2nd February
Yesterday was the ancient
Celtic festival of Imbolc, the mid point between Winter Solstice and the
Spring Equinox and marking the start of Spring. In later years it
was transformed into the Christian St Bridgit's Day, and interesting
conversion from the Celtic Goddess Brigid or in Manx Gaelic Breeshey or
Vreeshey. Here are some pictures of Snowdrops springing up at Braddan
Old Church. The original Christian Keeil here probably dated back
to around
400 AD although the
present building was constructed in the 1700s. The site was probably
a Celtic one before Christianity arrived on the island.
Panasonic TZ200
1/2/19
    
3rd February
A walk on Peel Hill.
Panasonic TZ200 1/2/19
    
    
    
    
 
4th February
A visit to the wildlife
park on Saturday afternoon. Panasonic TZ200 2/2/19
    
   
During a stroll into
the Curragh just outside the park we saw a few of the wild wallabies that
live here.
   
8th February
A visit yesterday afternoon
to the beach at Lhiannag, between Peel and Kirkmichael. The path
down had been closed for quite a while due to landslips (the whole cliff
area is very unstable), but a new path is now available, although it was
very muddy yesterday! Panasonic TZ200 7/2/19
    
    
    
An aerial view of the
area taken in August 2018.
It was quite a stormy
day today with gale force winds and some big waves. These pictures
were taken from the Port Jack area early afternoon, a little while after
high tide so the promenade 'splash over' had subsided a bit. The
'Ben my Chree' to and from Heysham was cancelled and the road between Summerhill
and Port Jack closed for a while due to the waves - didn't stop some people
though! Nikon D7100 8/2/18
    
10th February
Some aerial photography
of the old Honey Hill Farm buildings, not far from Creg-ny-Baa. This
is not your usual abandoned upland Tholtan although still at over 700 ft
above sea level, but was taken over by the Water Board in the 1940s to
protect supplies running into the reservoirs below.
DJI Spark 10/2/19
    
Following on from the
aerial photography at Honey Hill, I continued around the Glen Roy road
for some ground level pictures.
Panasonic TZ200
10/2/19
    
   
11th February
Aerial pictures of the
beach at Laxey and one from Clay Head yesterday morning. DJI
Spark 10/2/19
    
 
13th February
Aerial pictures from
two flights on Monday morning, operating from either side of the Gob ny
Rona headland south of Ramsey. The photography was made a little
difficult by needing to operate over the sea and looking into a low winter
sun which was glinting off the water and wet sands.
DJI Phantom 4 Pro
11/2/19
    
    
    
A few final pictures
at Port Lewaigue and Port e Vullen, cropped for a wider perspective view.
  
15th February
A set of pictures taken
yesterday afternoon on a circular walk from Port Erin to the Calf Sound,
returning via Cregneash. The walk was 5.5 miles long, going from
sea level up to nearly 500ft - twice! I spent 2.5 hours on it, stopping
to take pictures regularly. Panasonic TZ200 14/2/19
    
    
    
    
 
16th February
Some pictures from yesterday
afternoon, taken on a walk in Groudle Glen. Panasonic TZ200
15/2/19
    
    
    
19th February
Walking around the City
of Peel after lunch at The Creek inn. Panasonic TZ200 18/2/19
    
    
    
 
23rd February
A set of pictures taken
on a walk around Laxey yesterday afternoon. Panasonic TZ200
22/2/19
    
    
    
    
25th February
Yesterday afternoon
I went for a walk in the Tholt-y-Will Plantation, starting from the Druidale
Road. The plantation is on the opposite side of Sulby Glen from the Tholt-y-Will
Glen and contains two interesting old tholtans, or abandoned farms.
The first I visited is Sharragh Bedn, which is easily seen from the forest
track, but the second one, Craigmooar, is well hidden in the trees and
it's easy to walk past on the track without realizing it.
Panasonic TZ200
24/2/19
    
    
    
    
   
26th February
After my visit to the
two tholtans in Tholt-y-Will plantation on Sunday afternoon, yesterday
I went to the third one on the same slopes to take some aerial pictures
of it. This is Killabrega, a bit further to the north and outside
the plantation area. DJI Spark 25/2/19
    
    
27th February
Aerial pictures flying
from the sands of Ballure Beach, Ramsey, mainly to get some pictures of
the Queen's Pier. After years of neglect and having been closed to
the public, a trust has been established to restore it: Queen's
Pier Restoration Trust
DJI Phantom 4 Pro
26/2/19
    
    
28th February
A short walk on
Tuesday afternoon from Port Grenaugh past Arragon and returning via the
coast path on a sunny and unseasonably warm afternoon.
Panasonic TZ200
26/2/19
    
    
    
  
After the sunny and
warm weather of the previous few days, Wednesday was very dull, with fog
affecting the island.
Panasonic TZ200
27/2/19
 
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