Showing posts with label Wales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wales. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2024

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze

Playing The Crystal Maze game at CC2000, near Narbeth, Wales.


The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Challenge TV are showing repeats of The Crystal Maze every weekday evening at 6pm and I'm addicted to watching it. It was a staple of my childhood and teenage years, and it would've been brilliant to go on the show. Perhaps I should apply if and when a new series is made.

Rewatching the show has reminded me of our holiday around the Welsh coast in 2009 when we took a break from playing Crazy Golf to visit the Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre - where we entered The Crystal Maze!

At that time it was the last remaining Cyberdrome Crystal Maze game in the UK. Sadly it closed for good in June 2010. It would've been brilliant to return for a few more games there.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was absolutely awesome to play. More of them should have been built back in the day. There were a total of eight built - five in the UK, two in Japan, and one in Dubai.

Just like the TV show, games were played in four themed zones - Aztec, Futuristic Medieval, and Ocean. But unlike the TV, show players were guided around the maze by Merlin - a computerised Maze Master.

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Being set a task by Merlin

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Aztec Zone

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Futuristic Zone

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Medieval Zone

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Ocean Zone

We managed to win six of the nine games we played, and in the Crystal Dome itself we collected 103 Gold and 28 Silver 'tokens' for a grand total of 75. So we didn't win the the "super-duper" prize, but we were first on the leaderboard for the day and got 1st of 1 on our souvenir certificate!

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
Inside the Crystal Dome

At that time the Cyberdrome Crystal Maze was the closest you could get to playing the real Crystal Maze. Now you can play The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience in London and Manchester. We Manchester venue is so close, we really ought to get a team together for a game there.

Photos of The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in Tenby


The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze at Oakwood Indoor Family Entertainment Centre in Narbeth, Tenby, Wales. 17th August 2009
The Cyberdrome Crystal Maze in 2009

Saturday, March 09, 2024

Golf Môn Mini-Golf on Anglesey

A new Adventure Mini Golf course is being built on Anglesey, Wales.


A new Adventure Mini Golf course is being built on Anglesey, Wales

The 18-hole outdoor Adventure Mini Golf course will open at the Mon Golf Complex in Llangefni.

Visit the Golf Môn website for more information.


It'll be another new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Friday, March 08, 2024

New crazy golf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.


Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK

For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour


Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Visiting the Crazy Golf course at the end of the Pier in Southend-on-Sea
Visiting the Crazy Golf course at the end of the Pier in Southend-on-Sea

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,090 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Adventure Golf at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Towyn

A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Towyn.


A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Towyn

The new safari adventure golf course is planned to open in time for Easter this year.

Check out the Lyons Holiday Parks website for more information.

We've played the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Camp in Rhyl. It was one of the best courses I've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Tuesday, January 02, 2024

New minigolf courses in the UK

Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK.


Information about new adventure golf, crazy golf and miniature golf courses in the UK

There are lots of new minigolf courses being built, in development or planned to open in the UK.

Minigolf is an incredibly popular activity for all ages and there are new courses opening up all the time in a wide-range of outdoor and indoor locations.

Whereas the game has traditionally been a seaside pastime, it has grown to be a game enjoyed by people in more and more towns and cities - with many catering to a late night audience.

Our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour


Up to Saturday 30th December 2023 we had visited a total of 1,044 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. 997 of these have been in the British Isles.

Moby Golf in Romford, Essex
Moby Golf in Romford, Essex

Our minigolfing adventures began on the 30th September 2006 and in that time we've been able to play a total of 573 courses. Many locations have been found to be abandoned, closed, out-of-season or derelict on our initial visit. Luckily some courses that were closed on our original visit have since been played. And there are some course we've revisited and replayed many many times!

When we originally set off to visit as many courses as possible the target list was 600 in the British Isles. We've still got around 50 of those original courses to visit.

Only two of those original courses were indoor venues. Now the indoor game is booming and you can find minigolf courses indoors at shopping centres, retail parks, and in town and city centres around the country.

Together with my brother Christopher - a charter member of the tour - and his family, we've visited a total of 1,089 courses.

Our travels have been recognised by the Guinness World Records, and I'm a record holder for "Most miniature golf courses visited" (902 at the time of going to press). Check out the Guinness World Records 2024 book to see a lot more minigolf records too!

