Saturday, May 23, 2020

Social Distancing Miniature Golf

Seeing social distancing miniature golf in Cheadle.


Seeing social distancing miniature golf at Bruntwood Park Pitch & Putt in Cheadle

We saw social distancing measures in place at a miniature golf course in person for the first time today.

Social distancing miniature golf at Bruntwood Park Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
The additional rules of Pitch & Putt during the current 'new normal'

It was at Bruntwood Pitch & Putt in Bruntwood Park, Cheadle, Stockport.

Seeing social distancing miniature golf at Bruntwood Park Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
Spacing lines for queuing at the course

We were out on a bike ride for our daily exercise and cycled through the park.

Bruntwood Pitch & Putt course in Cheadle

Hole 1 of the Bruntwood Pitch & Putt course in Cheadle
The green of hole 1

The lady at the course said they'd had a good morning with players enjoying a game on the 18-hole layout.

Bruntwood Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
A view of one of the holes at Bruntwood Park's Pitch & Putt course

We saw a couple of pairs out on the course just after a downpour.

Bruntwood Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
You can just make out two golfers playing the course in the distance

There was clear signage and spacing marked out for queuing to the kiosk. There were also spaces marked out on the approach to the first tee.

Seeing social distancing miniature golf at Bruntwood Park Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
Social distancing signage at the entrance

Seeing social distancing miniature golf at Bruntwood Park Pitch & Putt in Cheadle
Spacing marked out on the approach to the first tee


Playing at Bruntwood Pitch & Putt


Bruntwood Park's Pitch & Putt was the 695th course we visited and 414th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour. We played there on Miniature Golf Day 2016.

Playing hole 1 at Bruntwood Pitch & Putt in Cheadle in 2016
Playing hole 1

Visit the Bruntwood Pitch & Putt website for more information.

Bruntwood Pitch & Putt in Cheadle

Bruntwood Pitch & Putt scorecard
I always keep my minigolf scorecards, but someone had discarded theirs elsewhere in the park. Sad to see

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Our plans for 2020

Our plans for 2020

While our out-of-home putting has been paused by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown we've been putting at home.

Stay alert. Control the virus

I was alert on my government mandated outdoor exercise time today.

Boules at Bramhall Park in Stockport

Spotting a sign for Boulles (sic) in Stockport.


Boules at Bramhall Park in Stockport

We visited Bramhall Park for the first time yesterday. Crazy really as it's more or less on our doorstep!

We've been to so many other parts of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport and surrounding areas since moving here in 2016 but have never got round to go going.

While there we saw a sign for a 'Boulles Court'.

Boules at Bramhall Park in Stockport

It should be 'Boules' with one l. And it's a terrain or piste rather than 'Court'.

And really it should be called 'Petanque'.

Boules at Bramhall Park in Stockport
We couldn't find the 'court' and we got a bit lost in the woods too

Petanque in Stockport


We play for the Woodstock Petanque Club at Alexandra Park in Edgeley, Stockport.

Bramall Hall


We're looking forward to visiting Bramall Hall when it reopens. In the meantime we'll spend some of our outdoor exercise time exploring the grounds during lockdown.

Bramall Hall at Bramhall Park in Bramhall, Stockport
Bramall Hall

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Merseyway Comic Con in Stockport

There should've been a comic con at the Merseyway shopping centre in Stockport today.

Another casualty of the coronavirus.

Here's a snap of me on a Star Wars speeder bike at the Merseyway's first comic con last September.

Having fun in Stockport last year

Hopefully there'll be a return of retailtainment events in the future.

There was going to be a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the Merseyway comic con.

Ecto-1a and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters were on display at the Eden Square Shopping Centre in Urmston, Greater Manchester last Halloween
I'm so glad I went to Urmston last October!

Friday, May 22, 2020

South Park Miniature Railway in Cheadle Hulme

Revisiting the Miniature Railway at South Park in Cheadle Hulme.


South Park Miniature Railway in Cheadle Hulme

We took part of our outdoor daily exercise at South Park in Cheadle Hulme and had a look at the excellent miniature railway there.

South Park is home to Stockport & District Society of Model Engineers
South Park is home to Stockport & District Society of Model Engineers

It's a real treat to ride the model railway and I highly recommend a visit in the future when it is once again safe to do so.

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme
To the trains

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme
Old arrows at the entrance - they look well spaced out in the times of social distancing

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme
The turntable

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme
A view of the loop

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme

South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme

South Park Miniature Railway in Cheadle Hulme
A pair of park benches with a fine view of the miniature railway

We first found out about it back in May 2017, a year after we moved up here! 

At South Park Model Railway in Cheadle Hulme
End of the line

The Metropolitan Borough of Stockport is home to three miniature railways - the one at South ParkBrookside Miniature Railway at the Garden Centre in Poynton and the Dragon Miniature Railway at the Garden Centre in Marple.

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Link:

Wac-Man Crazy Golf

A look at the 'Wac-Man' minigolf hole at Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course inside Fletcher's Arcade in Cofton Hackett, South Birmingham.


