Crazy Golf in Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae

Visiting Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae and playing the island's Crazy Golf course.

The Isle of Cumbrae - home to one town and one Crazy Golf course

During our holiday in Scotland we took the ferry across the Firth of Clyde to visit the Isle of Cumbrae and the island's only town - Millport.

After a short ferry crossing from Largs and quick bus ride from the ferry terminal we arrived in Millport.

On the ferry from Largs to the Isle of Cumbrae

The town is home to a Crazy Golf course which we played almost straight away.

The Crazy Golf course in Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae

Emily lining up a shot on hole 2

One of the toughest holes on the course

Emily putting her way to a Crazy Golf win on the Isle of Cumbrae 

A view of the Millport Crazy Golf course

Millport's Crazy Golf course

An uphill shot - a potential nightmare of a hole

Emily on one of the many tricky holes on Millport's Crazy Golf course

Playing a shot on Millport's Crazy Golf course

A fun round (if a little frustrating) round of Crazy Golf, with some great views

In our match - the first round of play on our holiday - Emily won with a great score of 41 to my 43, hitting a brilliant shot on the last hole to take the win.

We really enjoyed our time on the island and would love to go back in the future. The weather on the day we visited the 'Costa Del Clyde' was magnificent and the views from the isle were wonderful.

One of the brilliant views from Millport

Millport Crazy Golf was the 339th course we've played and 564th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. The Isle of Cumbrae was also the 10th island we've visited on our travels around the UK since 2006.

The ferry arriving at the Isle of Cumbrae ready to take us back to Largs - where we would find some more Miniature Golf courses...

Links:
- Millport Crazy Golf on Facebook
- The official tourist information site for Millport and the Isle of Cumbrae

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Scotland
- Spotting an Abandoned Shoe in an odd spot in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae

Crazy Golf in Ardrossan, Scotland

Visiting Ardrossan and finding a Crazy Golf course on the seafront.

The view of the 18-hole Crazy Golf course on the seafront at Ardrossan

On our holiday to Scotland we booked our first night's stay in the seaside town of Ardrossan and what do you know but opposite the Lauriston Hotel was a Crazy Golf course!

Our BA flight was massively delayed arriving at Glasgow which meant we didn't get to check in until after midnight making the course visit in the early hours of the 25th July 2014 probably the latest we'd ever sniffed round a miniature golf course!

Unfortunately for us it was a derelict course, but during our time in Ardrossan we did see a few people playing the course with their own equipment.

You can find the Crazy Golf course on South Crescent Road in Ardrossan

The course was the 225th course we've found to be unplayable for one reason or another on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and the 563rd visited overall since September 2006.

 

When we looked around the 18-hole layout you could see the spot where a hut for the Minigolf course once stood.

We really enjoyed our short stay in Ardrossan and would definitely revisit the seaside town. It was a nice, relaxing spot, with good links to Largs, Ayr and Glasgow where we also travelled to on our holiday.

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - List and links for all Miniature Golf courses visited to date
- Scotland
- Ardrossan Swings

Spotting an Abandoned Shoe in an odd spot in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae

What an odd place to see an abandoned shoe!



The Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland is a brilliant place with wonderful views and a great seaside town of Millport.

The abandoned Scottish Saltire Flip-Flop bobbing about in the sea at Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland

The UK abandoned shoe count currently stands at 2678.

Links:
- Abandoned Shoe Spotter
- Abandoned Shoe related blog posts

Ardrossan swings

If playing on the swings was a Commonwealth Games sport I'd have a chance to win at least a Bronze medal I reckon.

Playing on the swings opposite our hotel in the very nice little seaside town of Ardrossan in North Ayrshire. The town was on the route for the Queen's Baton Relay, hence the Glasgow 2014 XX Commonwealth Games banner around the park

News Release - World Finger Jousting Championships at World Alternative Games 2014

Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, UK, 28 July 2014 - Competitors invited to take part in official World Finger Jousting Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells.

