Parish Walk 2013

Well Parish Walk time is here again. Saturday will see 1500 hopeful souls depart the N.S.C. at 8am attempting to complete the 85 miles or at least part of it. Once again the weather looks like being a little mixed to say the least but I'm sure there will still be plenty of smiles on offer. It isn't too bad walking in grim conditions but I always pity the officials of whom there are so many and without whom there would be no race.

This is a 'Thank you' in advance and I do hope you are dressed for anything.

My chances? They haven't been overly helped by contracting a chest infection and the fact that we have been so busy this last few weeks due to being short staffed in the kitchen but I remain confident that I will at least be able to challenge once again.

It looks like there are four of us with a realistic chance. Out of four times winner Jock Waddington, last year's joint champions, Vinny Lynch & Richard Gerrard, I think the latter man has the best chance if I don't prevail.



Best of luck to all the competitors and I'll let the off-Island blogophiles know what happened afterwards (as you'd have to live under a rock at Eary Cushlin not to find out if you live here.

Walkablog Heads North, Well South Actually, From North. Oh just read it ;)

What a glorious couple of weeks of weather we've just had! Lets hope that will be business as usual as opposed to what we have today!

We have been busy and a little short staffed in the kitchen, so that's my excuse for my lack of postings over the last month. Many apologies, blogophiles.

To explain the silly title, we caught the Manx Electric Railway to Ballaglass Glen on Sunday (£12.45 per person return,) thanks to Faye, the daughter of our friends Paul & Marie who saved us from the embarrassment of missing the train (just)and then we walked back to Laxey.

A word of warning to anyone using this form of transport because even though the weather was scorching (Well that's a bit of Manx exaggeration but about as hot as it gets here,) we were still frozen on the outside carriage even in jumpers.

The journey wends its way along the coast of Onchan, Groudle, and then into the heart of Laxey before continuing through Bulghan, Dhoon, Glen Mona and finally to our destination which is a little away from the main road, although it can be reached by car.

Ballaglass is very pretty but also a little shady, so we kept on the jumpers. It is often used by Gorge Walkers www.adventurousexperiences.com

After crossing the road, we then followed the Raad ny Foillan (Way of the Gull. Manx Coastal Path) past the rock pool (great to take the kids if they like al fresco swimming and jumping in) by the side of the 'Bellite' factory that never was and out to Port Cornaa.

We stopped and sat in the sunshine, eating our picnic, watching BBQers and swimmers (well one brave soul anyway.) I certainly have never seen so many people there, though beware because there are no toilets. The whole area is part of the Barony Estate.

From there, we went back inland, about two miles to Dhoon Glen where there is a cafe outside which we enjoyed a well earned cup of tea and used the public lavatory facilities. On this occasion, we didn't walk down to see the waterfall but continued up the Ballaragh Road another couple of miles into Laxey.

This section of the Raad ny Foillan isn't really very coastal but still extremely pleasant, though I would warn anyone not to sure footed to be careful on the descent to Old Laxey as it is very steep and rocky. Personally, I was a little disappointed that they had changed the route slightly and you no longer had to complete the final few metres with use of a rope.

We then enjoyed a couple of pints of Bosun Bitter, brewed on premises at the Shore Hotel before finishing our walk another mile or so along the riverside and up to the MER station.