Friday, 17th October

This morning it didn't seem quite so wet as yesterday although it still looked wet underfoot.  We started off our last day on the Isle of Man by going to Glen Maye.  The ground was indeed quite wet, but much more stable underfoot than it was yesterday!  We went down into the Glen following the water and we soon came to the waterfall which was very picturesque. Opposite there were vines of what looked like Ivy just dripping down the side of the gorge into the centre.

We continued along the pathway which took us right out into a small cove or bay which we stayed at for a few minutes before returning from where we came, along the same path.  Despit the wind today, the sun was out so it was really quite pleasant.

We went onward along the western coast to a place called Niarbyl which boasted great scenery.  It did not disappoint!  There wasn't really a coastal walk or path around here unfortunately, but there were a couple of grassy mounds which we walked on to get a better view of the area.  Here it was VERY windy indeed, so much so that we could lean into it and still stand.  I always try to recreate the photo I had taken at Banbrough Castle where I'm leaning backward into the wind on the beach, but somehow it's never really looked as good elsewhere - I just look like I'm standing there with my arms out stretched!

Windswept, we went into the cafe which was next to the car park and had some lunch.  They had Redbush tea so I had a pot, alongside a ham and roasted red pepper sandwich, whilst Mathew had a crab and watercress baguette.

Appetites satisfied, we went on to Rushen where we visited the Abbey.  At the entrance there were some 'Rushen Doll' paintings explaining the history of the site, and at the very end was one of Barry Gibb!  I couldn't resist but take a photo :). Into the Abbey, we went through an interpretation centre which started off talking about dances with strawberries and cream teas, and how the Deemster's house was turned into a Girls School, and then it went into the Monastic history of the site.

Rushen Abbey is quite small and to be honest there isn't a great deal there to see, save the foundations and the areas of archaeology which are in the middle of being dug.  There is more about the history of the site as opposed to the remains.  Before we left, we went into the 'Jam Factory' which used to be just that (although quite small), but is now a 'Fun Factory'.  We had a bit of fun, finding out that Mathew is better than me at target practice and throwing, I'm better than him at memory games and we're about the same as each other on the game where we had to 'splat' the fruits which lit up in succession!

 
We continued around to the Eastern side of the island where we went to look for King Orry's Grave.  We found the right road, but we went all the way along it before realising that the site was actually not far from where we started.  Turning back (as it happened, at Dhoon Glen car park), we kept out eye out for it, and sure enough it was there right on the corner when we had turned into the road.  Although guess what?  It was signposted from the OTHER side....of course! (Perhaps taking tips from English Heritage we think..!). It was basically a neolithic chambered cairn, and there were two parts to it - on one side of the road there was the entrance, and on the other side (behind a house) there was the grave which apparently has never been excavated.

Finally, we went back towards our Cottage but we went further north - to the Point of Ayre, the northernmost point of the Isle of Man.  The land was very flat and was very much like moorland until we got to the 'beach'.  Covered in what I can only describe as ridges and furrows (but they weren't, as this was a beach not a field) of pebbles upon pebbles, the Point of Ayre isn't too exciting - there was a light house, a fog horn and a very tiny light house which was situated on the beach.  I had to take a photo with Mathew on it for scale as it was so small compared to normal lighthouses!  It was still windy here, so as soon as we had done, we returned to the car and back to the Cottage for tea, cake, and an evening of packing and preparing to leave tomorrow.