On Sunday, August 10th competitors will square-off to compete in the World Finger Jousting Federation’s international championship in Britain’s smallest town, Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales. The tournament will be hosted by the 2014 World Alternative Games.

Finger Jousting Competitors at the 2012 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales

Finger jousting is a sport where two consenting players square off in an attempt to prod their opponent with their lancing (right) index finger before the opposing player can. The competitors must keep their right hands locked in an arm wrestling fashion and not use their legs or latent (left) arm in an offensive manner. The competitors are known as jousters, and the act of touching the other person’s body with the index finger is known as lancing.

Entry to the World Finger Jousting Championships cost £4 per person and players can enter and pay on the day or secure a place by registering to compete in advance via the World Alternative Games website.

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells were created in 2012 as an alternative to the “other big event” taking place in the United Kingdom that year. In 2014 the World Alternative Games will hold their over 60 interesting sports, games, and events between Friday, August 8th and Monday, August 25th.

Read the full news release on the World Finger Jousting Federation website.

'Driving' a Train at Falkirk High Station

Emily and I have just returned from a great holiday in Scotland where we rode the rails along the coast from Ardrossan to Ayr and then inland to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and a few nights stay in Falkirk.

Falkirk High station was the scene of one of my favourite photos from the holiday!

'Driving' a miniature barrel train at Falkirk High station as the ScotRail train we arrived on prepares to depart 

Further blog posts with details of the Miniature Golf courses we visited and played in Ardrossan, Largs, Millport - on the Isle of Cumbrae, Troon, Prestwick, Ayr and Falkirk will follow in the coming weeks.

Mini Golf at Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham

Two new 18-hole Mini Golf courses now open at Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham.

The new Mini Golf centre at Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park opened this week and it looks great.

The new 36-hole Mini Golf course in Cannon Hill Park. Looking like some sort of driving game!? Photo by Paul Johnson

In brighter weather the course looks even better. Check out this post on the Golden Putter Mini Golf Facebook page for some more photos of the layout.

Photos of the course, before the downpour, by Paul Johnson are below.

Back in March our fellow Minigolf Explorers Paul 'Johnson Paul Johnson' Johnson, Owen Johnson, Steve Sturdy and Ruth Burke visited the site and got some snaps of the course being built. Check out the blog post about it at "New Mini Golf course opening soon in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham."

The mascot of the Golden Putter Minigolf Courses. 'Gordon Putter' as he's known doesn't always have a 'tache though!

Visit the Golden Putter Mini Golf website for details of the other Golden Putter Mini Golf courses at Warwick, Wroxham, Staines and Rotherham. As well as their portable course.

Emily and I have visited all of the Golden Putter courses so far, except Rotherham. We're looking forward to giving the two new ones in Birmingham a play.

Links:
- Golden Putter Mini Golf
- Greenspace Leisure Ltd

Related blog posts:
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- New Mini Golf course opening soon in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham

Cooking with Genius Gluten Free shortcrust and puff pastry

Some great gluten free cooking from Emily Gottfried.

As someone with Coeliac Disease I'm incredibly lucky to have a very understanding wife, who is also a very keen cook and baker!

One very happy Coeliac with a fresh from the oven Cheese Straw - my absolute favourite puff pastry treat

Check out the photos below for some of Emily's recent savoury and sweet baking.

A selection of Hors d'oeuvres (including a first attempt at Vol Au Vents) made using Genius Gluten Free Puff Pastry

Gluten Free Empanadas using the Genius Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry

Apricot Frangipan Tarts made using Genius Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry

A Pork & Mushroom Pie made with Genius Gluten Free Shortcrust Pastry. It was a little crumbly, but tasted great

Check out Emily's Twitter feed for more photos of her great gluten free cooking.

Visit the Genius Gluten Free website for more information on the Genius range of gluten free products.

