Happy July

Have you turned over your Dull Men's Club 2017 Calendar to July yet?

Emily and I are proud to be the 'pin-ups' for the month of July in the Dull Men's Club Calendar. We're featured for our travels to more than 700 miniature golf courses on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The Dull Men's Club Calendar for 2017

Having a nice sit down on a bench at Canoe Lake in Southsea

People from around the UK feature in the 2017 calendar

The cast of characters in the Dull Men's Club Calendar

Related blog posts:
- Dull Men's Club
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Dull Men's Club

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Happy National Hot Dog Month

The month of July is National Hot Dog Month!

Happy National Hot Dog Month.

One of the many Hot Dog Mascots we've spotted on our travels

You can find out more about National Hot Dog Month (and National Hot Dog Day on the 19th July) on the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council website.

Related blog posts:
- National Hot Dog Month
- Hot Dogs

Links:
- National Hot Dog and Sausage Council website
- #NationalHotDogMonth

Well, that was June

The month has flown by.

So, we're almost in July - an exciting month for us as we're the July 'pin-ups' in the Dull Men's Club 2017 Calendar. I'd like to use an exclamation mark with that sentence but that's against Dull Men's Club rules.

Have you got your copy of the Dull Men's Club 2017 Calendar yet? If not, why not?

The month of June saw Stuart and Dawn Searle feature on the calendar for their collection of railway memorabilia and the life-size railway station they've built in their back garden.

Two of the other characters in the calendar

It's been a busy month on the blogging and travelling front too. We've now reached 743 course visits on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, with further miniature golf courses visited in Warrington, Valencia, Lytham Saint Annes and Glossop.

We've also found out about even more new minigolf courses planned to open in the coming months, including layouts in Oxford, Leeds, Warrington and Leicester.

Don't forget that July is also National Hot Dog Month.

A pleasant scene on Southend seafront last June

A visit to the Crazy Golf course in Glossop's Manor Park

A look at the Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop.

On Wednesday 28th June I was in Glossop, Derbyshire and made a visit to the Crazy Golf course in Manor Park.

A view of the Crazy Golf course in Manor Park

The Crazy Golf course in Glossop became the 743rd visited overall on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour and the 715th in the UK.

Hole 3 forming a bridge over hole 6

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3 (red) and the 'green' of hole 6 (blue)

The other side of hole 3

Another angle of hole 3

The 'green' on hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6's 'green'

Another view of hole 6's 'green'

Hole 7 - the snail

Hole 8

Hole 9

Hole 9's 'green'

Unfortunately the council website says that there is nowhere to hire clubs and balls from to actually play the Crazy Golf course, which is strange considering how well maintained the area looks. I suppose if you're heading to the park or live nearby you can take your own equipment, but it's not really the same as hiring the kit and getting a scorecard and pencil too. Since first publishing this blog post I've heard from a contact in the town that clubs and balls can be hired from the nearby cafe in the park when it is open.

As a fan of both mini golf and miniature railways it was marvellous to see Manor Park has both - and they are side-by-side!

The Miniature Golf course and Miniature Railway at Manor Park

The track running next to the Crazy Golf course

Even though it was raining I had a nice wander round the town and park. Manor Park is a short walk from the excellent town centre and both are well worth a visit.

Another minigolf course ticked off the list

I'm looking forward to a return visit to Glossop with Emily one day soon. Hopefully the miniature railway will be running then too.

Links:
- Manor Park, Glossop
- Friends of Manor Park

Videos:
- Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop
- A walk round the Crazy Golf course at Manor Park in Glossop
- Crazy Golf course and Miniature Railway at Manor Park in Glossop 1 of 2
- Crazy Golf course and Miniature Railway at Manor Park in Glossop 2 of 2

Related blog posts:
- Playing Crazy Golf at Manor Park in Glossop
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Miniature Railways
- Crazy Golf

Give the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour a Like on Facebook, watch our YouTube channel and follow us on Twitter @putting_gott and @Ems_Lems. Please do sign-up to receive our miniature golf newsletter too.

Crazy Golf on Saint Annes Pier

Finding a Crazy Golf course at the end of Saint Annes Pier.

The course at the end of Saint Annes Pier

Ahead of my visit to Lytham Saint Annes I knew there were four miniature golf courses on two sites on the seafront. What I wasn't expecting to find was a Crazy Golf course on the pier too!

What a sign! It's got a back to front 'z' and everything!

The Crazy Golf course is a unique 8-hole layout with a local seaside theme. Clubs and balls can be hired from The Deck House Cafe on the pier.

The Crazy Golf course at the end of the pier

The prices

A view of the course

And another angle  

And another

There were some interesting looking holes on the course

And some quite tricky obstacles too 

Quite a distance to cover from tee to cup

The centrepiece of the course

Always nice to see a windmill on a Crazy Golf course

The largest obstacle on the course

Directions

And another sign

The course had some of the smallest cups to putt into I've ever seen

The Crazy Golf course on the pier in St Annes on the Sea became the 741st visited and 435th played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. It was the sixth course we've found on a pier, with others found at Clacton-on-Sea, Southsea, Brighton, Sandown and Southend-on-Sea.

Playing hole 1 of the 435th course played on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - I scored a 24 and a 23 on my rounds

Related blog posts:
- Minigolfing in Lytham Saint Annes
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
- Lytham Saint Annes
- Pier

Link:
- The Deck House on Facebook

50 years ago today Reg Varney used the world's first ATM

It was in Enfield.

Enfield’s branch of Barclay’s bank was the location of the world’s very first cash machine – opened and used by Reg Varney on this day in 1967!

There's a blue plaque at the site of the world's first ATM

As a big fan of On the Buses I had a chance to see the Reg Varney Star Plaque on the Elstree & Borehamwood Walk of Fame by the train station during the On The Buses Fan Club 40th Anniversary event in 2011 and it was great to follow this up with the chance to have a photo at ‘Stan Butler’s’ cashpoint!

Two more great meals at The Oxford Place in Leeds

Dining 100% gluten free at The Oxford Place in Leeds.

We recently dined at The Oxford Place in Leeds for the first time since the restaurant changed hands. I'm very pleased to report that it is still offering excellent and 100% gluten free food.

I had the Ham Hock Terrine starter

We first dined there when it was called 2 Oxford Place in February last year and have tried to visit the restaurant and Leeds as often as possible since then. It really is that good.

The meal was preceded by an appetiser / amuse-bouche of Gazpacho soup

Once again we had two superb meals. After having starters and mains on Friday were were unable to fit in a dessert. But we did leave room for pudding on the Saturday.

Not the most summery of desserts - but the Sticky Toffee Pudding was absolutely delicious. It was a giant portion too

It was brilliant to feast, safe in the knowledge that the meals were 100% gluten free.

Look at the size of the crackling that came with my Pork Belly main course

Some fresh Oysters to start my second meal at 2 Oxford Place

The best burger I've had in years

There are very few places which offer 100% gluten free options and so it's brilliant to find a restaurant able to cater for people with Coeliac Disease.

Little things like NOT having to explain to the waiting staff that I have a medical condition before ordering, or asking to see a 'special' menu, makes a BIG difference. And eating with the knowledge that there is no risk of cross contamination with any gluten containing ingredients is a relief.

Long may The Oxford Place continue offering diners - Coeliac and otherwise - superb food and service. I really hope some other restaurants take a leaf out of The Oxford Place's book and make the switch to 100% gluten free.

Visit The Oxford Place website for more information, opening times and menus.

We are really looking forward to our next meal there later this summer.