Beer sampling, pampering and the hottest curry in town: great Father’s Day ideas, just a train journey away

This Father’s Day, don’t just opt for a humorous card, give your dad a treat that will blow his mind. Set aside time on 16 June, and make it extra special by taking him for a relaxing day trip by train with on-board food and at-seat power socket.

Father’s Day can be traced back to the Catholic celebration of St Joseph’s Day (19 March). It entered into popular culture sometime after the Second World War and it’s a great excuse to enjoy some bonding time with your dear papa.

Why not make a day of it with these fun ideas for spoiling your old man?

Brewery tour and beer sampling

St Austell
This independent, family-run Cornish brewery was founded in 1851. It’s the leading supplier in the region, producing some of the UK’s best-known ales, including their flagship tipple Tribute.

Discover the history and heritage of the brewery in an interactive tour, including how the institution and its staff played a part in the war effort. And of course, you get to sample the beers too, so make sure you travel by train and make the most of the opportunity.

Better still, two beer tokens are included in the price which can be exchanged for the beer sampling experience and a pint or a soft drink, a coffee or a bottle of beer to take away.

Tours run Mondays–Friday, 10:30am–3:30pm, and Saturday–Sunday, 11am–3pm.
staustellbreweryvisitorcentre.co.uk

Take a GWR train to St Austell station

Rooftop garden and summer pub games

Skylight, Wapping, London
Novelty beer garden Skylight has newly reopened for its summer season. The Wapping venue is not only a great place to enjoy a drink in the open air, it’s also a fun place to hang out and enjoy the summer-themed pub games on offer, including croquet, table tennis and pétanque.

There’s also screens, so you can enjoy the latest live sport, and street food for when you get peckish.
skylightlondon.com

Take a GWR train to London Paddington station

Best steaks in town

Hudson Steakhouse, Bath
Set in a converted Victorian pub, and with views overlooking Hedgemead Park, Hudson Steakhouse is the ideal place to enjoy some protein with your papa, specialising in prime, dry-aged steaks, all served with béarnaise sauce and red wine glaze. If you’re feeling up to it, add grilled garlic tiger prawns, making it surf and turf, for £5.
hudsonsteakhouse.co.uk

Take a GWR train to Bath Spa station

Hottest curry you can find

Oh! Calcutta, Bristol
Indian restaurant Oh! Calcutta! Serves top cuisine, including all the classics you’d expect from an established curry house, such as Balti, Rogan Josh and Madras.

If you’re looking for something hot (and I mean really hot), then scour the menu for the restaurant’s speciality Oh! Phall, which gets a whopping six-chilli heat rating – more or less a health warning for us mere mortals. But for dads, it’s a provocation. Get stuck in!
ohcalcutta.co.uk

Take a GWR train to Bristol Temple Meads station

Get pampered at a posh barber

Cutters Yard, Southwark, London
From the outside, Cutters Yard could pass as any old hipster coffee shop, selling flat whites to the London hordes, but look beyond the façade and you’ll see that inside lurks a secret, luxury barber shop.

Sure, you can get a shampoo and cut, but seeing as it’s a special occasion, you should go the whole hog and treat your dad to a facial. You can get a ‘quick, invigorating’ treatment from £15 – perfect for after your cut-throat shave.
cuttersyard.com

Take a GWR train to London Paddington Station