Lunch at The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester

Guess who had lunch* out yesterday?

Marvellous steak and eggs at The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester

It was delicious.

* technically I should call it 'dinner' since I now live in the North West!

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Finding 100% gluten free food.

As someone with Coeliac Disease the challenge to find food that is not only safe, but healthy and tasty when out of the house is massive.

The Remedy Kitchen in Manchester city centre is superb as it's one of the very few 100% gluten free places that are safe for people with Coeliac Disease in the whole of the UK.

I highly recommend a visit.

Check out The Remedy Kitchen website for more information.

The Remedy Kitchen was previously called 3 Squared Cafe and rebranded last year. The name is different, but the approach to serving high quality food is the same.

We first heard about the restaurant last September.

The menu is 100% gluten and wheat free, as well as being diary free and refined sugar free.

Roxy Ball Room at Manchester's Arndale centre

A new Roxy Ball Room is opening in Manchester city centre.

There will soon be two Roxy Ball Room indoor minigolf courses in Manchester city centre

Roxy Ball Room will be opening a new venue in Manchester in April.

The new Withy Grove location will be home to a minigolf course among other games including tenpin bowling, beer pong, shuffleboard and pool.

Check out the Roxy Ball Room website for more information.

We've played minigolf at Roxy Ball Room in Leeds and the Manchester Deansgate location. We're yet to get over to the Liverpool course.

We played at Roxy Ball Room on New Year's Even 2018

We're looking forward to visiting the new Roxy Ball Room on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Related blogs:
- Crazy Golf at Roxy Ball Room in Manchester
- Mini Golf at Roxy Ball Room in Leeds

Trafford Pétanque in Manchester

A visit to the Trafford Pétanque Boulodrome in Victoria Park, Manchester.

We took a different route home on our way back from the Trafford Centre on Sunday and found we were next to Victoria Park in Stretford.

We enjoy visiting different parks and playing petanque and as we knew Victoria Park is home to the Trafford Pétanque Club we parked up and had a look for the Boulodrome.

It's a nice looking piste.

Victoria Park was a nice spot for a wander. Hopefully we'll return for a game with the Trafford Pétanque Club in the future.

Check out the Trafford Pétanque Club website for more information on the club, events and details of training sessions.

Aces at Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester

A look at some holes-in-one at Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester in the Trafford Centre.

About to ace hole 2 of the Tiki Hut Trail

We returned to Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester for the third time this year and hit some more holes-in-one on the Tiki Hut Trail and Temple Ruins Adventure courses.

We've now made 22 minigolf course visits and revisits in the first 22 days of 2020.

Paradise Island Adventure Golf Manchester was the last minigolf venue we visited in 2019. We've been there three times this year already.

Last year we visited a total of 82 miniature golf courses and revisited and replayed a lot of layouts.

We've now been to 945 courses since September 2006.

Visit the Paradise Island Adventure Golf website for opening times and prices.

20 minigolf course visits in 20 days in 2020

A Crazy World of Minigolf Tour update.

We've made 20 minigolf course visits so far this year. A strong start to 2020.

At our 944th course visit - the Crazy Golf course at Hexthorpe Flatts Park in Hexthorpe, Doncaster

Our travels have taken us to miniature golf venues in Oxford, Birmingham, Manchester, Northwich, Doncaster and Castleford.

Emily playing the Crazy Golf course at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm in Hatfield, Doncaster

A number of those courses have been revisits, including two trips to our local Paradise Island Adventure Golf centre in the Trafford Centre.

Hole 5 of the Tiki Hut Trail course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre, Manchester

1. Putting course at Park Square in Cheadle Heath, Stockport
2, 3, 4. Junkyard Golf's three courses at the Westgate shopping centre in Oxford - Gary, Bozo and Pablo courses
5. That Funky Golf Place at Becketts Farm in Wythall, Birmingham
6, 7. Paradise Island Adventure Golf's two courses at the Trafford Centre in Manchester - Temple Ruins and Tiki Hut Trail
8, 9. The Putting course and Crazy Golf at Vickersway Park in Northwich
10, 11. Paradise Island Adventure Golf's two course at the Trafford Centre in Manchester - played both courses again
12. Crazy Golf at Elmfield Park in Bennetthorpe, Doncaster
13. Crazy Golf at Hexthorpe Flatts Park in Hexthorpe, Doncaster
14. Crazy Golf at Sunnybank Gardens & The Yorkshire Ice Cream Farm in Hatfield, Doncaster
15. Search for Atlantis Cosmic Golf at Xplore in the Xscape Centre in Castleford
16. Curse of the Mummy in 4D Cosmic Golf at Xplore in the Xscape Centre in Castleford - originally the 200th course played on our tour in 2010 back when it was 3D Cosmic Golf
17, 18. The two Volcano Falls Adventure Golf courses at the Xscape Centre in Castleford - T Rex Trail and Volcano Valley
19, 20. The two Mr Mulligans Pirate Golf courses at Junction 32 Outlet Village in Castleford - Skull Cove and Smugglers Bay

Castleford is a minigolf hotbed, with six minigolf courses across three sites and a total of 87-holes!

