Indeed, Sunday was so sunny, it even induced Mrs. George to come out of hibernation and we set out for Douglas Head to walk the short Marine Drive loop.
There was this black swan in the harbour.
We decided to take the lighthouse route as I needed the toilet and the facility by Battery Pier is one of the few that you do not have to be prepared with a twenty pence piece to use these days.
As we climbed the steps it is now difficult to imagine that many years ago, this area would was a developed hive of tourist activity during the summer. There was once a funicular railway, leading to all kinds of amusements, including rides and even a tower of which they found the foundations whilst renovations were being carried out at Manx Radio.
Photograph by David Lloyd-JonesThere was the Douglas Head Hotel which has now been extended and converted to apartments and all that remains to give a clue to its former usage is the outdoor stage and the Great Union Camera Obscura which was restored a few years ago and is now run by volunteers and opened at weekends during the season.
Old photographs can be see on the http://www.imuseum.im/collections/RelatedPlaces.mth?entryid=2888646
Of further interest to historians and Manx railway enthusiasts is the entrance to Marine Drive where there was an electric tramline that ran to Port Soderick which must have been a truly spectacular journey.
There was a toll keeper's house on the left hand side.
It is one of my favourite walks and I was too busy enjoying it to take any more pictures and of course I had to work hard to keep up with the athlete. As Irene was making her comeback, we turned off at Keristal instead of carrying on towards Port Soderick and she was delighted to see some little black lambs.
We passed the Nunnery, back into Douglas ready for a coffee and luckily we noticed that Dave Dentith had re-opened and re-named MASH, the Quayside Coffee House & Bistro. It was fabulous to be able to sit in the sunshine sipping my latte.
Finally, before heading home, we visited Douglas Market. Originally, the site also included the area that is now the Manx Legion Club and the current building was designed for selling fish. Unfortunately, it has seen busier times, so they are presently inviting ideas for its future use whilst inviting different stallholders to see if they can generate interest.
Another stunning picture by David Lloyd-Jones
www.facebook.com/ManxArtisanMarket?group_id=0"
Irene bought a 'Supremes' vinyl album, brand new for only £1.99. I think her plan is to storm DJ's hutch at the 'Courthouse' nightclub (just discovered they're not called discos any more,) tie up the purveyors of the headache material they were playing the other night until they confess they have been converted and promise they WILL play at least one Motown set per hour without threatening to get their big big mates on her ;) OOps but that's a different story :)
Don't forget, The Welbeck Hotel Restaurant is open for breakfast,lunch and dinner. Pop over and stay or book in your friends from across. We have accommodation available from now until the end of May and still plenty of dates in the summer.
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