Leisure
Five sports centres offer indoor provision for a variety of activities. There are also seven swimming pools across the Borough, while the five long established private golf courses all welcome non-members (subject to club rules). Professional sport is dominated locally by Oldham Athletic Football Club (the Latics) and Oldham Rugby League Club (the Roughyeds).
Walkers and climbers are also well catered for, especially in the more rural areas of the Borough, some of which are ideally placed for the Peak District National Park with its 540 square miles of natural beauty.
Oldham is justifiably famous for its brass band contests, which attract national and international interest. The Coliseum Theatre is nationally recognised for its highly ambitious productions, while a new focal point for activity is the Gallery Oldham. With the Oldham and Saddleworth Museums, this provides excellent facilities for exhibitions and displays.
The area is ideally situated for visiting the English and Welsh countryside, major towns and cities and leisure destinations. The Lake District, South Pennine's, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and North Yorkshire Moors are all within easy reach. The ancient city of Chester, the North West coast and the resorts of Blackpool, Morecambe and Southport are equally accessible as are the theatres, arts venues and shopping centres of Manchester, Leeds & Liverpool.