Link:
- Genius Gluten Free website

Related blog posts:
- Gluten free
- Coeliac

Egg Throwing at the World Alternative Games

Egg Throwing competition to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Sunday 10th August.

The upcoming World Alternative Games will once again feature an Egg Throwing competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales during the morning session on Sunday 10th August the Egg Throwing tournament ('Taflu Wyau' in Welsh) is an Open event.

Players compete in pairs and the aim is to throw and catch a raw egg without breakage. After each round the teams must move further apart until there is just one team left standing with a whole unbroken egg.

Its a great, fun event and at the 2012 World Alternative Games me and my team-mate Jas Kukielka won the competition!

The 2012 World Alternative Games Egg Throwing Championships Gold Medal winning team and the Silver Medallists - from l-r Jas 'Jasain Bolt' Kukielka, Richard Gottfried (with Egg), Seve Kukielka

To register to take part in the Egg Throwing event, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

Throwing an egg to Jas Kukielka

Egg Throwing can be a messy sport!

In the morning session on the 15th August there will also be a Russian Egg Roulette competition ('Rwlet y Rwsiaid â Wyau')! Each player takes it in turn to crack an egg on their forehead until one unlucky competitor finds they have the one fresh egg in six smashed on them. The winner moves into the next round.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place in the afternoon session on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Becoming a World Champion in Egg Throwing!
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Conker Championships at the World Alternative Games

Conker Championships to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Friday 15th August.

The upcoming World Alternative Games will feature a Conkers competition!

Taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales in the AM session on Friday 15th August the Conker Championships ('Pencampwriaethau Concyrs' in Welsh) will see competitors split into three groups - men, women and children.

At the start of each game, the competitors will be given a new lace and conker and each player then takes three alternate strikes on the opponent’s conker. The game's outcome is decided when one of the conkers is smashed.

To register to take part in the Conker Championships, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

My friend Chris 'Stretch' Jones was the official World Conker Champion in 2006! At the 2007 Midlands Minigolf Open tournament in Warwick I got to see some world class conker action as the then World Conker Champion was challenged by preliminary competitor Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd!

Chris 'Stretch' Jones - 2006 World Conkers Champion - holding out his conker for enhancement talent Brad 'The Fist' Shepherd to take a shot

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games

Zombie Fun Run at the World Alternative Games!

Zombie Race to be held at the World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells on Monday 11th August.

A Zombie Fun Run will be taking place at the upcoming World Alternative Games!

The race (shouldn't it be a shamble?) will be held in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales during the PM session on Monday 11th August.

Anybody can enter the The Zombie Fun Run ('Râs Hwyl Sombi' in Welsh) and there will be many different categories. The main rule is that you MUST be dressed up as a zombie!!! Runners should start thinking about their costume and make-up now, as the 'best dressed' zombie will win.

The closest I've ever been to a Zombie Race was trying to evade the hordes at the Halloween Zombie Apocalypse in Hastings outdoor laser tag event in 2011!

A Zombie Apocalypse victim and a future victim in Hastings

Christopher Gottfried and two new friends at the Zombie Apocalypse in Hastings

To enter the Zombie Fun Run, and other contests, please visit the World Alternative Games website.

Llanwrtyd Wells is renowned for its quirky and odd sporting events. One of the most physically demanding contests is the annual Man vs Horse Marathon that began in 1980! For more information check out the Green Events website.

The World Alternative Games are taking place place between Friday 8th and Monday 25th of August 2014 with over 60 sport and recreation events held during the festival of fun and games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales.

The official WFJF Finger Jousting World Championships will also be taking place at the 2014 Games, with male and female competitions taking place on Sunday 10th August.

Check out the events listing and games brochure on the World Alternative Games website for more information.

Links:
- World Alternative Games website
- World Alternative Games on Twitter
- World Alternative Games on Facebook
- World Finger Jousting Federation website

Related blog posts:
- Update from the World Alternative Games 2014 in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
- World Alternative Games