal trainer and dance teacher who specialises in female fitness. She works with clients to achieve improved fitness as well as weight loss. She writes for us on fitness tips and advice

Our Footballing Life

Football. From 6 year olds running around on a Sunday morning to the mighty England women’s team selling out stadiums, football has a special place in our hearts. Here’s where we share articles, features and news on football.

Read them all. 

Research

Our Statistics and Research

golf statistics 2024

Golf Statistics: How Popular Is Golf In The UK In 2024?

How popular is golf in the UK in 2024? To find out, we polled 2,000 adults in the UK about their sporting preferences. We’ve crunched the numbers and here’s everything you need to know about how many people are playing and who are the most likely to engage in golf.

womens football statistics illustration

Women’s and Girl’s Football Statistics UK

The momentum behind women’s football is phenomenal. But how many women play football? How many played as children? And what are the audience sizes like? We take a look in our 2024 round up of women’s and girl’s football statistics.

6 nations 2024 statistics and facts

21 Mind Blowing Stats and Facts About the Six Nations Rugby

It’s upon us again – the Six Nations Championship is one of the highlights of the rugby union calendar. England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy will battle it out in 2024. And to get set for the competition, here are 21 mind blowing statistics and facts about the 6 Nations.

Everything You Need to Know About Under 10s Football in England

There are specific rules, set out by the Football Association, that must be followed when playing football at under 10s level. “Mini Soccer” is played by all children up to the age of 10. All you need to know about the sport for children at this age is set out below – from how many players on a team to the size of the pitch, goals and even the size of the ball that is used.

2 Children playing under 9s football

Everything You Need to Know About Under 9s Football in England

Football at under 9s in England follows the laws of Mini Soccer. These laws entail the maximum playing time for children, how many players can play in a match and even the size of the ball that should be used. If you want to get your child involved in Football and they are in this age group, here is all you need to know.

under 8s football goalkeeper

Everything You Need to Know About Under 8s Football in England

Under 8s football adheres to the FA laws of “Mini Soccer,” which determine the age of players, time limits on games and other things too. Got a child going into under 8s football or considering it? Here’s everything you need to know about football at this level in England.