Tag: Port Soderick

Marine Drive Circular

I have walked this route many times before, but not usually in this direction. It is so convenient to get the steam train from Port Erin to Port Soderick and walk into Douglas from there. I found this alternative route very pleasing and in many ways it affords better views walking from North to South and then back to Douglas.

I commenced the walk at the Arch on Marine Drive. If you are visiting /using a car, there is plenty of free parking just the other side of this arch. Before that, parking is limited to 2 hours on the road. The first section is about 3 miles, along an old road so very easy walking, or also suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs. You get fantastic views of the twisty rock formations and in places you can divert from the road onto grassy areas where you can rest awhile and look at the views or try to catch a glimpse of a passing porpoise (they are quite common here). On a good day you can see all the way down to the Langness peninsula.

Marine Drive stops just short of Port Soderick, and there is a lovely stopping point overlooking the bay if you have time to stand and stare (or eat your packed lunch). There are choices just beyond this point. Port Soderick Glen is very short but always lovely, and new paths have been created, so it is worth a walk down to the bay and up the Glen. You can then either retrace your steps to the top road or continue westwards on the road and catch the steam train back to Douglas.

The route I was doing fell short of this latter option, and I did not venture down to the beach but instead hiked up a grassy track that leads over the track of the steam train and follows alongside it to the village of Port Soderick. Here you get completely different views, with glimpses of the northern views and hay-stacked fields or simple grass meadows. As a bonus, you may well meet some donkeys who will be keen to say ‘hello’, but please do not feed them as they are on a special diet.

This path terminates at the old Castletown road, where we turn left and walk from a short distance a little uphill until we cross the road and take an unmarked footpath (it is on the map though) to another footpath junction. This is a delightful tree-lined path all the way downhill, and as you walk it you feel the centuries of feet that have trodden this route before. It leads to the real Fairy Bridge, which is slightly off the path. Once you have gone over the footbridge over the tiny ford, take a left immediately into the woods and follow the informal track and you will soon spot the bridge. But don’t stop there. It is interesting in itself, but take time to go over the top and down the other side. There is an area like a platform nestling beside the stream, which is relatively wide at this point, and you really do get a sense of fairies dancing in the shrubbery.

Back on the main track, this continues all the way to the main road. There is no way of avoiding this, but it is only necessary to walk on for a short distance before we turn off and walk alongside Middle river. I just love this tiny, unexpected area of wilderness. It is sandwiched between Pulrose Golf Club and a set of unattractive warehouses on an industrial estate, but these are totally masked by trees and shrubbery. At the end of this section, you do have to walk for about 50 yds through this industrial estate before turning right on the Nunnery footpath, another gem you don’t expect in an industrial setting. This follows beside the main Douglas river and you may be lucky enough to see a steam train go overhead or a kingfisher darting about the river.

The last section is unavoidable road walking into Douglas, but it is not altogether unattractive, and just a little further along, you arrive at the Marina. There are plenty of cafes along the side of the marina where you can take a rest before the final short uphill section back to the car. This, too, has its rewards as Douglas Head has amazing views of Douglas and the northern hills. On the way there, you may be fortunate as I was today to see the new boat, the Manxman, in the harbour. I can’t wait to have a ride on that massive beast 🙂

Total distance: 8 miles, but with shorter options at various places. Total ascent: 564 ft; total descent 814 ft

Spring Afternoon in Port Soderick

The western boundary

It was a lovely sunny afternoon on Saturday and what better way to get some gentle exercise than to stroll up the small but beautiful glen that is Port Soderick Glen. You really don’t need to set any time aside for this walk as it will only take you 3/4 hr even if you are walking at a leisurely pace. It has a timeless tranquillity about it, and possibly because it is only half a mile long you can imagine all the feet that have traipsed beside the stream as you jump over the boggy bits and admire the hills on either side.

I was really on my way to Tesco in Douglas. This is what is so nice about the Isle of Man. I could have done a number of different short walks along other glens on the way, driving through lovely countryside to get there. This had to be a short walk as I was still suffering with a fair amount of pain but I needed to build up my exercise after 5 weeks. The first thing that struck me was the bird song – not that I can recognise birds from their song but I enjoy trying to find out where they are perching in the trees while they perform their arias. The second thing I noticed was that it was quite wet and there was a fair amount of water in this little stream. The third thing I noticed was that the paths have been upgraded and a new higher path has emerged. Of course, I had to try this out. As I reached the ‘top’ there was water gushing off the meadow above. It had created a small path in the grassy turf before it tumbled into the glen, but where was all this water coming from? It was only a few feet to the top from there, maybe 8-10 ft, so how was it generating that kind of force? It’s good to have mysteries – just as we have our faeries and elves on the Isle of Man.

There is little to say about the walk itself. I walked one side of the stream, admiring the celandine and wood sorrel; then as I crossed to the other side there were primroses and marsh marigolds and a few stray daffodils enjoying the sun. You reach the end of the glen where it joins a track and there is a quaint bridge to the left. Follow the track to the right and it will join the road – here there is a minor tributary than joins the Crogga River that you can just about make out in the vegetation below, and there are plenty of trees as you make your way upwards. At the road, it is necessary to walk a short distance back along the road towards the sea, but then it is possible to turn back into the woodland and rejoin the river near the bridge. It feels completely different up here, with less vegetation and the trees standing tall. It is a very well made path and pleasant to walk along.

