Myself, having dispensed with the day's serious challenge that morning in the Manx 10k Championships at the National Sports Centre and Irene having transformed our conservatory at home into sparkling whiteness, we were able to see a little more of the Island's spectacular coastline.
One of the many great things about living on the Isle of Man, is that if you travel for a few minutes in any direction, you're either in the countryside or swimming.
Yesterday, we set off along the Promenade at Douglas, heading north up towards the Manx Electric Railway Terminus and the old White City site. You can actually follow the line of the cliffs there and then off road in front of the former Majestic Hotel but on this occasion, we elected to go straight along King Edward Bay Road towards the Groudle Glen.
It was at this point with the vista looking north towards Clay Head, resplendent in the sunshine that I realised that as usual, I hadn't brought my camera. Rather than just give up and swipe one of someone else's photograph as I did after our last little wander, I decided to use the mobile phone. Unfortunately as yet, technophobe as I am, I haven't quite worked out how to extract them from the said device and reproduce them here. By the time you read this, I hope to have it illustrated but don't hold your breath.
Although the Groudle Road is hardly the M1, for me it's always a pleasure to leave the main thoroughfare and onto the country lanes or public footpaths and with this in mind after crossing the Old Toll bridge, we took the next right about 1/2 mile further along, signposted Lonan Old Church. This takes you towards the sea, not too far from The Sea Lion Pool, then turns left at a right angle, over the 2003 bridge, passing St Adamnan's and on to Ballanette.
Ballanette is a wetland nature reserve that has been created by the Clague Family in memory of their daughter Anette who died at a young age. They also supply the use of their toilet, fresh water and even offer the chance to call in for a 'cuppa' which would have been much appreciated. It is a truly peaceful and beautiful part of the Manx countryside which takes you across to Clay Head, where they have created another circular pathway down to the sea at which point, there is a flagpost and a bench to rest your weary limbs.
No such lazy ideas for us though as this is part of Irene's Parish Walk training, so it's a brief pause to enjoy the view and off up the steep hill, back to the tarmac. A few hundred yards along, there is a path down to Garwick Bay, alongside a stream.
Another steep ascent back to the main road and then it's downhill almost all the way into Laxey. This week's much needed lemonades were taken at the Mines Tavern which is a wonderful place to sit out in fine weather and this time round, we met our daughter, Lucy and took the bus home.
With our off road detours, it was probably about 10 miles and took us three hours or so.
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