Friday 24th September 2021

We were not to leave by our coach until 10:30 this morning so I was happy to have a little lie-in and a late breakfast. Today we were to board the Manx Electric Railway at 11:10 from the Ramsey Railway Station which was only a short distance from our hotel. It will be a 17-mile trip from Ramsey to Douglas via Laxey. I was eagerly looking forward to it. We all waited at the station in a passenger shelter which just about accommodated all of us. The train arrived but it needed some clever electrical manoeuvres of the long pole jutting from the carriages to be attached to the appropriate overhead cables for its return journey to Douglas. This was neatly done by the 2-member crew and the carriages were shunted onto the correct track. It was fascinating to watch then do it. We boarded the train some in the closed carriage in the front and some of us including me were in the open carriage – no doors no windows just bench to sit on! It was a beautiful sunny morning crisp and bracing. With a whistle we were off. It was an exhilarating journey with a feast for the senses with glimpses of hills, green pasture with sheep grazing, sea, trees and flora. I didn’t mind the rush of cold breeze through the open carriage and had ample opportunity to use my phone for taking pictures as well as videos. We passed small villages with quaint stations and the train just clattered its way to Douglas. When we passed the big red mining Wheel as we approached Laxey there was excitement for the wheel which, we had seen from close earlier in the week, looked small partially hidden by the surrounding trees. It was still a picturesque sight. We reached Douglas about 12:30 and the coach was waiting for us to take us to Peel situated on the West coast almost opposite to Douglas on the East coast.  It is probably worth mentioning that Isle of Man is approximately 33 miles long and 13 miles wide giving an area of roughly 200 square miles and the current population is around 84,500 – so the guide book tells me. We were booked to visit Peel Castle for 14:30. Being a National Trust property folks who were not members of NT had to pay for the visit. There was time to spare and I was a little peckish so, stopped at a small outlet for hot snacks or sandwiches on the promenade with view of the sea and pestering crows.  Other members had the same idea. Fed, we walked a small distance to the Peel Castle. The architect of the ruins was impressive and I took a few pictures. At the gate we were told that there has been an infestation of rabbits in the grassy grounds in the castle. We were asked to be careful of hidden rabbit-holes so as not to twist our ankles.  The ground was undulating and not easy to walk on. The view of Peel and the sea from across the Castle wall was impressive. Peel used to be a thriving fishing industry. The Peel Port is, so the Guide book tells me, known for oak-smoked Manx kippers! Peel is the only town to have cathedral which gives the ancient fishing port the status of a city. Peel had an old feel and a feel of not being affluent – not neglected but not rich. I did walk on a slightly hilly road to visit the cathedral. It was not impressive or imposing as cathedrals we know in England. I couldn’t go in unfortunately for there was some ceremony in progress at the time. So, I walked to the coach and was glad to be seated.

A longish coach ride back to the hotel. We arrived close to 5:30 pm. Some brave ones went for a walk on the promenade just a minute or two away from the hotel before meeting for dinner. Dinners were always good and with beer or wine it was even better. It is early to bed tonight for an early start in the morning to meet our return ferry crossing at Douglas at 8:45 am. We were told to have our cases outside our room door at 6:00 am before we go for our last breakfast in Isle of Man. Cases were packed the night before ready to be taken to the coach in the morning.