Thursday, December 22, 2016

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton

A visit to the Lost Valley Adventure Golf course at the Market Place in Bolton.


On the 21st December I headed to Bolton to visit and play the new 18-hole Lost Valley Adventure Golf course located indoors at the Market Place shopping centre.

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course

It's a superb minigolf layout and a great location for a course. The 'Lost Valley' can be quite easily discovered as it's well signposted from ground level!

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
Bolton's Market Place shopping centre - and the indoor Adventure Golf course - are well worth a visit

I was invited for a round at the Lost Valley by Simon from HM Adventure Golf who designed and built the course. We'd picked a good time to tee-off as we were able to get well into the swing of our round before the course began to get busy around lunchtime.

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
Five and a half of the holes are in the lower section of the course. The theming and lighting is great throughout

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
On the 5th green. This is in the lower part of the course

In our round I managed to pick up the win 45-48 with Simon carding a ruinous 6 on the 18th hole to scupper his chances of victory.

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
Teeing-off on the 10th

I was very pleased with my hole-in-one on the 15th and I'm sure with a bit more practice on the course there are some rewarding aces to be had on the tricky but fun layout.

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
Holing out on the 13th

The scorecards at the Lost Valley are some of the largest I've seen. Once opened the scorecard is 41.5cm wide!

Scorecard from The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
Looks normal enough...

Scorecard from The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course in the Amazonia Play Centre at the Market Place in Bolton
But then when you open it up!

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf course at Amazonia in Bolton's Market Place shopping centre was the 420th course played and 720th visited overall on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 1

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Snakey

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
A festive hole 2

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The very small but tricky hole 3

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 4

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 5 begins upstairs

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
But ends downstairs

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 6 was the toughest hole for me

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The green on hole 6

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 7

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 8

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 9 and another festive character

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 9

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 9

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 10

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 10

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 11

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The green on hole 11

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The nice surprise on hole 11

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 12

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Which is the best hole to putt into?

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The green on hole 12

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
There are two routes to the cup on hole 13

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 13

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 13

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 14

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 15 - the scene of my hole-in-one

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 16

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 17

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 17

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
There are two cups inside the mouth of the treeman on hole 18

The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
Hole 18

As a bonus there was also a Miniature Train ride in Amazonia!

The jungle Express Miniature Train ride at The Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The Jungle Express

The Miniature Train ride runs along the edge of the Adventure Golf course
The Miniature Train ride runs along the edge of the Adventure Golf course

Check out the Lost Valley Adventure Golf course website for opening times and prices.

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
The flooring throughout the Lost Valley is fantastic - I'm not sure arachnophobes would be quite so keen!

It was great finding out about some of the other miniature golf courses the team at HM Adventure Golf are working on. Emily and I reckon there are around 50-odd more courses for us to visit in the UK, but with new courses opening all the time there is likely to still be 50 for us left to visit this time next year!

Lost Valley Adventure Golf at Amazonia in Bolton
I'm looking forward to a minigolf match against Emily on the Lost Valley course

Head to the HM Adventure Golf website for further details on their projects. Their latest course opened at Haigh Woodland Park in Wigan, Lancashire this month. We're looking forward to a game there soon. I understand that the old course - the 521st visited on the Crazy World of Minigolf Tour - is still in the park too.

Related blog posts:
- Indoor Adventure Golf
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Links:
- The Lost Valley Adventure Golf
- HM Adventure Golf
- Bolton Market Place

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.

Opening Hours over Christmas and New Year

On a wander around Cheadle Hulme Emily and I spotted this sign in one of our local shops. Some handy information to know.

Christmas and New Year Opening Hours in Cheadle Hulme
This sign is a gift that keeps on giving

And people say my handwriting is bad!

Anyway, 'Happy Max' to everyone.

Related blog posts:
- Christmas

Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf in Shanklin

A revisit to Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight.


While on the Isle of Wight in October we revisted the 12-hole Adventure Golf course at Jungle Jim's on Shanklin seafront.

Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

Jungle Jim's Adventure Golf course in Shanklin, Isle of Wight

The course was originally the 64th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour back in 2008.

Related blog posts:
- Isle of Wight
- Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
- Jungle Jim's

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.

Shanklin Seafront Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf

Playing the new Crazy Golf course on Shanklin Seafront.