Wac-Man Crazy Golf

We played Joe Joe Jim's Crazy Crazy Golf course in August 2018. The 9-hole indoor layout was the 829th visited on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

The course at Fletcher's Arcade and game-play has to be seen and experienced to be believed. It really is Crazy Crazy Golf!

Finding a lost Golf Centre in Stockport

We found a lost golf centre yesterday!


Cranford Golf Centre in Heaton Mersey, Stockport

We went to Heaton Mersey for our daily exercise and while having a wander we took a turn into a side road we hadn't been down before.

Cranford Golf Centre in Heaton Mersey, Stockport

Half way along it we spotted a gate with the word GOLF on it so had to take a closer look.

Cranford Golf Centre in Heaton Mersey, Stockport

Cranford Golf Centre was a golf driving range. It closed down on the 31st October 2014.

Cranford Golf Centre in Heaton Mersey, Stockport

Looking online there were plans for the area to be turned into housing.

Cranford Golf Centre in Heaton Mersey, Stockport

It's amazing how much we've still got to explore of the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport.

Guest minigolf blog at Putter Madness

Check out my guest blog post on the Putter Madness website where I look at the crazy world of miniature golf and what the future holds for the game.

Guest blog at Putter Madness

Happy 40th birthday Pac-Man

Pac-Man was first released in Japan on this day in 1980.


Happy 40th birthday Pac Man
A small selection of my Pac-Man collection

I like to celebrate the brilliant video game character as often as possible!

Playing Pac-Man in Morecambe last summer
Playing Pac-Man in Morecambe last summer

Related blog posts:
- Pac-Man

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

A look at Stoke Park's Crazy Golf course in Guildford, May 2016.


Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

We played the minigolf course at Stoke Park in Guildford, Surrey on National Miniature Golf Day 2016.

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

It's a Swedish Felt B-Run Minigolf course.

Minigolf in Stoke Park, Guildford, May 2016

The 18-hole minigolf course was the 399th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Crazy Golf in Woking Park, May 2016

A look at Woking Park's Crazy Golf course, May 2016.


We played the Crazy Golf course at Woking Park in Woking, Surrey on National Miniature Golf Day 2016.

The Crazy Golf course in Woking Park, May 2016

It was a felted version of an Eternit Miniature Golf course.

The 9-hole minigolf course was the 398th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Bladerunner 2009

Finding a futuristic barbers in Stockport.


On our daily exercise in the Reddish area of Stockport yesterday we spotted a fun shop sign.

Bladerunner 2009 in Reddish, Stockport

Blade Runner is set in dystopian Los Angeles in the year 2019. It's crazy to think we're living through our own dystopian times with the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing lockdown.

I wonder what life will be like in 2049...?

Mario Mini Market in Reddish, Stockport

Finding a super market in South Reddish.


We took our daily exercise in the Reddish area of Stockport yesterday and while having a wander we spotted Mario Mini Market on Gorton Road.

Mario Mini Market in Reddish, Stockport

There's another branch in Levenshulme, Manchester.

I've also seen Mario and Luigi ice cream vans in Buxton and HathersageMario movers in NewcastleMario's takeaway in Barnsley, and three MarioLuigi and Mario & Luigi takeaways in Blackpool!

L is for Luton

We took our daily exercise in the Reddish area of Stockport yesterday and swung by Luton Road.

Luton Road in Reddish, Stockport

We lived in Luton for 16 years before moving north to Stockport.

Interestingly both towns are famous in the hat industry and have hat musuems. In fact it was the growth of the hat trade in Luton that contributed to the decline of the hat industry in Stockport. While millinery is not as big a trade in either town nowadays, the history lives on in the nickname of Luton Town and Stockport County football clubs as they are both 'The Hatters'.

Crazy World of Minigolf Tour enewsletter

Check out our latest minigolf enewsletter and please do sign-up to receive future editions.

Princess Parade Crazy Golf course in Blackpool
Our latest newsletter is about the project to refurbish and reopen the Princess Parade Crazy Golf course in Blackpool

Happy International Tea Day

Today is International Tea Day.


Crazy Golf at Rylstone Tea Gardens on the Isle of Wight

Hole 1 of Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington is 'tea cup'-themed. Albeit of the fairground ride variety.

Putters Adventure Golf at Superbowl Warrington

There's a fun Crazy Golf course at Rylstone Tea Gardens on the Isle of Wight.

Crazy Golf course at Rylstone Tea Gardens on the Isle of Wight

Our local minigolf course when we lived in Luton was at Tea Green Golf at Wandon End.

Crazy Golf at Tea Green Golf at Wandon End, Luton

We played the Crazy Golf course at Selfridges a lot in 2012 as part of the Big Rooftop Tea & Golf Party. I won two tournaments, including the grand final, up there.

Rooftop Crazy Golf at Selfridges in London

The last cup of tea I drank was a nice one down in Weymouth during a break in the 2011 Weymouth Open minigolf tournament.

A Nice Cup of Tea in Weymouth

Having a Nice Cup of Tea in Weymouth