Check out the full list of courses we've visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

New minigolf courses


For information about new minigolf, crazy golf, and adventure golf courses opening in the UK take a look at the posts with the New course tag here on the Ham & Egger Files minigolf blog.

Friday, December 08, 2023

Adventure Golf at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Abergele

A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park in Abergele.


A new Safari Adventure Golf course is opening at Lyons Winkups Holiday Park

Check out the Lyons Holiday Parks website for more information.

We've played the Pirate Island Adventure Golf course at Lyons Robin Hood Holiday Camp in Rhyl. It was one of the best courses I've played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Saturday, August 05, 2023

Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf in Barry Island, Wales

A look at the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course in Barry Island, Wales.


Thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Jam Trubridge for sending us these photos of the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course in Barry Island, Wales earlier this year.

Barry Island Adventure Golf. Photo by James Trubridge, April 2023
Barry Island Adventure Golf

Barry Island Adventure Golf. Photo by James Trubridge, April 2023
Barry Island Adventure Golf

We played the Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in August 2009. 

New Crazy Golf course in Towyn

A new Crazy Golf course is opening in Towyn, North Wales.


A new Crazy Golf course is opening in Towyn

The 12-hole Crazy Golf course is located at the Old School House on Towyn Road.

The outdoor Crazy Golf course will have a castle-theme to it.

Visit the Crazy Golf Towyn Facebook Page for more information.


It'll be nice to swing by Towyn again on our next visit to the North Wales coast.

Sunday, June 18, 2023

Tredegar Park Mini Golf is reopening

The Tredegar Park Mini Golf course in Newport, Wales is reopening on Saturday 24th June.


Tredegar Park Mini Golf is reopening


The Tredegar Park Mini Golf course was the 192nd played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in August 2010. It was one of the courses played as part of the 2010 Cystadleuaeth Minigolff Cymraeg (Welsh Minigolf Tournament).

Tredegar Park Mini Golf in 2010
Hole 9 on the course was an absolute round killer! I wonder what it's like now...?

It'll be interesting to see how the course plays all these years later. From the photos on the course's Facebook Page it looks in nice condition.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

Video Express in Swansea

Emily spotted the old Video Express video shop in Swansea on her recent trip to the city.


Video Express in Swansea

What a blockbuster find!

Video Express in Swansea

It's always interesting finding lost video shops and old retail signs on our travels.

Video Express in Swansea

There are still traces of other former video shops to be found on the streets of the UK. Most of those are old Blockbuster Video stores. But there are remnants of independent video shops to be seen if you're lucky.


Blockbuster Video stores we've visited to date:

Sunday, November 20, 2022

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales

A revisit to the Drift Park Crazy Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.


Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales

We took a look at the Crazy Golf course at Drift Park in Rhyl yesterday.

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales

Drift Park Crazy Golf in Rhyl, Wales


Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl, Wales

A revisit to the Palace Fun Centre Mini Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.


Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl, Wales

We swung by the indoor Mini Golf course at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl on our day trip to the seaside resort yesterday.

Mini Golf at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl, Wales


Thursday, November 10, 2022

Golf Fang crazy golf opening in Cardiff

A new Golf Fang indoor crazy golf venue is opening in Cardiff, Wales in 2023.


A new Golf Fang indoor crazy golf venue is opening in Cardiff, Wales in 2023

Visit the Golf Fang website for more information.

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Minigolf at Riverside Park in Llangollen, Wales

A revisit to the Minigolf course at Riverside Park in Llangollen, Wales on Saturday 15th October 2022.


Minigolf at Riverside Park in Llangollen, Wales
Minigolf at Riverside Park in Llangollen

We played the course on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour on the 21st August 2009.

Monday, October 17, 2022

A Dull Men's Club Event

A report from the COVID-delayed party for Anorak of the Year 2021.


The Sun Trevor pub in Llangollen
The Sun Trevor pub in Llangollen

We attended the first Dull Men's Club in-person event since before the coronavirus pandemic at the COVID-delayed party for the Anorak of the Year Award 2021 at The Sun Trevor pub in Llangollen, Wales on Saturday afternoon.

