ANOTHER happy group of walkers voted today (Wednesday) “the best so far” as they completed the third day of the Isle of Man Walking Festival.
Seven groups of walkers successfully completed a wide variety of walks all over the Island visiting the Island’s beauty spots and tackling some tough hill climbs in the process.
“Everyone seems to be really enjoying themselves,” said festival organiser Mick Salmon. “I would say this has been the best day so far. There were lots of really positive comments from all the groups.”
The walk enters its fourth day tomorrow (Thursday) and concludes on Friday, followed in the evening by a final social evening and the presentation of certificates to the walkers who have completed the 90-mile Coastal Path walk.
The social evening laid on for a group of around 150 walkers this evening at the Villa Marina was the Lhon Dhoo Male Voice Choir. Another group of walkers also took part in the Peel Ghost Walk.
The six walks for Thursday are as follows:-
• Crosby - The Beary - Greeba (9.9 miles): Start on the Millennium Way, then a climb along Slieau Ruy and Lhergy Ruy, offering fantastic views from the centre of the Island across to both Douglas and Peel. At Slieau Maggle plantation the walk goes through a forest track finishing at Greeba Bridge on the TT course.
• Maughold - Port-e-Vullen (5.4 miles): The route starts in the tranquil bays of Port Lewaigue and Port-e-Vullen before taking the coastal path to Maughold and its lighthouse and then south to Port Mooar. A further few miles along the coast takes the walkers to Glen Mona then back to the Ballajora halt on the electric tram line.
• Glen Maye - St John’s (3.7 miles): A visit to Glen Maye’s waterfall, in the glen, is a must before leaving the village and taking a route which climbs past old mine workings and then to the peak of Slieau Whallian which offers fabulous views over the valleys of Foxdale and St John’s. The walk finishes in the village of St John’s and its unique Tynwald Hill which is used each year for the annual open air sitting of Tynwald, the Manx parliament.
• Castletown - Langness (6.1 miles): The walk starts in the ancient capital and then follows the coastline through Langness and Derbyhaven and St Michael’s Isle. This is a comfortable walk on flat terrain and offers lots of opportunities to view the wildlife and particularly seabirds.
• Ballaugh Curragh (2 hours easy walking): The Ballaugh Curragh is a unique wetland habitat which is home to a variety of wildlife, including a healthy population of red neck wallabies. Two wallabies escaped from the adjacent Wild Life Park some years ago and they have multiplied since and number around 100. But they aren't easy to see. The guide for this walk is John ‘Dog’ Callister, who has worked in the Curragh most of his life.
The walkers tackling the 90-mile Coastal Path route will spend most of their Thursday walk on the sand and shingle beaches of the north of the Island, from Blue Point, past the Point of Ayre and its lighthouse and then turning south, passing through Ramsey and finishing at Maughold Head.
A new event takes place on Thursday - a walk along The Herring Way (Bayr ny Skeddan). This covers 15.5 miles and is marked Grade A, for experienced walkers only. The Herring Way is dedicated to the fishermen from many years ago who walked between Peel and Castletown to sell their wares. Starting in Peel, the route goes through Glen Maye, Niarbyl, over Dalby Mountain and down Silverdale Glen, visiting the Monk’s Bridge and Rushen Abbey before finishing in Castletown.
The social event at the Villa Marina tomorrow night (Thursday) is bingo and 60s music. The Ghost Walk option is for Castletown.
