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Go Karting
Venue: Drive -Tech
About: Drive-Tech offers crazy cool driving experiences at the amazing Castle Combe Circuit.
The Date: Find dating scary? Want an activity that will help break the ice? Want something fun and crazy? Then, Drive-Tech is perfect! Their crazy Go Karting is fantastic and is the perfect date idea! Helps provide some excellent fun on the date and shows both your wild sides, plus reveals who secretly competitive!
Address: Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 7BW
Telephone: 01249 783010
4X4 DRIVING
Venue: Drive -Tech
About: Drive-Tech offers crazy cool driving experiences at the amazing Castle Combe Circuit.
The Date: Experience their thrilling and adventurous off road 4x4 driving course together! Something a little different then the usual sit down dinner but may help break the ice and create excellent conversation!
Address: Castle Combe Circuit, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 7BW
Telephone: 01249 783010
Mini Golf
Venue: Jurassic Golf
Price: £4.50 +
About: Jurassic Golf is a thrilling 12 hole adventure golf course, complete with a giant Tyrannosaurus-Rex . During your date you'll encounter a string of fun putting challenges as well as cleverly timed encounters with pre-historic beasts.
The Date: If your date isn't a dab hand with a putter, helping them with their swing is a great opportunity to get up close and personal.
On the flip side, if your date's a little more at home on the green, it’s the perfect chance for some playful competition.
Address: The Oracle, Reading, RG1 2AG
Telephone: 0118 965 9000
Brunch Date
Venue: Alto Lounge
Price: £1.60 +
About: Why not suggest a casual brunch date instead of dinner? Reading boasts an array of great places where you can enjoy a stack of pancakes or a hearty plate of eggs.
The Date: A lazy weekend brunch at a quirky cafe is a fantastic alternative to a stuffy dinner.
After an easygoing bite to eat, you'll still have the whole day ahead of you if you're dates going well.
Address: 32 Church Street, Reading, RG4 8AU
Telephone: 0118 947 3522
Walking
Venue: Prospect Park
Price: Free
About: With a range of facilities, Preston Park is one of Berkshire's most popular days out.
The Date: Although it's not for everyone, getting some fresh air and exploring the great outdoors is a terrific first date idea. Not only is a walking date the perfect conversation opportunity but it costs nothing, avoiding any awkward bill-splitting debates.
Just remember to check the weather forecast first!
Address: Liebenrood Road, Reading, RG30 2ND
Telephone: 0118 937 3045
Grab A Drink
Venue: Revolution
Price: £7.00 +
About: A lively bar like Revolution is a great first date venue - the last thing you want is to choose a silent bar, where you're forced to fill every break in conversation yourself!
The Date: 'Grabbing a drink together' is one of the most simple yet effective date ideas around. And, for good reason. It’s low key, fun and the drinks help to calm everybody’s nerves.
Plus, if you don't think that you've found 'the one', it’s easy enough to call it a night.
Address: 12-16 Station Road, Reading, RG1 1JX
Telephone: 0118 958 7397
Afternoon Tea
Venue: The Forbury
About: Treat your date to a classic afternoon tea in the chic and stylish surroundings of the Brasserie, Library or Lounge at The Forbury.
The Date: For a quintessentially British date afternoon tea is a tea-rrific idea!
Each tea is served with a delightful assortment of finger sandwiches and home-made cakes, and scones served with jam and smooth clotted cream to finish.
Address: Abbey Church Yard, Bath, BA1 1LZ
Telephone: 01225 444477
Wine Pairings
Impress your date with these brilliant wine pairings
Choosing a good wine for your date can be a little daunting, so we've teamed up with the experts at Novel Wines to pick some crowd-pleasers that impress.
The safe bet for white wines is usually a Sauvignon Blanc and the Marlborough region in New Zealand offers consistently good quality. However, if you want to offer something a little more interesting, why not try the Casa Valduga Raizes Sauvignon from Brazil? It's fruitier and zippier than its New Zealand friends but still guaranteed to put a smile on a Sauvignon fan's face. If you want something a little more versatile than Sauvignon, for example if you don't know what's for dinner or what their tastes are, go eccentric with the Kayra Narince from Turkey. This juicy, floral white wine is a great food partner and good value too.
The red wines can also be challenging. Merlot can be hit and miss and a lot of supermarket Bordeaux is usually unimpressive. Spanish Rioja is usually an easy option, or you are generally safe going for the juicy Nero d'Avola reds from Sicily. In fact, this Colomba Bianca 'Vitese' Nero d'Avola is both organic and vegan friendly, as well as superb value. If you're going for pizza or pasta, try a medium bodied Uruguayan Tannat like the Bodega Stagnari Del Pedregal, full of plum and blackberry notes.
If you don't know whether to go with red or white and your date says "just bring the wine", then we've got you covered. Chateau Ksara Sunset Rose from Lebanon is spicy, fruity and creamy. It's bound to please!