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 Unless otherwise credited all pictures on this website are  © Jon Wornham
2nd July
Old mines and tholtans!  High in the hills above the village of Foxdale are the remains of several former mines and a few tholtans.  I was really wanting to do a couple of test flights with the little drone to check something out and the area is ideal as there are rarely many people there and a lot of open area.
DJI Mini 2  1/7/21
 
The fifth of July (Monday) is Tynwald Day, the annual open air parliament session for the Isle of Man Government.  It's the Manx National Day and the ceremony is attended by large numbers of islanders and visitors, normally from around the world, but such numbers will probably be restricted this year.  Much as I would like to take some aerial pictures during the ceremonies, such flying is prohibited under a Restriction of Flying Order.  I did take some general views of the area yesterday evening, although my flying looked at one time going to be restricted not by regulations but sea fog!  DJI Mini 2 1/7/21
 
 
3rd July
This was the fourth flight of the day on Thursday and was really just intended as a test flight with a new version of the DJI Fly app.  The lighting at sunset was however great, with a bonus of sea fog covering some of the fields at a distance and I was really pleased with the pictures of Cronk-ny-Mona, Governor's Hill and Birch Hill.  Not so pleased with the new version of 'Fly', which crashed (the app, not the drone!) within seconds of take-off and subsequently partially locked up later in the flight and required re-starting.  Fortunately the actual drone control system is separate from the app so no problems with flying.
DJI Mini 2 1/7/21
 
 
4th July
After the problems I'd had with the new version of the DJI Fly app, I uninstalled it and re-installed an older version so was wanting to do a test to see if the problems persisted.  The weather wasn't great with a lot of low cloud around but it looked brighter around the Sulby Reservoir so I thought that I'd use that area.  As of this morning I see that DJI have brought out yet another app update, but the weather today is totally unsuitable for testing it with rain and low cloud.
DJI Mini 2 2/7/21
 
 
5th July
Happy Tynwald Day to all visitors!
Tynwald Day pictures from 2014
 
 
7th July
Some more test flying was needed on the Mini 2 drone.  I always try to find somewhere that is both suitable for the test flight and that will also result in some interesting photos, so with light winds chose the moorlands around the Bungalow for this flight.  DJI Mini 2 6/7/21
 
With the test flight satisfactorily completed, I was on my way back home when I noticed that the sunshine was picking out the fields of the East Baldwin valley, so I had a quick stop at Keppel Gate for another flight.  DJI Mini 2 6/7/21
 
There are three new Aircraft pictures in Aircraft 2021 Pt 3.   Nikon D7100 5/7/21
 
 
9th July
Yesterday afternoon I took a walk along the west coast from the Sartfield Road, Jurby, down to Jurby Head to have a look at the 'Pasages' shipwreck there. This can only be seen at low tide though there are no safety issues with doing the walk at any time as there is always some of the beach exposed and it forms part of the Raad-ny-Foilan coastal path at this point.  Panasonic TZ200  8/7/21
I had the little DJI Mini 2 drone in my rucksack as I wanted to get some aerial shots and also conduct another test flight with the latest version of their 'Fly' software that had given me some problems since it was released.  After around ten minutes, when I had shot the first set of pictures below, the app crashed leaving me with a black screen on my phone and refused to re-start, so I flew the drone back visually while I decided whether to try another flight.  DJI Mini 2
After a short consideration as to whether to just re-boot the app with the drone on the ground, I decided that I had done enough unpaid test flying work for DJI, so I completely uninstalled it and installed an earlier version that I had available on the phone.  The following pictures were taken using that version which performed with no issues at all, looking mainly at some of the interesting features just inland from Jurby Head.  DJI Mini 2
Extra - 10/7/21 - Three 360 Aerial Panoramas that I didn't have time to add yesterday.
 
 
10th July
There are twenty one new Railway pictures taken yesterday afternoon in Railways 2021 Pt 3.  Panasonic TZ200 9/7/21
 
 
12th July
While I was at Laxey on Friday taking the Electric Railway pictures I wanted to try the project here, some aerial 360 shots in and over the Valley Gardens.  I had hoped that there would be nobody there at around 4 o'clock in the afternoon, but the two young ladies with children were very understanding when I explained what I was trying to do and didn't have a problem with me flying the little drone.  Hopefully they will get to see these pictures.  For more information about the mine and its operations I can highly recommend Andrew Scarffe's excellent book 'The Great Laxey Mine'.
DJI Mini 2  9/7/21
The 360 degree Interactive Panoramas
 
 
13th July
A few pictures taken at Port Erin on Sunday morning, apart from the first one they're all aerial.  Panasonic TZ200 & DJI Mini 2 11/7/21
 
 
14th July
There are six new Railway pictures in Railways 2021 Pt 3.  DJI Mini 2 11/7/21
 
On Sunday afternoon I walked from Agneash along the track to the old Snaefell Mine and back. These aerial pictures were taken at various points along the way. I also took ground level pictures but as I repeated the walk (with a considerable extension) yesterday, I'll leave the ground level scenes for another day.
DJI Mini 2  11/7/21
 
 
15th July
As mentioned before, on Tuesday afternoon I repeated the walk from Agneash to the Snaefell Mine, but continued onwards to return via the paths and tracks much higher in the hills.  It was a lovely clear and sunny day, so the views were great.  Panasonic TZ200 13/7/21
 
 
16th July
There are four new Aircraft pictures taken yesterday morning in Aircraft 2021 Pt 3.   Panasonic FZ72 & Nikon D7100  15/7/21
 
