If you’re anything like me you may feel anxious about the restrictions lifting in the UK. Cases are starting to rise and now that wearing a mask is no longer enforced, heading to a crowded place may not be the best place for a first (or 100th date).

Whether you’re going on a date with your partner of eight years or you’re trying your hand a little bit of local dating on a Gloucester dating site, it’s important you’re putting your mental health first and choosing dates that you’re comfortable with. Your partner should be understanding and if they’re not, that’s a HUGE red flag.

So, with that in mind, here are five date ideas for those feeling a little anxious about restrictions lifting:

Go For A Walk (Or Hike If You’re Up To It)

One of the best things you can do if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed is to spend time outdoors. It’s less crowded and much safer in terms of the spread of COVID-19, making walks and hikes a great date idea! Whether that means you plan a day-long hike or you walk around your local park, you can’t beat a little bit of vitamin D…

Take A Romantic Picnic To The Park

Keeping with the outdoors theme, picnics are incredibly romantic and super fun. Me and my partner love to make all of our own food, pack it up in a basket and then take it somewhere with an incredible view. With a cosy blanket and a couple of drinks in tow, it’s the perfect way to pass a couple of hours in the sunshine. Of course, that does make this date weather permitting.

If you’re using a Gloucester dating site, there are LOTS of incredible farm shops where you can find some amazing picnic ingredients.

Book A Restaurant With Outdoor Seating

Sitting indoors now that there are now rules may seem a little scary so if you’re looking to eat out, heading to a restaurant with outdoor seating might be the best option. If you are doing this, make sure you specify that you want to sit outside as if it’s sunny and they don’t know you want to dine al fresco, they may automatically allocate your seat to someone else.

Catch A Movie At The Cinema

Although they can be busy at peak times, cinemas are still reasonably quiet in comparison to other places that have recently opened. By booking in advance you can easily choose where you want to sit, picking seats at the end of a row so you don’t have to sit by any strangers. They’re still sanitising between showings, so in terms of safety, you can feel reassured they’re doing all that they can.

Create An At-Home Date

If you’re still unsure about heading out, there’s nothing stopping you from having a ‘date night’ at home. If lockdown has taught us anything, it’s that we can do practically anything from the comfort of our own homes.

Of course, if you’re meeting for the first time, inviting someone to your home may not be the best option, so make sure you bear this in mind.

With restrictions lifting and things getting back to normal I promise it will get easier, but until then, it’s okay to go at your own pace.