Brookdale

A "Linda Walk"!

 

Wednesday, 27th March, 2013

 

There was doubt about this week's walk taking place at all - after the Island experienced the heaviest snowfall for fifty years during last weekend.  We got off relatively lightly in the Glen but Dorothy was snowed in for a couple of days at Ballaugh and the west coast roads from Peel through Kirk Michael to the north were still closed on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Trevor, who lives in Peel, had suggested walking from our house on Wednesday morning but Dorothy phoned late on Tuesday afternoon to say that he didn't think he would be able to make it.  We arranged a last minute short walk with Dorothy from our house, up through Brookdale Plantation - hoping to be able to get back down the Mountain Road.

 

I decided to take Alexander even though he went on the last long hike.  Danny had two short snowy plantation walks on Saturday and Sunday and then had a bad fit of snorting/sniffing and got a nose bleed. I don't think the icy walks were to blame because he spends half the day in the garden anyway and that was full of snow and almost as cold as the plantation.  But I thought a few days rest were advisable for him.

 

The lower paths through the plantation were muddy but became increasingly snowy as we climbed the hill.  It was tiring walking through the snow but mountain bikers and hikers had already been through so some of the snow was compacted which made it easier for us.  We stopped at the frozen pool to take photographs.

 

 

 

 As we approached the Mountain Road there was a short shower of horizontal sleety snow, almost a mini-blizzard in the strong gust of wind.  Luckily it only lasted a few minutes.  We climbed over the last gate near the road.  It was easier than usual because it was more than half buried in a compacted snow drift - so we could just walk over the top.

 

 

 

The Mountain Road was still closed to most traffic but one lane had been cleared for rescue workers who were searching for sheep which had been buried in the snow drifts.  We could see men working further up the road, probing in the deep drifts.  We started walking down the road and Tim took this photo of me trying to disentangle myself from the dog lead - a regular occurrence.

 

 

 

The drifts were really deep as we approached Guthrie's Memorial.  It is hard to believe that TT practice starts along this route in less than two months.

 

There were some memorable sights as we walked down the road.   Wind sculpted snow banks and North Barrule on our right . . . .

 

. . . and on our left, Ramsey's North Promenade lit up by a little patch of sunshine.

 

 

 

I had intended walking down the road as far as the Hairpin Bend but we decided to turn off just above the Gooseneck and take a "short cut" along a footpath . . . the scenic route!

 

Tim took this photo a we started down the path . . .

 

 

 

. . . and I took this one of him following us - with North Barrule in the background.

 

 

 

 It was debatable whether the sort cut was quicker or slower than the longer route down the road.  It definitely wasn't easier.  Half way along the path, Dorothy remarked "This is turning into a Linda walk." - a term she has used to describe any particularly hazardous walk since she took Linda on a couple of walks that involved wading through a flooded river (after the bridge had washed away) and other such adventures.  At one point Dorothy decided that the path was too difficult and climbed over the fence to walk in an adjacent field.  We persisted along the path and Dorothy soon decided to rejoin us.  The footpath was blocked by deep drifts . . .

 

 

 

. . . and fallen trees but at least the snow had been compacted by the boots of earlier hikers.

 

 

 

To our amazement, our reluctant little hiker, Alexander, loved the walk!  He had a couple of slight problems.  Once he ventured off the path and got stuck in a deep drift of soft snow and Tim had to pull him out.  Then he got a bit confused when he wanted to lift his leg against a small conifer and the snow came up above his waist!  But he coped with the compacted drifts like a pro.  He has always been a good gymnast and was notorious for climbing up fences and escaping from the garden in his earlier years.  One snow bank was so steep and smooth that I was nervous about trying to walk down it - so I just sat and slid down (faster and further than I intended) but Alex seemed to relish the challenge and leapt around like a small, fat and furry mountain goat.

 

The last parts of the walk, from the Hairpin Bend, across the fields behind the golf course, and back up the Glen road - were uneventful, which was just as well because we were rather tired after surviving the "scenic route".

Skyhill

The big spring freeze!

Saturday and Sunday, 23rd and 24th March, 2013

Some unusual spring photos taken during two walks in Skyhill plantation.

