
Your Guide To A Healthy 2025
Because healthy doesn’t mean boring.
From the coolest gyms and places to eat, through to the best smoothies and walks, this is our guide to a healthy Blackburn in 2025.
New Year, New You
One of the most popular New Year Resolutions is to get fit, which for many means joining a gym. That’s not a problem for the people of Blackburn, as we have such a wide selection to choose from, that you are bound to find one that fits your needs.
Firstly, we have to point you in the direction of the town’s excellent leisure centre. BwD Leisure Blackburn is a lovely space that gives you access to a well appointed gym, as well as over 50 classes per week if that’s more your style. There is also a swimming pool, spin studio and even some steam rooms. They have a selection of different membership options to fit any budget.
PureGym is ideally located in The Mall, with free parking to members and access to the gym 24/7. The memberships are contract free, so you can join and leave as you like. The Mall makes it the perfect place to grab a healthy snack on your way home too!
It’s opening 24/7. You’ll never struggle to find a free spot with over 100 work stations, whilst the army of experienced staff are always on hand to help you with whatever your needs are. They also offer a no contract, no ties policy, so it’s a risk free choice.
Opening on 1st Feb 2025, Body Tech Fitness is the latest gym to join Blackburn and prides itself on providing a community and experience like no other, they call themselves the People’s Gym for a reason!
It’s opening 24/7. You’ll never struggle to find a spot free, with over 100 work stations, whilst the army of experienced staff are always on hand to help you with whatever your needs are. They also offer a no contract, no ties policy, so it’s a risk free choice.

Healthy AND Tasty Lunch Options
Being healthy doesn’t mean boring food. Blackburn is stacked with venues that offer fantastic healthy food that you’ll love. We haven’t just picked the obvious below, we’ve tried to go for a broad selection of different foods to cater for everyone – healthy doesn’t always mean small or boring, particularly if you’ve just been to the gym.
Logic states we start with a Mad Hatters Tea Party right? Ok, that doesn’t sound super healthy, but the Jacket Potato with side salad that you can find at the Mad Hatter’s Cupcake & Tearoom is a great option for those looking for comfort food that fits the healthy quota as well. If that’s not your cup of tea, then they have a fine soup of the day or an excellent selection of salads.
If you are looking for something to grab for work or to have in the fridge at home, then the M&S Café has a particularly fine falafel salad bowl that we highly recommend, it’s full of flavour.
Blackburn market is a perfect venue for healthy food that you’ll enjoy. With all the fresh produce they have, you can always make your own healthy meals a home, but if you are looking to buy some lunch to eat whilst you are out, then we have to point you towards the Chicken Broth. Packed with flavour, warming and filling, the ideal healthy meal during the colder months.
Lastly but definitely not least, one of our personal favourites at Discover Blackburn, the Ramen Bowl at Shinsen, which is also to be found in the market. It’s has so many different elements to it, but they all some together for a taste sensation and it really is a very healthy alternative to the boring lunchtime sandwich.

Smoothie anyone!
If you are looking for a healthy boost as you kick start the exercise regime, then a refreshing smoothie, packed with flavour and nutrients is exactly what you need. Fortunately for you, we’ve been around town and picked out some special options for you, from the classic berry blend to a green powerhouse, these venues have got you covered.
Checks & Greys is the awesome café that’s part of the Cathedral and aside from lovely lunches and fine tea, they do a wonderful Strawberry Split Smoothie.
Next on our tour of the best smoothies in Blackburn, we head to Rhode Island Coffee, where we find their calming mix fruit smoothie. It’s a vibrant green colour, so you know it’s healthy!
Now for something very indulgent over at Caffee Impresso, as we are proposing you try the Banana Split Smoothie! That’s right, we said it, a smoothie based on one of our favourite puddings.
For the classics, we head to the M&S Café and the ever popular Super Berry Smoothie. It’s a classic for a reason and it never fails to impress.
Finally, we head into Blackburn Market and Wellbread Sandwich for a modern twist on the fruit smoothie, a Passionfruit Smoothie. Packed with flavours, this one really is a taste sensation!

Time to go for a ramble…
We are blessed with some lovely parks, canals and other open spaces that are ideal if you are looking for go for a healthy stroll. Walking is one of the best possible forms of exercise and completely free. We have pages dedicated to all the options we have around Blackburn, but here is just a flavour of the options we’d love you to consider.
Let’s start with a family friendly walk based around Witton Park, the Riverside Saunter. It’s a relaxing 2 mile flat walk along the nature filled riverbanks and along the 2 mile route, you’ll find a couple of kissing gates for everyone to navigate. Fun, easy and full of nature, perfect.
For those looking for a more challenging walk that’s still achievable for most, how about The Beamers Trail. It’s 6 miles across both hill and valley, so plenty of chances to work up a thirst. Make sure you take a nice picnic with you to keep the energy going as the start is the steepest part and we want to ensure you make it all the way round, we promise it’s worth it.
Our final walk takes us back Witton Park and another family focused walk but a little longer than our Riverside Saunter. Wainwright’s Ramble is an institution for us ay Discover Blackburn, we love the hills involved and then the ability to climb some steps that lead to a wonderful view at the Wainwright Memorial on the beautiful Yellow Hills.
If you want to learn more about the best walks, then please check out our Walking guide.

Get on yer bike
The joy of cycling is the combination of healthy exercise and fun. Getting out to some of the beautiful spots surrounding the centre of Blackburn and jumping on your bike can be great for both the body and mind. Fresh air and exercise are two ingredients in a healthy life, so lets point you in the direction of several routes and centres that you might consider.
Witton Park Cycle Centre has to be our starting point on this journey. It’s a great place for people new to cycling or returning after being away for some time – new year, new you! You can learn or build confidence in a space environment and get yourself ready for the rest of Blackburn.
Weavers Wheel is a strategic cycle network for Blackburn with Darwen, part of the wider East Lancashire Strategic Cycle network and is a 26km route encircling Blackburn Town Centre. The trails form a figure of eight loop within the woods and are designed to offer cyclists a challenging and technical cycling experience catering for experienced and also budding mountain bike riders. For those looking for a challenge, the two trails ‘Tricky sixty’ and ‘Trail of two trees’ are both approximately 600m in length and when completed as a circuit offer cyclists roughly 2 miles of mountain biking pleasure.
The final route we’d like to suggest is a Circuit of Darwen. A ride of changes and contrasts, encompassing bleak and rugged moors and the verges of industry in a circular sweep around and across the Darwen valley. The obvious necessity for climbing is more than matched with some thrilling descents. An equal mix of road and off-road riding.
If you want to learn more about the best places to cycle, then please check out our cycling guide.

Blackburn is full of amazing places to indulge yourself when you need to, but that doesn’t hide the fact that it is a great place to kick start that health drive or maintain a good work-life balance with the right foods and enjoyable exercise.
If you follow us on social media and you have any suggestions that we should add to our list, send us a message.