Made it to the Isla Man without a hitch. Train from Lichfield to Liverpool was painless, ditto the ferry across, though it was a bit strange wheeling bike below to car bit. Have to say, people are generally super friendly and helpful, from man at Stafford train station who helped lift the panniered back end of bike, to immaculatly coiffered and faintly orange ferry team in Liverpool.
Sparky brother met me on his chopper and we cycled to his together. As the TT happened only a week ago he jazzed up the 20 minute cycle back to his by pointing out the numerous scenes of serious accidents. Jolly.
Got woken up early this morning by Sparky bro who gave me a work-related lift to Laxey. The plan was for me to cycle a 'leisurely' 26 miles to Douglas. So I did.
Started by going up the painful Laxey Hill. Eurgh. Ten days off the bike have reduce my professionally athletic muscles to mere blobs. Luckily, I spotted a sign which presented me with a suitable reason (excuse) to stop, wander and take photographs. Three cheers for King Orry. Hip hip!
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| Am travelling to the Outer Hebrides at the end of the summer, so I shall keep King Orry in reserve, in case I encounter any tricky hills once I'm there and need an excuse to stop and make like I've investigating the scenery. |
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| Sign details secret tunnel - oooohhhh |
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| King Orry's stone. |
Once I got that out of the way it was plain sailing....for a bit....I made it to Romsey through leafy glens and country roads. Bliss :-) Thought I'd reward myself with a mid-morning snack: Pate, croissant, chocolate, pineapple and nuts. After I'd popped to the Co-op I tried to find a well-placed bench where I could sit and stuff my face. DISCOVERY: The Isla Man has a serious deficiency when it comes to thoughtfully placed benches. I decided to sit on the verge of a river. Grassy, leafy, 'it'll do me' I thought. It did. Whilst I was sitting there an older man came up and admired bike (who wouldn't?). We got chatting, turns out he hails from (my small North Walian home town of) Ruthin. Small, small world.
Frank and wife Clare gave me directions for a not very short but scenic cut and I was off once more. If you are looking for a good place for a little walking, cycling holiday with a difference, you could do a lot worse than the Isla Man. It has decent scenery:
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| Scenery - Selby Cloddagh campsite. |
Quiet routes - provided you don't go at the beginning of June when the motorbike TT races are on.
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| This is an A road on the Isla Man - honestly! The A14. |
It has quirky things to see:
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| May pole in June. |
More quirk:
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| Yurt. |
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| Life sized woman carved in wood. |
Quality quirk:
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| Wizard |
Bizarre quirk:
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| Six metre high 'collage man' made of stuff. |
I cycled on. The road was long and steep. It was punctuated with smile-worthy snippets - such as the aptly named 'Windy Corner', but mostly it was long and steep. After I'd spent an age going up I was able to come down again and - basically - arrived home.
On the way I encountered the dire warnings:
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| I don't want to do it down but the 'ancient monument in question was a stone. Plain and simple, no frills or flounces. A stone. |
Once I had proved that I was worthy (I did not injure the stone). I was allowed to graduate up the monument checklist:
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| More exciting! Rampart AND ditch... |
And finally, got a shot of the wildlife...
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| Why did the chicken cross the road? |
So that's it, basically. Turning in now at 27 miles planned tmw and, as you well know, my body is a temple. Pffft.
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