Our top ten unusual Fathers’ day gift ideas
Father’s day is fast approaching – are you behind with getting a gift? Our top ten Chilterns gift ideas will come to your rescue.
If you’re last minute person, or you’re feeling uninspired by snap buying your dad yet another pack of socks or selection pack of beers, never fear, we have put together a top ten list of experience-based gifts for dads that he probably won’t ever have been given before! These gifts will give your dad a break from the daily grind, and provide inspiration, fun, and plenty of memories.
1. Beekeeper experience days with Chiltern Honey Bees
This is a fantastic chance to spend a whole, fun filled day beekeeping, along with a delicious lunch with prosecco. Your dad will start by learning the basic parts of a beehive, looking inside actual hives, then have a go at making bee products such as candles – and of course tasting the ultimate produce – the honey! Based at Bledlow Ridge near Stokenchurch.
Read more here: Chiltern Honey Bees Beekeeper Experience day.
2. Blacksmith experience days at Chiltern Open Air Museum
Does your dad like getting hands on? Buy him the chance to spend a day in the museum’s rebuilt Victorian forge, learning from experienced blacksmiths. He’ll learn the skills and basic techniques of the blacksmith and make his own simple hand forged object to take home, getting to use an anvil – a very physical experience. No previous experience necessary.
Read more: Blacksmith Experience Day At Chiltern Open Air Museum
3. Axe throwing and archery with Ridgeway Adventures or Backwoods Experiences
If the dad in your life likes games and a co-ordination challenge, Ridgeway Adventures offers axe and knife throwing, archery, archery tag, airsoft shooting and a laser maze. Alternatively you can try Axe Throwing with Backwoods adventures – you’ll be trained in how to throw the axes safely and a health and safety briefing will be given.
4. Wild adventures, outdoor cooking and bushcraft with Path Hill Adventures
Help your dad get away with it all and immerse himself in the great outdoors with outdoor cooking in the beautiful woodland at Path Hill Adventures. Their hammock and fire overnight experience involves learning how to ponass a salmon and cook it over a fire using hazel, and a chance to spend a night in a hammock. Alternatively there’s a charcoal kiln overnight experience where you’ll learn how to light the kiln and manage the burn and cook breakfast, lunch and dinner on an open fire, then spend the night in a hammock or a tent. Alternatively you can have a day-long introduction to bushcraft learning to build a natural shelter, light fires, and learn about the uses of different trees and plants.
5. Walks with farm shop stops
Take your dad for a walk near one of these fantastic purveyors of local produce and spend some quality time together. Then buy him a tasty treat on route! Orchard View Farm near Aylesbury offers locally sourced, homecooked food, sometimes even using the farm’s own produce. There’s lots of outdoor space and you can see the pigs happily foraging outdoors. Mead’s Farmhouse Kitchen at Wilstone offers breakfasts, lunches & afternoon teas and The Cheese Shed in Nettlebed is great for a cheese toastie treat.
Find a walk nearby on our Chilterns interactive map.
6. Brewery or vineyard tours and tastings
There are several tours and tastings available, all in fabulous Chilterns settings. Oakengrove vineyard’s Cheese and Wine evenings take place on the terrace. Daws Hill vineyard offers a tour and tasting experience that’ll help him know your Pinot noir from his Pinot meunier, and experience the traditional methods and processes used in the production of wines. Take a legendary brewery tour at Loddon Brewery led by the owner or Head Brewer, or if gin’s his thing, treat him to a tour of Henley Distillery to enjoy a tour and sample three different gins.
7. Introduction to Landscape Photography: a practical field tutorial
You’ve had your new phone for a while, delighted at the possibilities your multi-lens camera could bring. But, you’re not sure how to capture landscapes when you are out and about in the countryside? Things looks flat, small or smudged. Sound familiar?
Enjoy a NEW practical, but relaxed field tutorial with Mary Tebje, who will focus, not on the technical, but on thought process of creating (not just taking) photos. The workshop will focus on how to look: how to actually see what is all around you, to help you capture what resonates and what you would like to share with your friends and online community. This three-hour workshop takes place in a former chalk quarry in the Chiltern Hills, near Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
8. Steam train ride on the Chinnor & Princes Risborough railway, or book a Diesel driver experience!
Dads can benefit from a fare special on the Chinnor and Princes heritage steam railway for Father’s Day – and travel for £7. Alternatively you can purchase a gift certificate for a ride of their choice, or put him on the waiting list for the next diesel train driver experience.
Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
9. Amersham Tudor Walks
Is your Dad a history buff? Take a walk through life – and death – in 16th century Amersham, led by a guide in full tudor costume. You’ll learn about food and drink, clothing, health and the lollard martyrs. These walks start from the museum at 2.30pm on the last Saturday in each month.
Book here: Amersham History Walks
10. Cheesy gifts!
If your dad is a bit of a gourmand, you can order a gift cheese box from the Nettlebed Creamery and have it posted to your door. The perfect local produce gift for cheese lovers.
Find out more: Buy a Nettlebed Creamery Cheese box gift
More ideas:
See our Chilterns Experiences page for a host of other ideas of special things to do in the Chilterns, from gravel cycling to wood whittling!
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