There are so many options in Lancashire to enjoy quality sport – that could be watching or joining in! But this date doesn’t have to be the usual football, cricket or rugby match, think outside the box… We’ve come up with a few options, with Lucy’s help of course…
Lucy loves…
“The Flower Bowl is my favourite, there is nowhere like it! Imagine curling, ten-pin bowling, crazy golf, crazy pool, golf simulators and shuffleboard, all in one venue near Barton, Preston”
From a Lancashire Lass tips: Lucy Baxter is the host of the From a Lancashire Lass podcast that shares stories from Lancashire businesses and inspirational people. The aim of the podcast is to support businesses, whilst supporting Lancashire and celebrating the county’s heritage. Lucy is also a broadcast journalist who works on a range of national and international TV and radio programmes.
Curling
What: Try an Olympic sport on real ice – teams slide stones and sweep them towards a target.
Where: The Flower Bowl Entertainment Centre near Barton, just north of Preston, has the North of England’s only dedicated curling hall, with an Olympic-sized rink and coached “new to curling” sessions.
Why not: Book a beginner curling session and see which of you is the natural skip.
Dry-slope skiing, snowboarding & tubing
What: Skiing or snowboarding on an outdoor artificial slope, or jumping into a rubber ring and flying down the hill.
Where:The Hill – Ski Rossendale offers year-round skiing, snowboarding and fun tubes on dry slopes in the Rossendale valley.
Why not: Have a go at skiing, snowboarding or snow-tubing together on a Lancashire dry ski slope.
Disc golf
What: Golf with flying discs – you throw a disc into metal baskets instead of hitting a ball into a hole. Fun, low-pressure and very date-friendly.
Where: There’s a disc golf course at Myerscough College near Preston, with a 9-hole permanent layout and additional baskets.
Why not: Find a disc golf course or park layout and play a round – lowest throws wins.
Indoor climbing & bouldering
What: Short climbing routes over mats (bouldering) or roped walls; great for trust, encouragement and a bit of problem-solving.
Where:
Boulder UK, a dedicated bouldering centre in the Walton Summit area of Preston.
Onyx Climbing Wall in Blackburn, an indoor bouldering facility with an inclusive, “feel good climbing” focus.
Why not: Pick an indoor climbing wall or bouldering centre and see who can get the furthest up the wall.
Paddleboarding, kayaking & canoeing
What: Stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking or canoeing on a lake or reservoir – very on-trend and feels like a mini adventure.
Where: The Anderton Centre at Lower Rivington Reservoir (near Chorley) offers paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing and sailing, with Rivington Paddlesport Club based there too.
Why not: Book a beginners’ paddleboarding or kayaking session on a Lancashire lake or reservoir.
Axe throwing & target sports
What: Competitive axe throwing at targets, often combined with archery or air rifles – very different from usual “gym date”.
Where:
Axes to Ashes in Colne offers axe and knife throwing experiences at its Axe Imperium venue.
Multi-activity centres in and around Lancashire (e.g. Tawd Vale / Anderton / Warrior Sports) frequently combine axe throwing with archery and other target sports.
Why not: Try an axe-throwing or target-sports session and see who hits the bullseye first.
Outdoor climbing towers
What: Purpose-built outdoor climbing towers for roped climbing and bouldering, usually in a park setting.
Where:George Bancroft Park in Blackpool has two distinctive 20-metre climbing towers and a bouldering wall as part of the park’s facilities.
Why not: Find a climbing wall or tower in a park and have a go at something a bit more vertical.