 

On Saturday we walked up to photograph the view of Ramsey from the edge of the fields above Ballagarrow and then Tim returned home because he was tired after shovelling the drive.  Danny and I continued up the hill towards the top south west corner of the plantation.  Danny was very reluctant and made it obvious that he thought we should have returned to the house with Tim.  I didn't blame him because Schippies don't have very long legs and some of the snow drifts near the top of the path were over a foot deep.  We were the first ones to walk up this way.  Before we messed up the pristine snow, there were only a few rabbit prints.

 

I planned to walk along the mountain bike track on the western edge of the plantation.  Some of the trees looked amazing but there was thick snow under the trees.

 



Danny refused to go any further and went on strike.

 



 

 I could have spent hours exploring in the plantation but Danny obviously wasn't happy - so I took him home.

 

On Sunday Tim and I decided to walk up the hill again - without a dog.  Danny had other ideas and refused to come into the house when we called him so we had to take him with us again.

 

I took this photo across the glen to Brookdale plantation and North Barrule from the top of the garden.

 

 We climbed up through the trees to the wall at the top of the hill and I took this photo of Tim and Danny climbing over the snow-covered stone wall.

 

 Much to Danny's relief, the mountain bikers had already been up in the plantation and their tracks through the snow on the other side of the wall made it much easier for a small dog to walk along the path.

 

 

 

I think the best of the Ramsey photos is this one that Tim took.  There was hardly any snow in the town but the surrounding hills are pretty.

 

 

 

 I wanted to see the view of upper Glen Auldyn again so we walked along the mountain bike path that Danny refused to walk along yesterday.  This is another of Tim's photos.

 

 

 

The view up the glen was spectacular.  Our only regret was that the sun wasn't shining on the top of Snaefell.

 

 

 

I used the zoom to photograph the pool at the old quarry.  We have walked up there through the snow in previous winters but I think it would have been difficult to get up there in these conditions.

 

 

 

In the full size photo on the computer it is possible to pick out a few sheep up by the snow covered pool. They must be having difficulty finding food but were lucky to be alive - so many sheep have been lost in the drifts.

 

Corrany

 

A Spring Walk?

Monday, 18th March 2013

 

On Sunday morning we got an email from Dorothy which said "Trevor has a plan.        A walk from the Waterworks near the Albert Tower and perhaps going to the mines." 

 

I replied "Message received!  Might be a good plan to come fully equipped with waterproofs.  Have you seen the latest forecast?   "Rain, some heavy, on Monday morning, turning to sleet on the hills with the risk of a few cm of snow over the higher parts. The wet weather will clear gradually during the afternoon. East to north-east winds, becoming moderate to fresh, will make it feel very cold, highest temperatures 5 or 6 Celsius."

 

So we were quite relieved when we met up near Ballure Reservoir on Monday morning.  It was cold and cloudy but at least it was dry.  It had crossed my mind that Trevor might be planning to return from the mines along the top of the North Barrule ridge but we were saved from that possible fate by a thick layer of fog up on the mountain.

 

The dry spell didn't last long and light rain started falling as we passed the Gooseneck.  After we passed the Hibernian the rain gradually changed into sleety snow.  As you can imagine, Alexander was not amused!

 

 

 

Tim took that photo of Alex and also the next two.  I didn't want to risk using my camera in the snow and rain.  The fog, which had been higher up when we started, descended into the Corrany Valley as we trudged on along the track towards Park Llewellyn and then on towards the sheepfold.

We couldn't see the mine workings in the valley through the fog so we kept to the track until we reached the sheepfold and then turned downhill to the river and followed that until we came across the ruined mine buildings. "There are some very interesting remains of 18th - 19th century mine buildings in the lower valley, including wheel cases and supports for the pump rods they drove." **Quotes are from Rambling in the Isle of Man by Peter H Hulme.