As of yesterday, Sunday 19th January, we've visited a total of 945 courses since September 2006.

Curse of the Mummy 4D Cosmic Golf in Castleford

Our first games at Paradise Island Adventure Golf for 2020

Playing at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

A view of the Tiki Hut Trail course

Last night we called into Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester for a couple of games on the two 18-hole courses.

In our round on the Temple Ruins Adventure we both scored 36.

About to ace the 5th hole on the Tiki Hut Trail

In our round on the Tiki Hut Trail I shot a 34 and Emily scored 40.

Posing with the shark on the 6th

Last year Emily broke the course records on both of the layouts at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

Emily playing hole 1 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

In July Emily scored a record on the Temple Ruins course to win the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship with a round of 30, including seven aces.

Emily holing out on hole 2 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course

In August she shot a 33 on the Tiki Hut Trail course to beat the previous record by one-shot.

So far this year we've visited seven courses and played at three of them.

We've been to 942 courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since September 2006.

Holes-in-one at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

A look at some aces on holes 4 and 18 of the Temple Ruins Adventure course at Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester on Boxing Day 2019.





PIAG Manchester was the last minigolf course we visited in 2019.

Last year we visited 82 miniature golf layouts and revisited and replayed a lot of courses.

Putting Green at the Park Square offices in Cheadle Heath

The first unplayable course visit of the year.

On New Year's Day we walked past the Miniature Golf course at the Park Square offices in Cheadle Heath, Stockport.

It's our nearest course. We've never been allowed to play it as it's for tenants of the offices only.

Playing at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester

Our last game at Paradise Island Adventure Golf for 2019.

The last minigolf course we visited this year was Paradise Island Adventure Golf at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

Emily about to ace hole 1

We swung by for a game on Boxing Day!

We were still in the Christmas spirit

In our round on the Temple Ruins Adventure course Emily scored a brilliant win with a score of 31 to my 34. Emily's round included seven holes-in-one.

This year Emily has broken the course records on both of the 18-hole courses at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in Manchester.

In July Emily scored a course record on the Temple Ruins layout to win the Paradise Island Adventure Golf Open Championship with a round of 30, including seven aces.

In August she shot a 33 on the Tiki Hut Trail course to beat the previous record by one-shot.

We're looking forward to returning for more games at Paradise Island Adventure Golf in 2020.

The PIAG Manchester courses were the 85th and 85th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in April 2009!

This year we visited 82 miniature golf layouts and revisited and replayed a lot of courses too.

• In 2018 we visited 64 courses.
• In 2017 we went to 74 courses.
• In 2016 we visited 47 courses.
• In 2015 we went to 84 courses.

We've now been to 941 courses since September 2006.

Dino Falls Adventure Golf Volcano course

Playing the new Dino Falls Adventure Golf Volcano course at the Trafford Golf Centre.

Last night we played the brand new Dino Falls Adventure Golf Volcano course at the Trafford Golf Centre.

Emily playing hole 13

On a very cold but dry night we played a round on the new 18-hole adventure golf course that has been built around the existing and very popular Dino Falls Adventure Golf course at the golf centre in Manchester's Trafford City area.

The original layout has now been named the Rapids course.

Playing hole 16

In our round I managed to grab the win with a score of 43 while Emily hit a 46. We both hit a hole-in-one during our game. The best score of the day and course record was a 42.

Emily on hole 14

Check out the Dino Falls Adventure Golf website for more information, opening times and prices.

The safest place to stand is under an erupting volcano right?

We've been playing minigolf at the Trafford Golf Centre since 2009. Back then we used to travel up to the venue for tournaments I won on the old 9-hole Championship Miniature Golf course. Last year I won the Dino Falls Masters competition on the Rapids course.

Inside the volcano

The new Dino Falls Adventure Golf Volcano course at the Trafford Golf Centre was the 901st course we've been to in the British Isles and the 940th we've visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour since 2006.

Playing hole 3

Short Game Area at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester

A look at the Putting Green in the Short Game Area at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester.

The Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester has a nice looking Putting area.

It's next to the two 18-hole Adventure Golf courses.

Seeing in 2020...

What do you do to see in the New Year?

Do you stay in on New Year's Eve or do you see it as a great excuse to get out for the night?