I had just joined the forest track when I spotted something on the ground, that looked like pages from a book. Indeed, this is exactly what they were. What an odd place to find such a thing. The pages were from a very old-looking book “The Land of England” and covers what happens to the land in each month. There were only a few tattered pages and they just happened to be for March, telling me how a furrow-slice works and how to gather up the ridges; also a quote from an ancient scribe on how to keep oxen. It even told me the origins of the word ‘camping’ which has absolutely nothing to do with putting up a tent in a field….

What goes up must go down, and the path down eventually ends in very nicely constructed steps, not too steep and quite manageable. From here, there is no choice but to follow the stream back to (the car park) or the sea. I had a wonderful surprise when I glanced up and saw a falcon displaying it aerial talents over the top of the trees. After this brief respite, I continued my journey. The sea hits you as something of a surprise as if you park in the lower car park and walk up the glen you wouldn’t know the sea is just to the left and only yards in front of you. And what a view when you get there. I was delighted as the tide was well in and the waves crashing on the pebbles. The beach itself is not amazing and it is a bit scruffy but I believe there are plans to do the area up a bit and restore it to its former glory.

If you want a little more of a walk, continue along the edge of the beach to the steps that lead up the northern edge of the cliff. This is an attractive addition to the walk. You can go all the way to Douglas if you really want to, along Marine Drive, but that would take you a couple of hours. However, if you time it right you can get the steam train in one direction of the other to make it a linear route. Otherwise, when you have had enough, just turn round and retrace your steps back to the car.

I confess I am still sore after my operation, and it is making me feel unwell, but I had my post op appointment yesterday and the Consultant (Mrs. Moroney) was just wonderful and reassured me that my recovery is as it should be. My operation was bigger than we were all expecting so I couldn’t expect to be in any better condition than I am right now. However, she says the chances are that I will be fighting fit again for the May walk and she said that it is often the case that just one day the patient wakes up and feels well again and there is no looking back. So I remain optimistic.

I shall be joining the U3A walk on Tuesday from Castletown to Port St Mary, but just for part of it. It will be nice to see everyone again and for life to return to some semblance of normality. This weekend I plan to do a recce for the walk I shall be leading in May, so let’s hope for some good weather.

Santon to Ballasalla and more

The last two weeks has been very varied but with few opportunities for a good walk. In addition to my usual activities I have been helping Dawn at Manx Wildlife Trust introducing young people to nature and getting them enthused. For my part, my exploits were a little more dramatic than planned with a tumble on mossy ground grazing my arm and leg on one of the events and then on Friday at Ballaugh Plantation when we were hunting dragonflies and pond-dipping, my face became a meal for any biting insect that was around, so I now have a very spotty face.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to visit The Mallards in Santon, a new project creating a botanical garden which is the brainchild of millionaire Mark Shuttleworth, funded by himself. I had been here a few years ago and was looking forward to seeing how it has developed. The aim is to capture various moods and habitats that will be sustainable and provide a long term future for species that are not usually found on the Isle of Man. There will be (amongst other things) a Japanese garden, cascading waterfalls, historical living fossils, wetlands, an amphitheatre designed to be used occasionally for outdoor activities. I won’t see all this come to fruition in my lifetime and most of it is still under construction but it was interesting to hear about their plans and I shall enjoy watching it develop over the next 10-20 years.

Following this visit, I walked down to Port Grenaugh which is about a mile downhill from Santon. The walk along the coast here is magnificent, winding in and out of the cliff edge, round deep bays and through a gorge. It does not involve a huge amount of ascent. In fact, I only climbed a total of 500ft from start to finish and it is all in short doses. It is a normal sandy cliff path, a little uneven in places and if you have a stick you might find it useful to help to balance you from time to time. Having said that, it is perfectly manageable without one, with care. There is a slightly tricky short and steep downhill section in Santon Gorge for you to negotiate but you are soon over this. Although the gorge is treelined, this is always one of my favourite sections of this path as the stream is beautiful and the colours gorgeous and you go through a small area of wetland where you can see different wildlife. It is a very peaceful area. I saw a Speckled Wood Butterfly and a Large White Butterfly, and a little further on, Common Blue Butterflies and a Foxmoth caterpillar – very popular over here.

But I am getting ahead of myself. The walk starts with a road walk, albeit very pleasant, down to Port Grenough, that follows a stream all the way down to the bay. The path then takes the beach for a short distance and then goes along the cliffs for some 2-3 miles. There are great views to the north and south as you walk along and some interesting rock formations. About half way along you descend to a bay, have another short walk along a pebbly beach before ascending the cliffs again. There are many stopping points and if you are lucky you might see some dolphins out in the bay. From Santon Gorge, where we have to go inland, we cross the river and follow the path back to the coastline. The path is signed to the left and there is a broken wall, so you can enter the grassland sooner if you prefer. Keep walking left through a gap in the gorse and this takes you to an old promentory fort, which the U3A Archaeology leader would be able to tell you all about. I think this may have been a large fort as there is another embankment on the southern side as well. It was here that I spotted an owl pellet, which was rather surprising, but I didn’t take a photo of it I’m afraid. From here it is only a short distance to the airport runway extension that you can walk round to take you to Derbyhaven and Castletown, but I followed the perimeter fence into Ballasalla to get the bus home.

My walk was 5.65 miles, with a total ascent of 499ft and descent of 561ft. My Garmin tells me the highest point at any time was 163ft so you can see this is well within most people’s capability.