 

 

I had discovered that my allegedly waterproof hiking boots are unfortunately not snow proof and my feet were getting wetter and colder by the minute.  So I sat down on a wet stone in front of one mine building and changed my socks.  I tried borrowing a couple of Alex's empty plastic bags, which I carry in case I need to clean up after a dog, and slipped those over my socks before replacing the sodden boots.  It helped a bit - but my feet were still unpleasantly cold and they didn't stay dry for long.  By the time I was ready to continue, the rain had almost stopped, the fog was lifting a bit and the others had finished taking photos and were waiting.  I got my camera out of its plastic bag and took this photo.  Dorothy was wearing a light plastic waterproof that she refers to as her "bin bag"!

 

 

This is the view back up the valley, as we started off down the track which leads to the main road near Corrany Bridge.

 

 

Trevor wanted to to return along a rough track up the hill towards Park Llewellyn so we turned up from the river near the mine chimneys.  We caught our first glimpses of the top of the North Barrule ridge through the last of the fog.

 

 

On the way we passed Keeill Woirrey (or Voirrey, or Moirrey - the spelling seems to vary).  Another shower of rain was threatening so I asked Tim to take this photo of the keeill.  " . . . further on we see . . . the low stone wall of Keeill Woirrey (St. Mary's Church) a very early place of Christian prayer and a graveyard.  'John the priest's stone, in the Maughold Cross House, came from this keeill." **

 

 

I had been worried about a rather high stone wall between the fields and the track back to Park Llewellyn and sure enough there was no sign of a friendly gate.  Trevor and Dorothy climbed over but the stones were wet and slippery and it wasn't easy.  Tim decided to walk along to see if he could find a gate.  I followed but on the way there was a lower section of wall.  I picked up Alexander, put him on top of the wall and then managed to climb over.  It wasn't an easy manoeuvre as I got cramp in my leg and then had to avoid getting caught up in some barbed wire.   After retrieving Alexander, I looked up to see where the others were . . . and saw Tim smugly standing on the track chatting to them!  He had found a gate just a short way ahead. His patience had paid off.

 

When we approached Park Llewellyn on the way up the valley, the old farmhouse was surrounded by snow and shrouded in light mist  . . .

 

 

By the time we returned and negotiated the wall, the mist and snow had vanished.  It was hard to believe that both photos were taken on the same morning. 

 

 

We were interested to see that an attempt has been made to clear the fields of gorse.  I wonder how they managed to burn the patches of gorse without setting fire to the surrounding grass.

 

In the distance, up on the fields past the farmhouse, Trevor noticed three hares and I stopped to watch them.  They were too far away to get a good photo but two were behaving like traditional mad March hares - standing on their hind legs "boxing" and leaping about.  I tried to focus on them but it was impossible.  Then one hare ran off up the hill and the other two sat and contemplated the unusual "spring" weather!

 

 

I wonder who was crazier . . . the Mad March Hares . . . or the Mad March Hikers.

Crosby

"Under new management"

Monday, 11th March, 2013 

    The walks are "under new management".  After reading another set of dire weather forecasts for the week ahead, I sent the following email to Dorothy and Trevor.

 

Sent: Saturday, March 09, 2013 7:32 AM

Subject: Future walks

Dear Dorothy and Trevor,

 

    Another cold and windy week looms and yet again I don't know what to suggest.

 

    I think I have been planning the walks for too many years and have completely run out of ideas.  My brain has gone on strike!  It is time that I resigned as "secretary" of the walk group.  Dorothy, perhaps you and/or Trevor can take over and come up with some new routes this year?

 

Bye,

 

Coleen

 

    So this week's walk was a bit of a lucky dip as far as we were concerned.  Trevor suggested meeting at Crosby on Monday and I must admit that I was rather apprehensive about their choice of a day after reading this forecast for Monday.  "Comments:  Severe wind chill, especially on hills (Temperatures starting around minus 5 or 6 Celsius on hilltops, with wind chill equivalent close to minus 20 Celsius). Penetrating frost/ but only small risk ice on roads. Strong winds."

