Ohio

A green and pleasant walk.

 

Wednesday 19th June, 2013.

 

After setting out from the camping ground at the Sulby Claddagh, I stopped to take a photo outside Ballamanaugh.  When I caught up with the others, they were staring in awe at an enormous weed the likes of which they had never seen before.  It was a giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) and it was just a baby giant.  My wild flower book says that they can grow over five metres tall with  flower heads over half a metre across.  They are not common on the Island and are only found in this area.  They are best avoided.  According to Wikipedia "Giant hogweed is a phototoxic plant. Its sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (severe skin inflammations) when the skin is exposed to sunlight or to ultraviolet rays. Initially, the skin colours red and starts itching. Then blisters form as it burns within 48 hours. They form black or purplish scars that can last several years. Hospitalisation may be necessary"!

 

 

 

As we climbed up the track through Ohio Plantation we had the unfamiliar experience of feeling too hot - even though we were walking in the shade.  It was a fairly steep climb and there wasn't a breath of wind in the shelter of the trees. 

 

Enough sunlight was filtering through the trees for the ferns to flourish.

 

 

 

Once we reached the top of the hill there was a refreshing breeze and we felt cooler although we were walking in the sun.   I was glad that Trevor hadn't chosen the walk to the Creg Bedn  - the huge block of quartz which you can see on the hillside in the background of the next photo.  If he had, our route would have been through this field of cattle.  A frightening prospect because there were some calves and protective mothers in the group. 

 

I met a man in Sky Hill plantation once who told me that the Creg Bedn was a fairy rock and was known to move.  I rather doubted that theory but there are some scientific instruments in the area which I have been told are there to measure earth tremors - so perhaps he was right after all.

 

 

 

We stopped at the edge of the fields and I took this photo of the gates which were half buried in snow last time we passed this way on the first day of April.

 

 

 

It was interesting to compare Wednesday's image with Tim's photo of our last visit, when only the tops of the gates were visible above the compacted snow drifts.

 

 

 

We walked along the track to the top of the Narradale Road but Trevor said that he wanted to return down the Kerrowmoar track.  There were two options - either to cut across through the heather to the junction between the Millennium Way and the Kerrowmoar track, or to walk south along the footpath which is a continuation of the Narradale Road until we reached the  Millennium Way.  I suggested the second route - it was longer but much easier, especially for Danny because his legs are not long enough to cope with tall heather.

 

While we were walking along through the heather moorland a curlew flew overhead and circled around.  And then we were entertained by some meadow pipits which flew overhead doing a slightly inferior tweety imitation of sky larks and then perched on the heather near the path and watched us until we were safely through their territory. 

 

There were some beautiful patches of cotton grass (Eriophorum augustifolium) flowering amongst the heather.

 

 

 

Here is a close-up.  Cotton grass is difficult to photograph because it tends to look blurred even if it is in perfect focus . . . and it dances around in the slightest breeze.

 

 

 

We stopped on the Millennium Way to watch a return visit from the curlew, and an aerial display by three ravens, and then a probable kestrel (which might have been a hen harrier).  Birds are difficult to identify positively when they are flying high and the sky is bright.  I tried to get a photograph but ended up with a few nice blue sky pictures - some of which had a minute dark blemish which was hard to recognise as a bird.  Recognising the species from that photographic evidence was out of the question.

 

As we approached the gate, where we needed to turn left onto the Kerrowmoar track, I remembered taking a photo from this spot in August 2011, of Tim and Timothy.  It was a clear day and the view and the heather were breathtaking.  I think the heather will be disappointing this year.  The tops of most of the taller plants have died back after being buried in snow and, although the growth is regenerating from the lower shoots, it will take a while before the plants have fully recovered.

 

20 June 2013

 

27 August 2011

 

 

Walking down towards the main road we enjoyed the view of the valley below us - between our track and the Narradale Road.  It was such a green and peaceful scene that it inspired an urge to mangle and combine quotes . . . a green and pleasant land . . .  mountain greenery . . . how green was my valley . . . where sheep may safely graze.  How about a green and pleasant mountain valley where sheep may safely graze?

 

 

 

And to the north, guarding the entrance to the valley from the northern plain, Cronk Sumark - the site of an ancient hill fort.  The terraces cut to support defensive barricades are clearly visible.

 

 

 

As we passed a derelict property we saw a bright pink rose scrambling through the overgrown hedge.  All the flowers were the same deep pink . . .  in this case the camera lied.  It interested me to see the difference between the flower in deep shade which is the true colour, the paler one in lighter shade and the harsh bleaching effect of the full sun on the lowest flower.

 

 

 

We had to walk for a short way along the main road before passing the Ginger Hall, a well-known local pub.  It has given its name to this bend in the TT course where we turned left to follow the back road to the Claddagh.  The origin of the name of the hotel is interesting.   According to Peter J. Hulme "Grangee (Mx) = (Farm) 'of the Grange - monastic grange in former times.  Ginger Hall - formerly Gringee Hall - derived from the above".  But the Isle of Man Pub & Brewery Guide has a different explanation.  They say " . . . the hotel is one of the oldest, pre dating 1818, and acquired its name from the original licensee who used to brew his own ginger beer."

 

 

 

 

PS (Friday morning).  I am worried about Danny.  We think he had a mild stroke during the night.  He was all right last night but was staggering and falling over when he woke this morning.  We haven't taken him to the vet yet.  I don't think the stress would do him any good.  He is better than he was earlier today and can walk around without falling now - but he is still a bit uncoordinated and is holding his head on one side - a classic symptom of stroke in a dog.  He ate his breakfast and even managed a short dog fight with Leo, who sensed that Danny was vulnerable and tried to pinch his food.  And they say that dogs are nicer than people!  Tim says Leo should have been a banker.