Short Isle Of Man Trip

Blue Bells in Glen Maye

Just been over to the Isle Of  man to join Helen who was already out there for 10 days. Went with Flybe from Manchester on Friday evening.  Saturday took us on a walk that we done many times from Port Erin to the Calf and back round to Port Erin. This we done in July but made a change to do it in a different season. The weather  was dry but with a cool wind and few walkers were out on the path. In July we will do this as a trail run.  Back in Port Erin we went to the Bay hotel for a pint of Bushy Beer.



Sunday took us doing a 10km run out to Scarlett and back before heading to Douglas for a  Sunday roast dinner at the Best Western Hotel.  Little full when we came out.

Glen Maye Waterfall

Bank Holiday Monday we went over to Glen Maye and walked down though the Glen. As we were in May the Blue Bells were out in full bloom.  Plus the Glen was lit up with the sunlight as the tress still had not many leaves on. Later in the year it can be very dark with the leaf cover.  Then we drove over to Peel to do Peel Hill before having a Davidson Ice cream.

Isle of man Running

This year we did more running then walks. We were in a good location where we could  out running next to the sea in seconds. Our first runs went out to Langness, which is a mix of road first then grass around to the lighthouse and back round the back end of the golf course. Another easy run was out to Fort Island and back. Nice and easy after days walk.  We also did runs out to Scarlett and around the airport.  Our final run which we left to the end was a coast path from Port Erin and back. Mix of road, hills and coastal paths. Tough but good.

Airport Run

Fort Island

Port Erin Trail Run

Langness Run

Scarleet Run

Sea Fishing

Once a year go at sea fishing off the sea wall in Peel. Few more fish caught this year on a nice sunny day, but most were saying it was a poor day. Did fish for about fours hours. The  Creek inn was calling for cold beer. I wonder if Andy and Bob had any luck this year?

Port Erin

 
Some of the places we always go to in Port Erin is the Bayhotel. This sits on the prom and you can sit on the sea wall and enjoy a beer plus the view. They always have about 5 hand pumps on plus real cider. We can use the wifi and when we been there they had groups on. This year it was a beach party with a youth group bands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another visit to the Isle Of Man Horses home just outside Douglas.

 

Isle Of Man

Back in the isle of man  for just over a week. The walks we did were similar to last year, but we still like going and doing them. But more running this year.

 

 

The first was Port Erin and along the coast to Calf Island. The return is part way along the coast to the Chasm and then cut back though the Cregneash village. Where we come across some pigs rolling in the mud.  From the village its back along the back road into Port Erin.

 

 

The second walk took us on another route we always do. Again from Port Erin up to Bradda head  and along to Fleshwick beech. Then after lunch we head up the next hill northwards where then we return inland to follow a track back to Port Erin. Over the years we have seen a great improvement as the land has recover from a large grass fire. Most of the grass down the sea was destroyed

Douglas to DerbyHaven Walk

Today’s walk was From Douglas to Derbyhaven along the coastal path.  We should have started at the top of Douglas Head but due to 2 hour parking only we drove further down marine drive to the first car park. So we did about a mile by car.WAlk should have been about 13/14 miles.

The first part of the walk was along Marine Drive, which is closed to traffic in the middle section due to landslips. This road has been used for many films for car chasers. Few years back we were stop doing this walk due to an action film in progress.




This road leads us to Port Soderick was once a good beech amusement area in its heyday. Today its in rack and ruin. The building is boarded up and the old walkways around the cliff have seen better days. Helen said when she was young they came down here and had great times. Its is little way of the main road and the stream train does stop at the station ¼ mile up the road.  We once got told a famous chef bought one of the buildings but looks like they did not have the money to inject into.

So from here the path heads inland to follow the road for few miles before heading back to the coast. Pity the government cannot get the landowners to open the path along the coast from Port Soderivk.

We come back to the coast at Santon Head where the path is very over grown and we head down to small beech area f Port Grenaugh that was littered with old BBQs.

Then we head along the high cliffs to Port Soldrick where we looked down on the young sea birds in the nests plus a kestal who was not happy we was on the path. Kept making a lot of noise, which meant we were near a neat.
 Soon the path leads back inland, but if you wanted you could make your way down to a stone beach area then try and get a cross a small river. But with the amount of rain that’s been around the small river looked eeep. So we went inland but this was very muddy and wet. Once out you end back to the coast path where the airport runway comes into site. This was made longer few years back and they built the runway out to sea using very large boulders. We watched the barges few years back bringing the rock in.  There is now a good path been built and you do come very close the planes as they land and take off.

Aryes Walk

 This walk was only a short distance but it our aim was for the wildlife in the area. We were at the top end of the island at Ayres National Nature Reserve. It is 673 acres of lichen heath, sand dune and gorse scrub.

We started the walk from the Ayres visitor centre car park. Here you will find a small visitor centre and a new high level-viewing platform that look south over the sand dunes.  From here our walk took us north to wards Point of Ayre Lighthouse.  From there we would return back and do the same route. No height gain as we were at sea level. 

So the aim was for wildllife and as we walked along the top of the beach area or pebble beech.  We came across the oystercatchers that had young birds in the area. We could make out Ringed Plovers darting about in the pebbles. Out at sea a head was bobbing about as the seal watched us.

As you walk along the beach you surprised what is washed up in rubbish.  Old ropes, bottle tops, can, bottles, plastic drums and plastic boxes. Some must come of boat sand the rest is just dumped by us. In between all of that you will come across amazing shells that have been washed up.  Plus at the far end we came across amazing carpet of seaweed. Just look lie lenghts of rope next to each other.

As we got near to the lighthouse we started to see the Gannets diving into the sea. We have been told that they fly in from Scotland or Ireland to feed. This is amazing sight as you have lunch and as the sea was in they were a lot closer this time. Also Arctic terns were flying around. Plus their young were flying as well. If they were still nesting in this are they would have hit us.  They even have their own roped of area.

When we turned back we went back a long the grass above the beach and along here we came across flowers and mushrooms. Not expert on these but some of them were amazing.

So not a big walk but as I said it was just looking at the wildlife in this area. Sometimes we have come here and read a book. It can be a suntrap if sat in the dunes.

After we left here we went to Ramsey and went to have a look an Albert Tower.