The Dull Men's Club Calendar for 2022
The Dull Men's Club Calendar for 2022

It was marvellous to meet up with fellow dullsters, including old friends as well as meeting some new characters.

Leland Carlson (Assistant Vice President) and Freddie (Apprentice Dullster) present at the Anorak of the Year awards
Leland Carlson (Assistant Vice President) and Freddie (Apprentice Dullster) present at the Anorak of the Year awards

In recent years the Dull Men's Club has presented an 'Anorak of the Year' award. For 2018 it was presented to Kevin Beresford from Redditch, founder of the Roundabout Appreciation Society. For 2019 to Archie Workman, a drainspotter in Cumbria.

Because of the pandemic no award was given for 2020, instead we won The Dull Men's Club Self-Isolators of the Year Award.

The latest recipient of the Anorak of the Year Award was Rachel Williamson from Rhyl who is a Yarnbomber.

It's always a pleasure getting together at a Dull Men's Club event and the gatherings are anything but boring. Hearing updates from people on their pursuits, interests, hobbies and collections is fun and interesting, and the events always spark conversation and areas of mutual interest - Miniature Golf Day and Telegraph Pole Appreciation Day are both on the 21st September each year for example.

Milk Bottle collector Steve Wheeler has 27,000 milk bottles. Here he holds two new additions to his collection and museum after they were donated by a local farmer
Milk Bottle collector Steve Wheeler has 27,000 milk bottles. Here he holds two new additions to his collection and museum after they were donated by a local farmer

There were a wide-range of dullsters at the event, including milk bottle collectors, park bench appreciators, hill measurers, yarnbombers, roundabout spotters, car park photographers, telegraph pole appreciators, brick collectors, paint inspectors and more.

The Dull Men's Club isn't all about watching paint dry
The Dull Men's Club isn't all about watching paint dry

Find out more on the Dull Men's Club website.

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Porthmadog Crazy Golf

A look at the Porthmadog Crazy Golf course.


Many thanks to our friend and minigolf rival Jam Trubridge for sending over this snap of the Crazy Golf courses in Porthmadog in Wales. What a sad sight.

Porthmadog Crazy Golf. Photo by James Trubridge, May 2022

We visited the courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009. At that time there was this Swedish Felt course, the fibreglass course in the background and a grass Putting course to the right.

Thursday, April 07, 2022

Adventure Golf at Zip World Llechwedd

A new underground Adventure Golf course is being created at the slate caverns at Zip World Llechwedd in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales.


A new underground Adventure Golf course is being created at the slate caverns at Zip World Llechwedd in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales

It'll certainly be an interesting place to have a game of minigolf.

Visit the Zip World Llechwedd website for more information.


We look forward to playing the new Adventure Golf course at Zip World Llechwedd on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Saturday, February 05, 2022

Par 59 mini golf opening in Cardiff

The new Par 59 minigolf venue in Cardiff, Wales is opening on Friday 18th March.


The new Par 59 mini golf venue in Cardiff, Wales is opening on Friday 18th March 2022

Par 59 will feature two 9-hole indoor mini golf courses along with a bar and restaurant.

The Par 59 brand is backed by footballer Gareth Bale.

Visit the Par 59 website for more information.


It'll be a new course for us to visit on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour next time we're in the city.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Revisiting the Crazy Golf course in Prestatyn, North Wales.


Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

We revisited the North Wales coast on Saturday afternoon and swung by one of our favourite courses - the Arnold Palmer Putting Course on Bastion Road in Prestatyn.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

The course was the 147th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

As one of our local seaside towns we normally head to Prestatyn a few times a year. But the last visit either of us made was in June 2019!

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Our revisit at the weekend looked like it could've been in the summer with how clear the sky was.

Crazy Golf in Prestatyn
Crazy Golf in Prestatyn

Monday, December 20, 2021

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Revisiting the Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf course in Rhyl, North Wales.


Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl
Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

We took a look at the Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf course in Rhyl on Saturday afternoon.

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl
Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl
Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl
Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl
Welsh Dragon Adventure Golf in Rhyl

The course was the 146th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2009

The last time either of us were in Rhyl was when I had a day out there in September 2019! Crazy to think as it's one of our most local seaside resorts.

Related blog posts: