Slieu Whallian, Isle Of Man Week 73 22nd September 2012
                 
There's a bit of a history of motor bike racing, car rallies, bike races, walking, etc.

This could have been how Mark Cavendish (sprinter) started out.

 
The old steam railway line from Douglas to St Johns, Peel and Ramsey has been dismantled.

These two bridges are where the line separates, we are headed to Peel, the one to the left headed to Ramsey.

 
Rose hips.
 
A strange custom on the Island is to sometimes invert the top hinge on gates.
 
Slieu Whallian.
 
We took a slightly tortuous round trip as the track we wanted to walk up was inaccesible due to road closures for the car rally.

We turned left at Kirk Patrick.

 
And inspected another "VR" letter box.
 
There's not a lot said about war time in the Isle Of Man.

There was considerable disruption as it was used to house internees.

Some of them spent their time digging out this shape of the three legs of man and filling with a different soil.

 
This is the sort of view we were hoping for from Snaefell.

Beyond Peel is the coast of Northern Ireland. We can probably see all the way to Belfast Loch.

Further to the right we could also see the Mull of Galloway (Scotland).

 
Looking back to Beckwith's Mine (at least the same mine we saw a few days ago).
 
And the final uphill to the cairn at the top.
 
The Mull can be clearly seen (well at least we saw it even if the camera doesn't see as well).
 
Snaefell is in the distance.
 
The Lakes District in Cumbria (England) to the north east.
 
And Snowdonia (Wales) to the south west.
 
The Mull is somewhere behind Ali while Al adjusts the camera.
 
The timer worked well.

I was just a bit slow!

 
St Johns looking towards Douglas.
 
Off the top, just heading into the plantation behind us.
 
Not too steep. But not shallow either.

It used to be that witches were rolled down this hill in a barrel.

If they survived .... etc.

 
Tynwald Hill, St Johns.

The stepped hill is where the laws that have been passed in the last year are read out.

The Manx Parliament is the oldest continuous parliament in the world having celebrated its millenium in 1979.

 
A Bugatti.
 
After a cup of tea we drove the few miles into Peel again.

For tea at the Marine Hotel.

 
The weather has been unusually kind today. And it continued into the evening.
 
Even the seagulls enjoyed it.
 
We had a bit of time to spare so walked around aimlessly.
 
The sea is a bit calmer than a couple of days previously.

We'd been showered while walking to the castle as waves broke over the sea wall.

 
This time we walked round the outside of the castle.

The tower is for the cathedral which makes Peel (population about 4000) a city.

Though not as small as St Davids (which we drove through in Wales).

 
We've seen more seals swimming on this trip than I've seen in the rest of my life.
 
One last look as the sun set.
 
And into the pub for a family dinner.
 
Rushen Abbey, Cregneash and Port Erin, Isle Of Man Week 74 23rd September 2012
 
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