So, you’ve found yourself a romantic interest. You’ve both swiped right, messages have been sent back and forth and there’s even been some innocent flirting. Now, you and your potential date are taking the vital next step: meeting up in person.

Usually, this might be a coffee, a casual drink at the pub or dinner at one of your favourite restaurants. But how about an afternoon bouldering? This might not be the proposal you expect to pop up in your messages, but it seems first dates are becoming ever more eccentric, unusual and, well, weird.

Search ‘first date ideas’ on TikTok or Instagram and you’ll find plenty of videos suggesting the that best way to bond with a stranger is by building Lego together or breaking the ice over a stargazing session. Others recommend taking things IRL with a novelty escape room or even getting to know each other better over a spot of axe throwing. The axe-throwing bar Whistle Punks even describes itself as an ‘ideal date night’ destination.

Data from Hinge backs up this trend. According to research carried out by the dating app last year, just over half (52%) of UK Hinge daters say going to get drinks is no longer their preferred first date activity.

Meanwhile, Tom Bourlet of Fizzbox, an online marketplace for experiences, says the website has seen a huge spike in bookings for unusual experiences for two. “In 2018 and 2019, the three most popular dating activities were bottomless brunch, afternoon tea and gin tasting,” he tells Stylist.

“During lockdown with venues being limited, we saw an explosion in outdoor dating activities. While we have seen a return to inside venues and food and drink-based options, the majority of bookings are still for outside activities for dates.” Bourlet says that, so far this year, the most popular date activities include treasure hunts, escape rooms, quad biking and immersive experiences.

“We met on the roof of the O2”: are unusual first dates the key to chemistry?