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Published: July 11th 2017
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Can't believe this will already be our last full day on the Isle of Man. It's been so beautiful. Relaxing. Comfortable. Friendly. Pretty.
Mike did not want to ride another train. Good thing, there are no more to ride!! We left the Farm thinking we'd go to Peel, maybe take the bus to Ramsey and another up farther north. Maybe take a bus south on the west coast. Definitely will follow a walking path in the Farm guidebook that goes up from the farm then along the wall on the hillside, down to Peel near the Castle. Shorter too.
Well, it would have been if we'd been smarter. The first part was great and we were looking forward to "sit on the bench and have a rest and look around". Then we got to another one of those pesky choices. There seemed to be a path down the hill to the right through this pair of posts but the directions said to walk along the wall and there was something of a path along the wall. So, we went forward. Bad choice. Twenty minutes, loss of a clear path, and many scratched arms, hands, and ankles later, we said,
pigs
We had seen plenty of sheep and cows; i was wondering about pigs 'this was wrong' and went back. The barbed wire fence blocking our way was also a hint. Going back wasn't worse, sort of, but it wasn't fun. When we got to the choice, there was obviously writing on the wooden post that the path went down the hill or the way we'd come. No idea why we didn't see that writing nor why we didn't see how clear the down path was. Maybe because we were on the other side and just didn't see down. I don't know but the path down the hill was so easy, clear, comfy, open, etc. So, down we went, arriving in town about an hour later than we had originally expected. Took a break to wash off our sores and disinfect them, may have used that as a good reason for more ice cream, and reconnoitered (after we waited for one another on the same wall a half block apart for 15 minutes before looking around...).
Went up to see what bus was due soon. The elusive #4 (seasonal but the only one that runs by the end of the lane for the Farm) to Niarbyl came by so we got on it,
talked with the driver, and rode it down the coast, south west, talked with the driver, and stayed on to ride back to Peel, driving through Patrick and past the lane for the Farm.
Back in Peel, we went to the House of Mannanan (https://www.visitisleofman.com/things-to-do/house-of-manannan-p1291931), a history of the Vikings invasion of the Isle and, generally, of the Isle itself. Very interesting. Nice gift shop (including a stuffed Loughan sheep, very soft and cuddly, which I'm sure the new graddaughter will love) .
One thing the Isle of Man is known for are scallops called Queenies (https://www.thefish-house.co.uk/news/manx-queenies-everything-you-need-to-know/). We hadn't had any yet. After the first shop we tried didn't have any, the Marine Hotel did. We had a beer there early in the day and then, after the House of Mannanan, dinner. Yummy dinner, including Queenies.
Last walk back, took the stairwell then a public walkway we'd noticed all week which turned out to be a good short cut for the Farm. About 5 miles today.
Packed up (quite a job, with the extra shopping) and prepared for the taxi in the morning. Lovely visit!
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