 

    There was a debate about dogs before we left.  Tim thought it was too cold and we should leave them at home and Alexander looked at me as though he would report me to the MSPCA for cruelty if I even thought of taking him on a long hike.  I tended to agree with Tim until he mentioned that Danny seemed to have a slightly upset stomach.  I don't like to leave a dog with digestive problems shut in the house for the whole morning.  So I wasn't sure what to do and decided that it might be best to take him with us.  Danny must have read my mind because he came into the bedroom, looked at us, jumped on the bed, picked up Tim's tracker hat, shook it vigorously to "break its back" and grinned.  He knew he had played his "upset tum" trump card and won the argument. 

 

    I was wearing so many layers of clothes when we left that I looked almost as wide as I am high.  Not a fashionable look but excusable under the circumstances.  The temperature reading on the car dipped down to minus 1.5 degrees C on the drive down to Crosby.  The tops of the hills above Kirk Michael were white but the sun was shining and there was no ice on the main west coast road, although the Mountain Road was closed. 

 

    Trevor had chosen a route from a book of walks.  It started up the Millennium Way route from Crosby towards West Baldwin, an uphill climb which was ideal to warm us up.

 

  

The views were lovely - bright blue sky, white clouds and snow on the tops of Colden, Carraghan and Beinn-y-Phott.  Snaefell must have been living up to its name, but it was hidden behind Carraghan and Beinn-y-Phott and the top was obscured by cloud.

 

 

 

   We were even high enough to see across to St Luke's church in solitary splendour on the ridge between the East and West Baldwin valleys with Mullagh Ouyr in the background.

 

   

 

    We left the views and turned south towards Union Mills along Upper Trollaby Lane, which became a footpath through a farm before becoming a road again and turning into Trollaby Lane.   " . . . the Trolls are beings who unite preterhuman strength with demoniac malice. They are bigger and stronger than men, with fiendish tempers, and are of deformed and hideous appearance. They dwell in rocks and caverns. In their intercourse with men they are usually cruel and mischievous, and take vengeance if they have been slighted or insulted. But sometimes they can be thankful and reward such kindnesses as they may have received from men, and even do them services of their own accord. Whoever is fortunate enough to do a Troll a service is sure to be lucky for the rest of his life. They know things man does not, such as the whereabouts of hidden treasure, though, generally speaking, they are stupid and devoid of reasoning powers. They hate Christianity and the sound of church bells, so much so, that any one pursued by a Troll can get rid of him by ringing the church bells. Trolls were probably once well- known by name in Man, as they still survive in place-names such as Trollaby."  http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/fulltext/folklore/ch04.htm    Not having a church bell with us for protection, we were lucky that we didn't come across a Troll.  We did come across some impressive mud but maybe a friendly Troll was about because the mud was frozen and we got through with clean boots.

 

    Tim took this photo of Dorothy by a gate into a sea of churned up mud.  There was a footpath sign pointing into the field but it was not our route, thank goodness.

 

    And I found some mysterious old abandoned gate posts set amongst wild garlic and snowdrops.

 

    The rest of the walk was along the main road to Union Mills, where there was access to the footpath along the old railway line which took us back to the cars at Crosby.  Danny enjoyed the walk and didn't seem to be worried by the cold weather and ice on the puddles although he wasn't too happy about sharing the path back to Crosby with a very energetic and friendly puppy.  Tim picked Danny up as the puppy approached so we avoided any embarrassing anti-social growling.     

 

    It had only warmed up slightly, to plus 1.5 C, as we drove home but Trevor had chosen a good walk, mainly sheltered from the cold north easterly Arctic wind, so we didn't freeze.    The morning turned out to be the best part of the day with wintry showers passing over during the afternoon.

Introduction

Bayr ny Geayee is the old Manx name of a road in the Dreemskerry area of Maughold.  I feel justified in "borrowing" it for my blog because it is no longer in use.  That road now has the more mundane title of Old Schoolhouse Road.  Bayr ny Geayee is an appropriate name for our hikes because it means road of wind and the wind always seems to be blowing up in the hills.

For the blog address, I chose caillagh.blogspot.com   Caillagh is the Manx word for old woman.  As my name is a corruption of the Irish word for girl, that also seems appropriate!  It is time for me to grow up.

These accounts are memories of our Manx walks - starting from 11 March, 2013.  One day I may post accounts of our earlier walks on another blog.