This year, having done the highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales, we’d head across the seas to the Isle of Man. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go to, so we booked some accommodation and a ferry and set off.
We were a bit early for the ferry, so had time to get some breakfast at what I think was the former zoo cafe, except the zoo had gone. Was excellent though, and right on the front. Not the clearest of days, but the sea didn’t look too rough and it was a fairly pleaseant crossing. Spent a lot of it outside as it was windy, but much more to see
We arrived in Douglas on time, and found the bed and breakfast and got checked in, then had a walk down the front, and skimmed a few stones on the now much calmer sea
The Isle of Man was described by my dad as a mini UK, you’ve got cliffs in the south, a range of hills up the middle and a flat bit at the top, which was pretty accurate. We were going up to Laxey from Douglas, and got a bus up there. Once we arrived, we walked down to the beach so it was a true sea level to summit walk. We had an ice cream on the beach then set off
The walk took us past the famous Laxey wheel, so good they build a mini replica lower down. The wheel was used for the mines further up, and is a water wheel as there isn’t a supply of coal on the island
Here’s its bigger brother
The walk took us up a track for most of the way, then it sort of ended and it was a free for all to the top
This lead us up to a chimney of sorts, then onto the road, which is part of the TT route, and has no speed limit, so you have to cross quickly. Fortunately, people who drive round it like noisy engines, so you can hear them coming
After this, we picked a line and went for the top.
And the standard trig point pose
For those with more sense, there is a train that runs up and down
And also Douglas Bader’s spitfire
We had a cup of tea at the top, then headed back down the same way. It was a wonderfully sunny day, got quite sunburnt in the end. Had time for cake and a drink on the way down
Then the bus back and into Douglas for some food.
The next day was a walk across the island, from Peel to Douglas on the old train line. We got the bus to Peel and set off. Was a flat route, but hard going in places, about 14 miles in total
Peel was a lovely place with this old castle, and a very blue sea. All the white stuff on the beach is the remains of shells from the fishing industry I think
It was obviously railway in parts and maintained very well
About half way was Tinwald, the old parliament in the world (or one of them that claims to be) it was a Norse way I think, where the clans met in a field and the leaders discussed the best ways of dealing with things
From there it was back to Douglas, then onto the ferry and home
