Essex Sport

Outdoor pitches

Grass pitches Essex Sport

Set within 40 acres of university grounds which are dedicated to outdoor sports activities, we've got heaps of space for professional matches and a friendly kick about.

The area includes an 18-hole disc golf course, two rugby pitches, 5 football pitches, a cricket pitch and batting nets, and an artificial turf pitch for hockey and small-sided football.

Contact Essex Sport to make a booking: Email sport@essex.ac.uk or call 01206 873250

Essex Sport on social media:

Overview

Approximately 40 acres of our grounds are dedicated to outdoor sporting pursuits. These include:

  • Two rugby pitches, one of which is also marked out for American Football
  • Five, full-sized 11-a-side football pitches, junior football pitches, and a lacrosse pitch
  • Cricket pitch and batting nets
  • A sand-based artificial pitch (next to the Sports Centre) which is used for hockey and football and can be split into quarters for small-sided football or for training
  • Three jogging routes ranging from 1.2 miles to 3.2 miles long. They run through the undulating parkland around the Colchester Campus, avoiding roads
Tennis on the Essex Sport courts
Become a member

With bronze, silver or gold memberships for students, staff and members of the public, we've got something for everyone. Each offering unique benefits, you can choose which membership package best suits your needs.

Join today

Outdoor pitches

Disc golf

Disc golf is similar to traditional golf, but instead of a ball and clubs, players use a flying disc or Frisbee to complete each hole in the fewest throws. A golf disc is thrown from a tee to a Pole Hole, an elevated metal basket. The player makes consecutive throws as he or she progresses down the fairway. Trees, shrubs and terrain provide challenging obstacles for the disc golfer.

Our 18-hole course is the oldest 18 double-chained basket course in England. It is spread throughout the Colchester Campus, where the mature parkland offers lots of challenges including the infamous lake hole! The parkland is undulating with plenty of small woods, which have been well utilised for the course. There is also a nine-hole course for beginners and children or for a quick practice round. We are a regular host of the British Open Disc Golf Championship. 

For more information visit Essex Disc Golf and the British Disc Golf Association.

You can obtain course maps and buy discs from Reception in the Sports Centre.

 

Cricket

Cricket may be considered quintessentially English, but is now one of the world’s most popular sports. Playing can improve endurance, stamina, physical fitness, hand/eye co-ordination, and improve your cardiovascular health. Cricket is a great team sport and very sociable.

We have a cricket pitch with a wicket maintained to a level suitable for very high-level matches. There are also two outdoor nets available. To maintain practice and fitness during winter, we offer two indoor cricket nets and a bowling machine, which are available to hire in the Sports Centre.

Essex Sport App Download Now!
Get our app

Tap into Sport at any time. Make bookings on the go, check schedules, get news and push notifications, get all the latest offers and more... For Apple and Android, free download.

Download now