The start

July signaled the true beginning of a summer epic and I mean in the way of travel. I think I should really call it the rock blogs!I was about to embark on a three country adventure, with the most amazing landscape and geology. Even writing that makes me gulp and I'm home! having done all that. It was quite the experience but I have learned some things. A) travelling in a speeding car whilst trying to take photos will lead to a mixed outcome! B) that your lenses need cleaning on the camera that is taking those pictures C) Take photos even if they are blurry and spotty.

That said, lets start at the beginning and see where we end up, so to the Isle of Man we go again and I have tried to take pictures that are different to all the other times I've taken pictures (three times this year but hey who's counting).

I had to put this as this is the beginning and me and Louie are at Philadelphia airport ready to embark. Feels definitely light weight as we left those other two behind...

I have to include this just for reference and because some reading this will not know that the policeman's uniform is different in the Isle of Man. The "white helmets" are summer uniform and this chappies is a senior chap and his mate with the cap is a policeman ....different huh

Now on the 5th July  Tynwald day and that is the day of our Parliaments beginning in 979. We celebrate the day on the Isle of Man annually and it is also an important day in the calendar for the government on the Island, as they read the new laws that are being passed. These are read in both Manx and English. But best of all is the code of dress and the outfits and wigs and I'm talking about the gents! This is a deemster with his resplendent wig and red coat! wait till you see the shoes!

It is hard to make out but that is a tent on the Tynwald hill. (A man-made tiered hill made up of turf of the parishes around the island and then they stick a tent on the top for the great and the good to sit under. The most important at the top of the hill.This is all conducted in a field as was the way in Viking times and so clans gathered in a field and discussed issues and made laws and this is how we do it now...)

But wow that lady is in gold...I'll tell you what, she still isn't a the top though..

I like this picture, they are fabulous, with the wigs and the guys gown is proper embroidered and I'm thinking Tailor of Gloucester style mice did that stitch work. (Beatrix Potter wrote a book The Tailor Of Gloucester about mice finishing a garment for the Mayor to wear for his wedding day, as the Tailor was poorly...favorite Potter book...) I think that's the Attorney General...

This is what the hill looks like and yes crowds of people and we are all just right there

It is hard to make out but look at those Cromwell shoes. The whole outfit is just brilliant and fantastic and he's reading the laws out at this point and yes he's a deemster. Funny when you come to look at something that you have seen for decades and try and explain it. Somethings are just hard to explain. But I am glad the Louie saw this and will remember being a proud Manx Man on Tynwald day. Forgot to point out..that pink hat..now that is just over the top. But then again, if you have a hat when do you get to wear it, Tynwald Day is as good a day!

This is my Game of Thrones shot. The trees looked pretty cool

So while we are at Tynwald we go for a walk around the area where this is set and we find a pop up viking village!

There are tents

And really bad looking soup

Viking helmets...look no horns and no they actually didn't have horns!

Shields

More tents and stuff and I just kept wondering, are they sleeping here? It was pretty special and a complete surprise. No toilet that I could see either...

We had parked some way from Tynwald Hill. Parking is an issue and as thousands come to the day..we decided to park in comfort but it meant a walk and we found some pretty flowers. I'm saying orchid and rowan tree

I know I have taken this picture before but I include it as, there is no horizon. My sister Caroline likes these days on the Island and I hate them. But I'm saying no edge and that's freaky

I meant no edge at all.

But Mr Fisherman was off and look at that calm sea

Misty days in the lsland are amazing

But not so amazing as this! It is a three legged Manx cat!

On a day trip to Peel, well my birthday and looks like it's a glorious day

Even the sea gulls are enjoying themselves

They do like to be on look out

At this sea shore I spot in the surf a small bird. He is perfectly camouflaged 

But this thing about Peel (which is where we are) are the streets and lovely little houses. This is one of the most photographed streets on the Island!

and look at those windows boxes. Just to say again, look at the colour of that sky and also look how close the corner of the building is to the house at the end of the terrace.That was before building control and well this is a church built in front of your house. You can't exactly complain ... well you can but!

Treat of the day....a Manx delicacy that has featured here more than once and I did get loads of Queenies (they are small scallops and the big ones are called King scallops...now that's brilliant, I never knew that before) and Bacon while I was on the Island. I think maybe 5 servings! a record, not all in one day though

Brian is saying cheese...and Nana and Louie are definitely enjoying themselves

As were me and Caroline

And look at those fish and chips. I liked the individual vinegar bottle and the enamel dish to serve the chips in

The evening was amazing and the sun has yet to set

Men on the beach digging for lug worms

And Louie is itching to get on the beach and finds a foot ball with Paul. But it isn't what you think!