Last New Year's we took advantage of the superb all-in deal at Roxy Ball Room in Manchester and saw in the New Year playing Crazy Golf and American Pool.

Emily taking one of her last putts of 2018 at Roxy Ball Room in Manchester

The best deal I've seen so far for this year is at Caddies Crazy Golf in Southend-on-Sea. Check out the Caddies website for more info on the unlimited crazy golf party deal.

We haven't made it to Caddies yet. The venue opened up just after our last visit to the seaside town. My cousin's who live in Southend have played there and really enjoyed it

If I lived in Southend I'd be having a Putt there to see in 2020.

Chrizy Golf

A look back at the Chrizy Golf Masters in Manchester.

Seven years ago this evening I won the first and to-date only Chrizy Golf Masters crazy golf tournament.

The Chrizy Golf Master

The event took place on the pop-up Chrizy Golf course set up at Piccadilly Place in Manchester on Friday 30th November 2012.

The 9-hole indoor minigolf course was open for six weeks in the run-up to Christmas 2012.

The Chrizy Golf course was the 313th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Do you know of any Christmas-themed Crazy Golf courses popping-up this festive season?

Volcano Adventure Golf at the Trafford Golf Centre

The new Volcano Adventure Golf course at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester opens next month.

Work is almost complete on the new 18-hole Adventure Golf course at the Trafford Golf Centre in Manchester.

The Volcano Adventure Golf layout opens on Tuesday 17th December and joins the Dino Falls Adventure Golf course at the centre.

We're looking forward to checking out the new Volcano Adventure Golf course when it opens in December.

Visit the Dino Falls Adventure Golf website for more information.

The existing 18-hole dinosaur-themed course opened at the Trafford Golf Centre in November 2017 and has proved to be incredibly popular.

It was the 476th course played and 792nd visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Last April 2018 I won the first-ever Dino Falls Masters Adventure Golf competition at the Trafford Golf Centre.

A dull evening in Manchester

We had an enjoyable evening of mild excitement at the Dull Men's Club Anorak of the Year Award event in Manchester yesterday evening.

It was good to catch-up with our fellow dullsters and see presentations on topics including roundabouts, boredom and drains.

The evening was topped off with the presentation of the 2019 Anorak of the Year Award which this year went to Archie Workman for his outstanding work in celebrating the ordinary in his passionate pursuit of drainspotting.

Archie was presented with his certificate and a hi-vis waistcoat, rather than an actual anorak, by Leland Carlson Assistant Vice President of the Dull Men's Club and Kevin Beresford of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society who was also the outgoing Anorak of the Year from last year.

I was delighted to be able to give a presentation to the group about the crazy world of minigolf, the history of the game, the sporting side and tournaments, equipment used and the wide-range of ephemera and collectibles related to miniature golf.

Dr Boredom with some of the delightfully dullest men in Britain at Anorak of the Year event in Manchester. The discussion of the merits of various mini golf balls was a real lowlight. @dullmensclub @RoundaboutKevin @TheLengthsman @putting_gott pic.twitter.com/gOQmymv1x2

— Sandi Mann (@SandiPsych) November 27, 2019

For more information visit the Dull Men's Club website.

Golf Pong at Project B in Manchester

What rainy Saturdays in Manchester are all about.

Last Saturday afternoon we headed over to Manchester as Emily had seen there was Golf Pong at a brand new bar in a railway viaduct arch that used to be a car dealership.

It was the first time we'd played this variation of golf

As well as the bar, golf pong and beer pong Project B has a number of street food vendors and hosts live music. We enjoyed listening to Mike Dignam while we were there.

Check out Project B on Facebook for more info.

Putting Green at The Range in Manchester

Last year we attended the The Range's first birthday party in Spinningfields, Manchester.

What a chandelier!

Time certainly flies!

Sadly we couldn't play the indoor Putting Green at the event.

The SEGA Bus

Hopping aboard the SEGA Mega Drive Mini Bus in Manchester.

Last week I heard that the SEGA Bus was hitting the road again!

The SEGA Game Bus on Market Street in Manchester

My brothers and I went on one (a lot) when it stopped off at Barry Island Holiday Camp in the early 90s.

It was such a fun thing to do and I remember we played challenge games of Sonic the Hedgehog for prizes as well as receiving goody bags for visiting. Once we left the bus we immediately joined the queue to get on board for another game of Sonic on the Mega Drive.

The 2019 SEGA Game Bus

The version of the double decker bus that called in to Manchester on it's week-long tour housed a number of the new SEGA Mega Drive Mini consoles and allowed players to have a go on the system's 42 games. I played Road Rash II, Darius and Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition.

Playing Darius on the SEGA Mega Drive Mini

I hope it isn't another 28 years before I go on another SEGA Bus. The year 2047 is AGES away.