Unusual Activities to Shake Up Your Dating
Sick of the same old date nights at the cinema or your local pub?
Roll the Dice
A board game café with more than 500 games on offer, a trip to Chance & Counters is a bit more thrilling than the usual coffee, cake and a chat. They serve a range of delicious beverages (coffee, tea and milkshakes by day, beer, cocktails and wines by night) and tasty comfort food including burgers and loaded fries. Their staff are on hand to help you find the perfect game to liven up date night, from traditional classics to creative new releases.
6–8 Merrion Street, Leeds LS1 6PQ
chanceandcounters.com
Target Practice
If you fancy channeling your inner Viking and (safely) wielding a weapon, axe throwing is the date for you. Learn from trained instructors as they show you how to score a bullseye over a 70-minute session – on Thursdays, they even have glow-in-the-dark sessions for further fun.
The Paint Factory, 163 Rutland Road, Sheffield S3 9PT
battleaxesheffield.co.uk
Hole in One
No ordinary mini golf, Junkyard Golf Club is ideal for when you fancy going to a bar, but also want an activity to keep you busy. With three themed courses (circus fear-ground, polluted paradise and ‘90s garage scrapyard) and a bar serving up the coolest cocktails alongside cinema-style snacks, it’s easy to have hours of fun here that’ll feel like a big night out.
The Light, The Headrow, Leeds
LS1 8TL
junkyardgolfclub.co.uk
Up and Away
Take to the skies in a hot air balloon for a special date. Taking off from York, the ride gives an unparalleled birds-eye views of the historic city and surrounding countryside. Choose to fly in the morning or evening, and the experience is always rounded off with Champagne for an added touch of romance.
12 Prices Lane, York YO23 1AL
01904 914376
yorkshireballoonflights.co.uk
New Heights
Climbing is not only great fun, it’s also an amazing workout and a fantastic date night activity for any active couple. With a variety of walls for every ability, Clip ’n Climb in Ilkley even have problem-solving challenge walls with all kinds of novelty themes and a ‘Face 2 Face’ wall, on which you can race your partner. What’s a relationship without some healthy competition after all?
17 Station Plaza, Ilkley LS29 8HF
01943 603829
clipnclimbilkley.co.uk
The Winer Things
Luckily, you don’t need to travel to France or California for vineyard tours. Enjoy one right here in God’s own country and spend an afternoon learning all about English-made wines and the grapes that thrive in Yorkshire before quenching your thirst by sampling a selection of vintages with an expert.
Holmfirth Vineyard, Woodhouse Lane, Holmfirth HD9 2QR
01484 691861
holmfirthvineyard.com
Get a Clue
Escape rooms have soared in popularity in recent years, so why not solve one on your next date night? The Great Escape Game have branches in Sheffield and Leeds, and a selection of rooms in varying difficulty levels and themes, from light-hearted magical and historic adventures to chilling tales of abduction and haunting. If nothing else, working together to solve the puzzles and escape the room is sure to improve your communication skills.
St James House, Vicar Lane, Sheffield S1 2EX
Atlas House, 31 King Street, Leeds LS1 2HL
0330 088 3032
thegreatescapegame.co.uk
Cook up a Storm
There’s nothing more romantic than cooking together, and if you’re a bit more wrecking ball than Ramsay in the kitchen, why not take a class and learn together? The Grand have a range of courses, from sushi to French brasserie classics, ranging from express length (lasting two hours) to half-day or full-day classes. Roll up your sleeves, get your aprons on and cook up a storm together.
Station Rise, York YO1 6GD
01904 380038
thegrandyork.co.uk
The Sky’s the Limit
You might be strapped to a total stranger rather than your partner, but skydiving makes a great date. Plunging through the air from 10,000 feet is an experience unlike any other, and who better to share the thrill with than your other half? With views of the Yorkshire countryside and coastline like never before, you can have the experience filmed to relive and share over and over again.
East Leys Farm, Grindale, Bridlington YO16 4YB
01262 228033
skydivegb.com
Pottering About
Pottery is a more chilled-out date and a good way to wind down together – plus, you get two souvenirs to take home to brighten up your kitchen. Make a mug, paint a pot or even start a full course together in clay throwing, hand sculpting or glazing to turn it into a new skill – whatever you do at Sunken Studio, everyone is welcome and creativity is encouraged.
Unit 3, Sovereign House, Butterley Street, Leeds LS10 1AW
sunkenstudio.co.uk
