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SOME FAVOURITE PLACES

I am often asked what I do between the activities associated with the practice and racing............I have to be truthful and say that the TT takes up a lot of the time that I am on-Island nowadays.

However I try to find time to visit some of the places my parents used to take me when time allowed. The Island is rich in beauty spots and places of interest and even all the years I have been visiting I have not seen them all ------ but I have seen a lot !!





Groudle Glen (a glen created by Richard Maltby Broadbent for the surge of summertime tourists. opened in 1893 as 'The Fern Glen of the Isle of Man) was a favourite venue especially in the days when they had a dance floor and we watched people waltzing round. The glen itself is still beautiful and is being continuously renovated.



The other active dance floor was at Rushen Abbey where we could sit and watch while we consumed large helpings of Strawberries and Cream...


Summerhill Glen presents a great way to get from the Onchan end of the prom up to Governors Bridge. We often took this route before we took cars over.



There used to be Calvary Glen near Onchan Park which represented the stages of the Cross. We were not Catholics but we befriended the priest at the time Father McGrath of St Anthony's Church who recognised us each time we visited. The glen has now gone but there are a few of the "stations" still on show...


A highlight of the middle weekend was a visit to the Open Air Service at Kirk Braddan which was very well attended and we sang the hymns as bikes went past on the road nearby...This was before Mad Sunday became another highlight but we still had a constant stream going round

In general one must visit all of the glens to get the feeling I still have about them.

I like the old capital, Castletown, which deserves a morning of exploration, especially the castle itself.

Laxey Wheel is always a place to head for and now they have the other wheel and the little train here we have another reason to while away a morning or afternoon before dashing back in time for practice . If you have a full day free you can leap aboard the MER up to the top of Snaefell to see the seven kingdoms but it must be a clear sunny day.

I like to visit Maughold and Maughold Head taking in all of the other interesting things on the way there.

Visit King Orrys grave and the stone circles.



My favourite road in the A36 which goes from Port St Mary up to St Johns....Some great views and a wonderful winding road....At St Johns turn left and go to Peel, see the House of Manannan and have Queenies at the sea front restaurant.





Try to find the Montpelier Plantation with its little derelict cottages - Wonderful subjects for photographs.







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