Walk to Work Day

Car service time again, so as it was a good day, I planned to walk over the downs to the office and back again in the afternoon.

Part of the walk covered the usual route over the tops but also one covered by the poddle a few years ago.

Both routes involved going over the A3 and through the playing fields ... different route to the campus through the new buildings.
On the south side though I followed the north downs path in the morning , but closer to the google route in the afternoon ... google is not good for footpaths at the moment

Conwy castle, Conwy

I have never been to Conwy castle ... it is too far around the coast for our normal run to Snowdonia. As one of the early castles in the Welsh ring. As we were down the road it was a simple choice to go visit.
As a weekend it was relatively busy and not helped by a local carnival and a running race. Parking in the large car park outside the walls.

Back to the castle entrance

Through the retail element and up the approach to get to the gatehouse.
On the other side is this sculpture guarding the bailey. A view up to the original castle in the area high on the hill opposite, then through to the inner bailey.

In one of the towers was a scale model of the town and the castle as it was perceived.

The posh end .. outside on the "patio"

The view over the end of the town

The bridges over the river ... the train box bridge being the first then the suspension road bridge, finally the modern road bridge.

Back through the rooms and towers ... a lot of the corner towers had access to the top with views over the surrounding areas.
A couple of sculptures ...one of a hanging crown and head, the other of a tower of Armour with a sword at the top.

After the tour we came out and went around the town walls ... starting with a walk along the front then up the walls at the end of the town, climbing to the high point opposite the castle ... then down towards the castle. At the gate we came in - the wall walk ended, and we used the opportunity to return to the van and had some lunch.

Laxley Wheel & Mill

Last day on the island ... we had an afternoon ferry, so not time for anything complex. Time to be a grockle ...

Over to Laxley to look at the wheel - A bit of a pain to get to as the signs for parking were a little "local", so parked up and walked up to the wheel. We did not pay to go in, but looked from the outside.
.. once we got back to the van, we drove around to the village to see what else there was .. However we saw signs to the woolen mill and craft area. Back to the same parking slot and from here we walked down towards the craft mill.

On the way down we passed the rock preparation yard with a replica wheel.
In the woolen mill we saw a loom in operation .. modern variety with a very small shuttle. the best bit was the exhibition on the floor above ... lots of the usual painting, pottery and wooden bits.

Dropping down into Douglas, having failed dismally to find anywhere better to stop for lunch ... we ended up on the promenade.

Lunch in the back of the van people watching at the end of the horse tram run and the beginning of the electric train.
Not sure if this is a Manx cat or just a loped tail, but it was owning the road.

Calf of Man & The Chasms, Isle of Man

We ended up at the end of the island .. the road terminated at a cafe looking out over the sound to the calf of man.

Parking here we had a wander around. The monument was to islanders who worked on the rescue of seamen from a floundering ship.

The calf of man and the sound.

then avoiding the café, but making use of the facilities, we then set off again north.
The oldest village on the isle was Cregneash .. There was an original blackhouse here and some old features.
On the hill above was a strange structure I had seen from the train and also from the spit earlier in the day ... so we parked up and walked past the museum and up the hill to get a closer look. half hoping it was shelter over something historic.

. but It was Only comms "stuff". I later found out it is airport approach "stuff"

At the top of the hill was a major footpath leading down to a building on the horizon ... with large letters painted on the side "The Chasms".
It also had good views down to the calf of Man, and the southernmost lighthouse.

Beyond the building, which was now just a shelter, but research later showed it used to be a cafe, was a gate to an area through gorse bushes to the cliff edge.

Once you went a short way we encountered the first of the "chasms" or crevasses in the limestone.

even bigger closer to the edge ... and over the cliffs. Looking back up to the shelter.. there was only one route through

Back passed the Blackhouse and up to the car park.

Back at the van we planned to head back up the west coast to the campsite ... Again with all the walking in the day we did not feel like the long walk to the pub so opted to drive to the Mitre and repeat the earlier day.
On the way back we went over the end of the hills and looked over to Castletown and saw the spit and the walking route.

Scarlett Point, Isle of Man

On the headland to the south of Castletown was the quarry where all the stone for the castle was recovered, it also had old lime kilns. We had seen them from the castle as well as from the walk around the spit earlier.

The quarry was flooded and out of use now, but provided the point where you could park and walk to the end of the point.

The lime kilns were visible from the track as it came around to the point. The limestone slabs on the shore were quite impressive

The track to the kilns was a little eroded, but the kilns were quite well preserved, apart from the fact they had not been emptied after the last firing.

The kilns are seen better from closer to the sea.

Wildlife at large

Limestone wash and pebble elevated beach .. all part of the Eco-structure here.

then back to the van and a continuation around the coast to the south.