Back in 2008 we visited the Isle of Wight and the first course we played there - and our 63rd overall - was the Miniature Golf course on Shanklin Seafront. Since that visit the course has been refurbished and changed from the concrete 'Beton' style to an Arnold Palmer Crazy Golf layout.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
The Crazy Golf course on Shanklin Seafront

While the colours, obstacles and many of the hole layouts look like a traditional Arnold Palmer Putting course from the 1960's or 70's what is noticeably different is the scale of the course. As the foundations are still from the large Beton type of course - itself dating from the 1950's - the new Crazy Golf course is like an over-sized Arnold Palmer.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
The course has a classic Windmil obstacle

It really is something to experience, especially if you've played a lot of Arnold Palmer Putting courses like us.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

The new course became the 709th visited and 416th played on our Crazy World of Minigolf Tour.
  
Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
Hole 13 is not your usual Arnold Palmer hole

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
  
Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight

We enjoyed our round - albeit having to play a bit too quickly as we were pressed for time to make the 'tube train' to connect with the last hovercraft out of Ryde.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
Some BIG minigolf obstacles to putt round

In our minigolf match-up on the 18-hole Shanklin Seafront Crazy Golf course Cat Patterson picked up the surprise victory with a score of 47! Emily and I tied for second place on 49.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
How the 18-hole Crazy Golf course looked in October 2016

You can see how the course used to look in this blog post from our visit in July 2008.

The Shanklin Seafront Crazy Golf course in 2008
As the Crazy Golf course on Shanklin Seafront looked in 2008

Check out the Shanklin Seafront website for info on opening times and prices.

Crazy Golf course at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
Playing the obelisk hole

There is also a Pirate Adventure Golf course next to the Crazy Golf course on Shanklin Seafront. That course was built on what used to be a grass Putting Green.

Pirates Cove Adventure Golf at Shanklin Seafront on the Isle of Wight
Pirates Cove Adventure Golf at Shanklin Seafront

Related blog posts:
Isle of Wight
Crazy World of Minigolf Tour
Course Played #63 Shanklin (Isle of Wight) - Beton Crazy Golf - Crazy World of Minigolf Tour

Link:
Shanklin Seafront website

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.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Ten years of The Ham & Egger Files

Today marks the tenth anniversary of The Ham & Egger Files blog.


On the 21st December 2006 I wrote the first post introducing the blog and outlining my participation in many obscure and minority sports with the aim of having as much fun as possible with the modicum of sporting ability I have! The second post was about Finger Jousting.

I've had a lot of FUN blogging over the last ten years
I've had a lot of FUN blogging over the last ten years

Since then the 2,381 posts I've written have received 1.1 million page views from people in 110 countries.

Our travels have taken Emily and I to twelve countries, 500+ places in the UK, 220+ seasides and 719 miniature golf courses.

While many of my blog posts have been about Crazy Golf and Minigolf, I've also blogged about Coeliac Disease and living on a lifelong gluten free diet, travel, social history and a lot of other sports and games.

Related blog posts:
- My most viewed blog post - Minigolf and Crazy Golf courses in and around London
- Sports and Games played

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.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

A Santa Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man in Stockport

Spotting a Christmas-themed Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man in Stockport.


While heading to my local Morrisons supermarket in Cheadle Heath my finely honed senses alerted me to something ludicrous across the car park - a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man at the Stockport branch of Terry's Fabrics.

A Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man at Terry's Blinds in Stockport
The Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man in the car park of Terry's Blinds in Stockport. Viewable to the customers in the car park of Morrisons and B&M in Cheadle Heath

And it wasn't just any old Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man. No, it was a Father Christmas Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man! Something I've not seen before. A marvellous a sight to behold.

A Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man at Terry's Blinds in Stockport
They've got a curtains and fabric sale on at Terry's Fabrics in Stockport

A Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man at Terry's Blinds in Stockport
In my element

It's almost a year to the day since I spotted a non-articulated inflatable advertising Xmas Tree in my old home town of Luton.

Airdancers - to give them their official name - are one of my favourite forms of advertising. They certainly are attention grabbing.

Do check out the Terry's Fabrics, Stockport website for more info.

Related blog posts:
- Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men
- Airdancer
- Advertising
- Stockport
- Cheadle Heath