Now here's hopeful on two counts. First that there is a volley ball net on the Manx beach and our temps are not exactly beach day temps there and two Paul and Louie attempt to use the net and play volley ball......

Luckily the fishermen on the Pier are not bothered

and above the castle the gulls are flying 

And here Louie is at the Sound. The most southern point of the island and you can barely make him out. The slate is great camouflage. This is a favorite location of my family and where as a child I spent many hours. I love it and it has had many appearances on the blog

I just never get tired of the vista

The flowers growing wild

I just love them

But as it happens on this day I noticed that the west point of the calf is actually a profile. Now look closely and at the top of the cliff there is the brow, yes it's there! and the nose and mouth. I can see it. Also there is a ship on the horizon and my Dad always talked about seeing it going up and down the coast and in the haze I got it! Squint and you see it.

Flowers and plants just grow all over this area at the sound

There are beach in lets and this one has remnants of volcanic activity in the form of a dyke....long story but different colored rock is a different type of rock

Louie just loved doing what all young people do, which is being a goat on the rock and flying along the top of them and going fast. I had a job to get him to sit still and he's on a massive rock...

The volcanic rock

Louie on the rock (slate)

Fabulous rock pool and look at the color of the seaweed, algae

The tide was completely out

But this place never ever gets tired for me. I love the Calf view and the plateau in front we ran and ran as children here. 

So we are driving along and I spot the side car in front of our car and what do I see (from tourists on the island, I can tell by the plate!)

They have puppies in the side car!

Isaac arrives!

Happy to be reunited...

Off to the motor museum and this is a fab place. Loads of great old cars in the best building ever! I love this place

For some reason, flying ladies on the front of a car was a thing. I actually quite like them. They are so beautiful and the detail amazing

What a cute car

This was my favorite though

This name plate caught my eye

That would be a very small car for one!

As we were flying along through Sulby in the middle of the Island I spotted some standing stones

I know this might seem a boring shot. But just see the milky clouds and the hedge, stone wall covered with ferns and totally bushy. I really like the fence posts. Not that you can tell but this was a really steep incline and turn as we climb upwards towards our mountain

There is the mountain and there is the mists swirling around

We had come to see the reservoir 

I have included these chaps as it was properly windy! They can hardly stand upright

along our journey we dodged sheep on the road

Mists, that came down pretty quickly

I did say quick. 

No visibility

And the cloud is descending!

But such a beautiful view and atmospheric

As we got down the other side all had cleared away

The views on the island are just so breathtaking and the ever changing weather just heart stopping!

Such a lovely view of the bay at Happy Valley in Port St Mary

I definitely fell in love with it after this visit, Port St Mary is such a lovely old harbor and surrounds and on a day like this, well the colors are so vibrant

But the tide is out and that's a good sign as we had come to Port St Mary for me to show the boys rocks and formations

This fantastic limestone pavement that stretched from this town to the next along the south west coastline

It's quite large and when the tide is out really spectacular

and being limestone....a sedimentary rock, it has fossils that would have been animal life in warm shallow seas and here is the evidence. (See once the Island was warm!)

There were so many fossils...

Rock pools

More fossils

and just the pavement...stretching back to the sea

This is my arty photo of the seaweed colors and I love the horizontal nature of it

My boys

Oh and one more fossil

The sky was amazing, quite windy at the coast and this is flag is part of a memorial to sailors lost at Dunkirk as they went to help retrieve the men from the beaches...

This arrow was was literally bomb target practice for WWII pilots. So they presumably dropped the practice bombs in the sea?

Found this snap dragon on a patch of waste ground

More spectacular views

and how about that for a smooth pond!

Maughold head and blue seas

On my last evening on the Island I went for a walk with nana and this is what we saw. Mellow light and coastal splendour

Clear amazing waters

Out to sea and the horizon took on the most amazing colour

It was magical and the hill is being back lit from the West by the setting sun

Mr Seagull is on duty

and the evening boat is coming in from Liverpool

Our coast line really is beautiful

I have included all of these shots as I couldn't male up my mind

 I know there's loads of pictures and really I just can't choose....just think of all the ones I didn't include! But I felt this was a nice one to end this particular epic with.