After Valentine's, Mother's Day and a run of Bank Holidays, it's now time for a Swindon Sunday dedicated to dad!
Yes, Father's Day is just around the corner, on Sunday 19 June. So, if you’re thinking about how to say thank you to that special big bloke in your life, we’re here to help.
Lots of Swindon’s restaurants and pubs are pulling out the stops for Father’s Day and there’s no better way than a slap-up meal to say we love you dad!
What better way to celebrate than an indulgent Sunday lunch at Harpers Steakhouse – their legendary Sunday roasts come with unlimited yorkies, potatoes, veg and gravy. There is also the regular steakhouse menu, including succulent steaks, baby back ribs and burgers all available until 8pm, plus a free pint for dad.
Harpers Steakhouse have also teamed up with their friends at Asahi to give away a crate of their beer to one lucky dad. To be in with a chance of winning Quote 'DAD' in the requests when booking. Good Luck!
Hall & Woodhouse in Wichelstowe is a lovely canal side location for a Father’s Day meal. When you bring the family round to this atmospheric pub this Father's Day, not only will you find unlimited Yorkshires and gravy with your Sunday roast, but there'll be a gift from Badger Beer waiting for Dad to take home too. Cheers to that!
The Strawberry Thief (above) is a brand-new, purpose-built pub in North Swindon’s Tadpole Garden Village. It’s got an amazing patio and terrace, ‘dining sheds’ are available and it’s Swindon’s Arkell’s Brewery’s biggest ever project in its 177-year history. The pub is looking fantastic and all of Arkell’s locally brewed draught beer will be available on the bar with the new pizza oven up and running as well as BBQ food on offer.
If dad likes his meat then there is no better place in Swindon to treat him than Rios Brazil in Bridge Street in the town centre. Rios Brazil Churrascaria is an authentic Brazilian steakhouse, where they follow the famous Rodízio (rotation) style service for savouring meat at its best.
This concept allows you to enjoy a variety of cuts of meat, including beef, lamb, chicken and pork, which are all served at your table, directly from the skewer, unlimited, for a fixed price. They also do mouth-watering cocktails!
Does your dad love the great outdoors? Need to walk of all that meat? Then why not take him for a Father’s Day walk in one of Swindon’s larger green spaces like Lydiard Park, Coate Water or Stanton Park.
Lydiard Park is a beautiful historic estate on the western edge of Swindon. A Palladian house, church and walled garden are set in 260 acres of parkland which surrounds a wonderful lake.
Coate Water Country Park is a nature reserve and a site of Specific Scientific Interest which means that the park is bursting with interesting bird and wildlife species and offers both fishing and birdwatching. Dad can also catch-up on ongoing renovations to the iconic art deco swimming platform.
Stanton Country Park is a hidden gem and holder of a Green Flag award. It has 36 hectares of parkland that includes the lake, woodland and grassland. Home to an exceptionally wide range of habitats, such as hedgerows, wildflower meadows, wetlands, and over 900 species of fungi, the park also hosts a large variety of life including birds of prey, wildfowl, amphibians, invertebrates and even bats.
The National Trust’s HQ is in Swindon next to the Designer Outlet (a great place to buy Father’s Day presents) and there are plenty of National Trust attractions located in Swindon’s lovely hinterland.
The Coombes at Hinton Parva is a steep-sided dry valley formed from ocean chalk. Over 30 million years ago, continental movements caused the flat landscape to fold forming rolling downland. Valued as flower-rich unimproved chalk grassland and traditional hay meadow. On entering the site visitors will glimpse a small spring fed stream bordered by hedgerow and old willow pollards. The stream separates the main valley from a colourful hay meadow.
You're spoilt for choice when it comes to finding a place to take a walk around the Trusts's Buscot and Coleshill Estates (above). Explore on foot the area around Buscot riverside along the Thames path and across fields and countryside. Enjoy a relaxing stroll on Coleshill's purple walk, a gentle trail through the traditionally farmed estate land at Coleshill. The splendid views of the White Horse Hill and Uffington Castle are a bonus.
The mixed woodlands of larch, beech, sycamore, oak, pine, cherry and silver birch at Badbury Hill offer a haven for a wide variety of wild plants and animals, and they conceal a number of interesting arcaheological and historical features dating from the Iron Age through to the Second World War.
Dad’s a movie buff? Why not take him to the movies on Father’s Day? Fancy himself as a speed freak? Top Gun Maverick is showing at all three of Swindon’s cinemas, Empire Greenbridge, Cineworld Shaw Ridge and Cineworld Regent Circus. Loves a classic blockbuster, then Jurassic World: Dominion should fit the bill and is extra scary at Empire’s IMAX screen.
If dad prefers to get in on the action, bowling is a great way to get competitive! At Tenpin Swindon in Shaw Ridge Leisure Park there are a whopping 32 bowling lanes for you to enjoy. As well as plenty of fun-filled arcade games, an appetising restaurant and a fully licensed bar for your refreshments, alongside table tennis and pool tables. Treat him to a two-hour party package that includes tasty pizza served on the lanes.
Equally action-packed is the Boom Battle Bar (above) at Regent Circus. Are you ready to feel the boom? Get set for the time of dad's life, the Battleground has arrived! Battle it out with the adrenaline-fuelled selection of games including Axe Throwing, Crazier Golf, Electric Darts, Beer Pong, Shuffleboard and much more!
Is your dad one of those blokes who always insist he has everything he needs, making him a nightmare to buy presents for? If you would like to mark Father’s Day with something a little more permanent, you could plant a tree in celebration of your special dad. From just £5, it's a unique gift idea, and you'll help nature to thrive so future generations will be able to enjoy spending time in the shade of these beautiful giants (go to the National Trust website for more details).
Finally, never forget that the one thing guaranteed to make your dad happy on Father's Day is time spent with his kids, the most precious gift he's ever received.