The North Bay Crazy Golf course in Scarborough

A look at the North Bay Mini Golf course in Scarborough.

Last June we visited our 900th minigolf course when we played at the North Bay Crazy Golf in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The 12-hole course was the 861st course we'd been to in the British Isles and the 520th course played at that point.

It was a brilliant and fun layout and well worth playing when you next get the chance.

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Minigolf in the North Bay since 1925

Interestingly The Scarborough News has published a number of photos showing forgotten views of Scarborough. One of those (number 20) shows a miniature golf course at North Bay in 1925.

The course is in the exact same spot as the current Crazy Golf course.

While the buildings opposite the course have changed, the steps and pathway remain the same as in 1925

It's wonderful to think that minigolf has been played on the same location for almost 100 years.

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While we were in Scarborough I also played the Holbeck Putting Green. That course has also been open since 1925.

The two miniature golf putting courses were among the first to open in the UK. England's first artificial Crazy Golf course opened in Skegness, Lincolnshire in 1926.

Check out my blog post about the miniature golf courses in Scarborough. There are quite a few in the seaside town.

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in Bolton

A visit to The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in Bolton's Market Place shopping centre.

We swung by The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course at Amazonia in Bolton's Market Place shopping centre on Saturday afternoon.

I played the 18-hole indoor course back in December 2016. Time flies!

The course was built by the team at HM Adventure Golf.

It's a nice layout and I really liked the attention to detail with the themed pathway on the course.

Visit the Amazonia website for more information, opening times and prices.

Take a look at my blog posts about miniature golf courses in Greater Manchester and the growth of shopping centre minigolf.

Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes

A look at the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire.

The 18-hole Arnold Palmer Putting Course in Cleethorpes

I've played a lot of minigolf courses on my travels and my favourite type is the classic Arnold Palmer Putting Course.

There aren't too many examples left in the UK, but the majority of those still out there are in very playable condition. They are superb fun and a real test of putting skill.

I highly recommend giving them a play the next chance you get to have a game of miniature golf.

One of my all-time favourite courses is the Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf course in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. I played it a lot on our trip to the seaside resort in 2018.

Holes 1-9

Holes 10-18

You can read more about Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in my blog post about them at 'Arnold Palmer Putting Courses in the UK'.

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A Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford

Seeing a Back to the Future DeLorean in Salford.

Last summer I ticked 'See a real life DeLorean' off of my bucket list.

On Friday I managed to see another one at MediaCityUK in Salford and that one was a Back to the Future version!

I still need to drive one...

What time would you go to?

Check out the Back to the Future car's website for more information.

Fried Round Gluten - my kryptonite!

Spotting a new glutenous product to avoid.

As someone with the autoimmune condition Coeliac Disease I MUST avoid gluten at all costs.

While at Bolton Market on Saturday Emily spotted a bag of my kryptonite!

I wonder what Fried Round Gluten tastes like? I'll never know

I've also seen Fried Gluten in a can and Roasted Gluten before.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. For people with Coeliac Disease gluten is a very dangerous substance that causes all manner of health problems. Check out the Coeliac UK website for more information.

Playing Junkyard Golf in Manchester

A visit to Junkyard Golf at First Street in Manchester.

On Monday I revisited Junkyard Golf on First Street in Manchester city centre for a game with James and Mark from UrbanCrazy.

We played the 'Pablo' crazy golf course.

Hole 1

Hole 2

Hole 3

Hole 4

Hole 5

Hole 6

Hole 7

Hole 8

Hole 9

The other two 9-hole indoor minigolf courses are 'Gary' and 'Bozo'.

Visit the Junkyard Golf website for more information, opening times and prices.

As well as the Manchester site you can find Junkyard Golf courses in London, Leeds, Oxford and Liverpool. There is also a new course opening Newcastle upon Tyne later this year.

The three Junkyard Golf courses in Manchester were the 765th, 766th and 767th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back when the First Street venue opened in 2017.

We've now been to 948 courses since September 2006.

New Crazy Golf course in Dundee

A new Crazy Golf course is planned to open in Dundee.

A new indoor Crazy Golf course is hoped to open as part of a new adventure play centre. The venue will also have tenpin bowling lanes.

The site is a former Toys 'R' Us superstore on Kingsway West Retail Park in Dundee.

The family entertainment centre would be built by House of Play.

The proposal is another example of the popularity of using former retail spaces for retailtainment options giving a people to visit, revisit and stay in a shopping area.

It's also another example of a venue combining crazy golf and tenpin bowling in its offer.

Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness

Spotting an old Kwik Save shop in Barrow.

On our travels it's always interesting to spot ghost signs and dead brands. We've seen quite a few different remnants of retail from years gone by, including Tandy in Hitchen, RadioShack in Lytham Saint Annes, Woolworths in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent and Blockbuster Video in Manchester.

While on a trip to Barrow-in-Furness last year we saw the remains of the old Kwik Save there.

The former Kwik Save in Barrow-in-Furness

The company went into administration in 2007. The brand does live on, albeit in a much smaller form, and is now owned by Costcutter.

Definitely not 'Now Open'

The changing face of the high street and retail marketing has seen a number of former shop premises turned into family entertainment centres and competitive socialising venues including crazy golf, tenpin bowling, axe throwing, retro arcade gaming, darts, ping pong and more.

Adventure Golf at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk

A look at the Adventure Golf course at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Thetford, Norfolk.

My brother Christopher, a founder member of the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour, and his family were recently on holiday at Center Parcs Elveden Forest in Norfolk and sent over these photos of the Adventure Golf course there.

The approach to the course on Treasure Island looks really good.

More photos of the course below.

A pirate lavvy?

Visit the Center Parcs Elveden Forest website for more information.

The last minigolf course Christopher visited was also in Norfolk.

The very first course we visited on our travels was the Treasure Island Adventure Golf course in Southsea.

The combined total of Crazy World of Minigolf Tour course visits is now at 973.

Related blog posts:
- Center Parcs
- Norfolk

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.

Gutterball Alley now open in North Shields

Tenpin bowling, minigolf and more at Gutterball Alley in North Shields.

The team behind Lane7 have opened a new family friendly venue with Gutterball Alley.

The first Gutterball Alley family entertainment centre in North Shields is home to tenpin bowling, guttergolf minigolf, pool, arcades, ping pong and indoor baseball batting cages.

A look at the Lane7 indoor minigolf course

Visit the Gutterball Alley website for more information, opening times and prices.

We've played minigolf at the Lane7 location in Newcastle. It's a very good 9-hole course.

Playing the Lane7 Mini Golf course last August

New Crazy Golf course heading to Nottingham

A new Caddyshackers adults-only crazy golf course is planned to open in Nottingham.

Caddyshackers are planning to open a new adults-only crazy golf venue in Nottingham.

The city centre venue will be home to a 9-hole and an 18-hole crazy golf layout, with a bar and dartboards too.

There is an 18-hole Caddyshackers venue in Leicester. It was the 903rd course visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour when we played there last year.

One of the holes at Caddyshackers in Leicester

Playing the ablutions hole as my mate Brad looks on

Many thanks to my friend, minigolf rival and sometimes team-mate Jam Trubridge for letting me know about the course news.

Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf opening in Putney, London

A new Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf venue is opening in Putney, London this year.

London will be home to a new indoor Adventure Golf venue as Jungle Rumble sets up on Putney High Street.

My friend and fellow minigolf enthusiast Simon Dewhurst tipped me off about the course after he saw a banner advertising jobs at the course while down in London recently.

Visit the Jungle Rumble Adventure Golf website for more information about the Jungle Rumble courses in Bristol, Brighton and Glasgow.