Late yesterday afternoon I had a stroll around the new Nature Reserve opened this year in Laxey Glen.  The reserve is on private land, but owners Stewart and Barbara have created some paths through and opened it to the public from earlier this year.  You can enter by the Salmon Centre lake in Laxey and the path will take you up to the Agneash Road, if you wish.  Panasonic TZ200 15/7/21
 
 
17th July
There are seven new Railway pictures taken yesterday in Railways 2021 Pt 3.  Panasonic TZ200 16/7/21
 
 
19th July
On Saturday morning I carried out a couple of 'scout' flights around the National Sports Centre in Douglas.  The main intention of them was to work out operating locations and camera angles for a possible commercial video feed operation on the following day.  The video session didn't happen in the end but I thought that I'd share a few of the shots and 360 panoramas here.  DJI Mini 2 17/7/21
 
 
20th July
A few pictures taken on the west coast south of Kirkmichael on Sunday afternoon.  Panasonic TZ200 18/7/21
 
 
21st July
Yesterday afternoon we took the tram from Laxey to Snaefell Summit - it was far too hot for walking!  I took the Mini 2 drone and did some aerial photography followed by some ground level shots before we had to catch the last tram back down.  DJI Mini 2 & Panasonic TZ200  20/7/21
 
There are five new Railway pictures from yesterday afternoon in Railways 2021 Pt 3.  Panasonic TZ200 & DJI Mini 2 20/7/21
 
After the trip down the mountain in a rather busy and hot tram, we quite fancied an ice cream, but the station cafe was closed by that time and the nearby Co-op shop had their freezer in full sunlight right by the door and a rather uninteresting selection, so we skipped that idea and went for a paddle at the beach instead!
 
 
23rd July
Yesterday was probably the hottest day of the year (so far, anyway) with temperatures getting very close to if not exceeding 30c, so a visit to a remote beach on the west coast seemed a good idea in the afternoon, with a few swims in the sea to cool down from time to time!  Panasonic TZ200 22/7/21
 
 
24th July
On Thursday afternoon  the volunteers of the Queen's Pier Restoration Trust held an opening ceremony for the first section of the restored pier, which was originally opened on 22nd July 1886. It finally closed in 1990 and was allowed to fall into disrepair by owners the Isle of Man Government until the restoration trust was formed in 2015 with the aim of restoring the pier to its former glory.  I wasn't there on Thursday but yesterday afternoon I took some aerial shots of the pier, although the drone was pestered almost the whole time by a pair of Oystercatchers who presumably considered it as a threat.  DJI Mini 2 23/7/21
 
 
26th July
A visit for the second day of the Port Erin Beach Festival.  I was there fairly early on the Sunday morning so it was still quite quiet, but apparently the Saturday had been very busy.  The weather was ideal, not too hot but lots of sunshine and calm seas.  Panasonic TZ200 & DJI Mini 2.  25/7/21
 
 
27th July
Some 'lucky chance' aerial pictures taken yesterday morning.  I hadn't planned a photography trip, but was watering the garden and noticed the low cloud drifting down the hills and central valley, so I grabbed the little drone and headed initially for Keppel Gate to have a look at the East Baldwin Valley.
DJI Mini 2 26/7/21
After the flight from above Slieau Ree (Keppel Gate) I thought that I'd try and find another location for a different angle on the low cloud and headed for West Baldwin.  All along the Beinn-y-Phott road I was driving through thick fog, that persisted until I was dropping down Injebreck Hill.  West Baldwin was in sunshine again and I found a suitable spot to the south of the hamlet, not far from Mount Rule.
 
 
30th July
There are nine new Aircraft pictures in Aircraft 2021 Pt 3.   Panasonic TZ200 29/7/21
 
Following my aerial photography sortie at Port Erin on Sunday where I'd wondered about the origins of the stone staircase leading down the the little beach, Dave Martin came up with the answer and a link to a very interesting article about it originally published in the Isle of Man Examiner.  Apparently it was the first Marine Biological Research Station, constructed in 1892 and used as such until they moved to the later and better known establishment in 1902.  Subsequently the buildings were used as St Columba's Catholic Chapel and when they moved as a mortuary - hence the nickname 'Mortuary Beach'.  I re-visited yesterday afternoon to take some ground level pictures of the site, it had been raining for most of the day but fortunately cleared up in the afternoon.  Panasonic TZ200 29/7/21
 
On the way home from Port Erin, routing via The Sloc, I stopped at the little picnic area above Ballakillowey which has such great views over the area below.  I shot a series of ten carefully hand held shots that I've stitched together in PtGui to create the scrollable panorama below.  Panasonic TZ200 29/7/21
 
31st July
Just one picture (actually five as it's merged from five original AEB shots!) taken of the purple 'Nicky's Nook' in Ramsey yesterday afternoon.  Rather a dull and overcast day, South Barrule is in the clouds behind, but unusually there were no cars or vans parked in front.  Panasonic TZ200 30/7/21
 
 
1st August
I had thought that the picture posted yesterday of 'Nicky's Nook' would be the last for the July section, but yesterday afternoon we visited Molly Carooin's Cottage in Old Onchan, which was open for visitors on the Saturday and Sunday afternoon's.  A very interesting history, narrated by the guide, lots of interesting facts including that Molly's real name was actually Annie and that the cottage was originally a weavers shed.  Panasonic TZ200 31/7/21
 
After visiting Molly's cottage, we continued down to Douglas for some shopping, but I also took the opportunity to take some photos at the sunken gardens, which despite all of the promenade works taking place around the, are looking as lovely as ever.
 
 Unless otherwise credited all pictures on this website are  © Jon Wornham