IOM3
Isle of Man- Day 3
SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST 2020: A big day today, as I climb the mountain!. Ok, it’s only just a mountain at 2036 ft but still. The plan is to go from Laxey up to Snaefell summit then hooking up with the Millenium Way (a North/South island route) to lead me back to Ramsey, where, if my timings work out, I can catch the train back to Douglas
I have chosen today as it has the best weather forecast and indeed it is glorious sun all day, perfect
I repeat my morning run from yesterday aiming for the 08:10 bus, then realise it is Saturday and a different schedule, so have to hang around until 08:40, oops
I do not visit Laxey itself, yet another quaint village and beach, but start from the Laxey Wheel, aka “Lady Isabella”, a waterwheel originally built for the local mine, now a popular tourist attraction, notable for being the largest working waterwheel in the world (at 72 ft diameter)
I start my route, climbing gently, initially by road, then following a path along lower valley, heading up to an abandoned mine. From here I veer sharply uphill. It is so steep I have to double over to make sure I don’t topple backwards. Bent over, scrambling and panting, the sheep look at me, thinking what is his problem!
The gradient eases a bit and I can march on more normally for a lengthy climb, eventually leading to a road and car park area. The roads around here swoop and swirl around the hills, making for amazing driving or riding…of course, as honoured by the TT. To see those guys motor around here must be quite a spectacle. Some roads have no speed limit (deregulated) so even for the everyday boy/girl racers there are opportunities for fun
A steep scramble further over rough, grassy slopes and I reach the (inevitably windy) summit and trig point of Snaefell. Superb visibility and I can see the whole island laid out, further the outlines of land in England (Lake District hills), Scotland (Mull of Galloway), Wales (Isle of Anglesey) and Ireland (generally cloud covered). Love it. Whilst the coast walking has been good, I realise what a treat this is. I wallow in the pleasure
Eventually, I work my way back down the ‘other’ side via a stony trail to “the Bungalow”. I have had splendid isolation at the summit but there are a few people around at this road level. Normally a train runs up here from Laxey, also a café attracts, but all closed due to Covid
Some road walking follows (carefully as some fast cars) then I join the Millenium Way a way-market route established in 1979 that runs from Ramsey in the North to Castletown in the South, a distance of 26 miles, generally meandering around or alongside the hills, although still retaining some up & down. The section I am doing is wild moor by description, always soggy and often boggy, with limited trail (although excellent eye-line marking). After a while the novelty wears off, so when I come across a raised boardwalk a few miles on I take the opportunity for a sit down (the only dry place!) and snack. Today has certainly had a feeling of remoteness, despite knowing I am on a smallish island, and sat here sunbathing I enjoy the moment
That boardwalk actually marks the end of the wild walking, as leaving it joins a trail which is designated for mountain bikes. My route follows this on a gentle descent to outskirts of Ramsey, during which I am passed by several on bikes. The IOM really is superb for hiking and biking (weather permitting!)
There is a railway between Ramsey and Douglas, the Manx Electric Railway (MER) and I am aware that a basic service is operating with a train due to leave soon. I think I will miss but I up my pace and with a bit of luck find and reach the station just as train about to leave. This train is of Victorian era, a beautiful carriage, which the 2 operators hook up to the overhead wires (switching on a couple of occasions as we need to change track). The ride is noisy, shaky but great fun, with the 1 hour journey an opportunity to see the sights, including some I walked yesterday
The train journey ends at the Northern end of the promenade, I walk to the other end in the sunshine – so different from Wednesday – and revisit Barbary Coast & Grill for another excellent feast
It has been a great day, 14 miles of varied walking and a total of 3500 ft of ascent. The superb weather and visibility, making the most of that exhilarating summit, have been a joy
