As we headed into may we had a big event to go to on the Island, this felt like such a treat and an early spring for us. The island was glorious and full of colours and light. Just magic, so here is May in all it's glory both home and away.
Canada hyacinth, and what a deep colour
Little Red, just captured before scampering off
Arrival on the island, look at the colour of the fields!
My uncle from Denmark was visiting when we arrived and he had this idea to walk up Snaefell. Well as I've never done that I thought this would be an excellent idea (did I mention I was jet lagged!). But I insisted that we do it from Laxey...not sea level, as that is over 2000ft! So we get the electric tram to the bottom of the mountain and it's not looking promising
Can't even see Snaefell
Yes we are walking straight up into the mists, literally
That is the gradient of the hill and I am glad we couldn't see how far or steep it really was....it was quite the epic climb and as we staggered into the cafe at the summit (yes we know how to party on the island! have a cream cake, after nearly killing ourselves walking there. I say it proves we were alive! the cake that is) we looked like we had been taken by aliens!! I actually think at this point when ordering said cakes I couldn't speak properly....it was totally exhausting but fantastic to do and tick on the list of things I always intended to do. We took the tram back down again
We had a few misty murky days when we were there
Apparently this seagull often waits at this Advocates office on Athol Street, clearly wanting some legal advice
and googly eyes make it to the pedestrian crossing
ah a rainy day on the train. Fantastic, it reminds me of being young and getting the train. Funny I don't remember the sunny days half as much as the rainy ones. All cosy in the carriage.
steam puffering out across the fields
one of those small alleys in Ramsey. This leds from the main street to the harbour
Good job they are thin
and Lily spotted this doorway in the said alley
Oh the Clematis was a riot of flowers
and blooming trees
Bluebells gallore
and yes that is a rainbow and a speeding seagull
Just spectacular, the literal shining sea
favorite little walk and just love all the vegetation on the rocks and beech. The colour of the sea weed is amazing
Blue skies
always had a fascination with Manx walls. I realise now it is because they have a world living on them of all kinds of plants
The one thing that looks lovely and smells horrible (this is wild garlic aka stinking roger). This seems to have taken over the island and yes it really does live up to it's name
The walls are totally alive on the island and this wall had the most lovely flowers and deepest violet
Even the chimney stacks grow things
It is lush here and this is laxey and its bridges one for the cars / people and one for the tram
abundance of blossom
and another tick on the list of things that I want to do..walk down the Dhoon Glen
Steep sides
and this is the way, yes that's right Isaac, we go through here
To be fair it was low in height. That said I didn't have any problem at all
It was an experience for all
Grazing on the way down the Dhoon we see some wild goats. They are not interested in us
I couldn't get over the colour of the bluebells, it is so intense and deep
and finally a view of the Dhoon beach
It is a spectacular geological feature and it is massive. I wish I had taken a picture of someone near it and you would have seen the scale of it. Just imagine a black dot as the size of a person and then you have a rough idea of what I am talking about. But this is as close as we got. They are working on the paths through the Glen
Uh ho the goats have seen us, time to go
We spied glorious celebration tents in a field. (Well probably a large garden that is a field)
The young uns
The tram speeding through the trees
Blue bells everywhere
Green Lush Glens. You can't beat them, but just wish they were more accessible
Off to sunny Peel. Lovely quaint streets
Lovely door knocker in Port St Mary
see what I mean about the walls. This is growing out of nothing
So I spied some Eider Ducks (yes of the eider down fame)
But they alluded me. I wasn't sure what they were the first day I saw them, on a lovely sunny day and they were inches from me. I also didn't have my camera, sooo I went back another day and started playing tag with the tide. That was also the thing, they live on the waters edge. So I needed to wait for the tide
But I found this great door pull for a bell
The tide is well and truly out every time I walk here, maybe I need to change the time that I am walking
Super fantastic dandelion and look at those water droplets
I kid you not, the walls are alive here and stones
and night time comes to port erin
Irises are blooming and almost gone
Love the water just resting on the petals, like clear beads. Bradda Head doing it's fantastic thing in the back ground
Early morning walk up to Cregneash
Even the cows know that there is food on the walls
Through the gap to Niarbyl. Look really closely and you can see Corrins Folly all the way in Peel. I know you can see Bradda Head and Milners Tower from Corrins Folly so this all makes sense in reverse. What ever the case pretty stunning view either way
Yes wall growth
Lovely Calf of Man
and on closer inspection there is a sheen of blue. That there would be bluebells on the calf turning it blue. Amazing
Stones with lichen and this has several types. The vivid green is gorgeous
Talk about roof line on the road
The hill side looks like a streaming train with the rolling clouds on it
Yes a VR (Victoria) post box. There are a few on the island.
Need I say more, the walls have it all
Lovely steaming train off to Douglas but curiously only one carriage?
Gold Finch, he was there for a nano second
Bull finch perched on the outflow
and the Eiders are back and a little closer.
More seaweed and sky
Back to Canada and leaves! of varying shades
and my own iris, not quite out yet
look at the whirlers. These cover the pathways and turn them green, just like a carpet
and those dandelions
The horse chestnuts are out
Bleeding hearts have arrived
Don't you just love a daisy?
Fields of dandelions. You can be sure they will return next year!
Lily of the Valley, out in full and lasted like a week, it was so hot. Love the bells sneakily in the green leaves. It is like a forest of leave and flowers
Japanese Maple against the blue speckled sky
Purple Martins. They are the largest swallow we have in Ontario and they are on the decline :( But these houses do help. This is Bayfield on a perfect day
Lake is amazing
It is super warm
Lovely paths
Fabulous look out
and blooming mystery plant
The scent from the chestnut is amazing, who knew that?
and Finally my Iris flowers
Hot sun will do that
