Queens Drive West, Sunset

                           Remains of the day


Ramsey isn't the best place on the Isle of Man for sunsets, (we fair better for sunrises) but we do have our fair share of colourful evenings. In the opposite direction to this image, you could capture the moon. Spoiled for photographic opportunities tonight.  


For even better beach sunrsies - Jane Hards Photography 


Image part of Skywatch

Parliament Square, Isle of Man TT

                             Chasing sidecars


It's almost that time of year again the island is becomes a haven for motorbikers tourists and competitors (one of those is Mrs Nesbitt who created the abc meme) the Isle of Man TT Road Races. As you can see Parliament Square part of the race route, right in the heart of Ramsey For those who follow the races via TV, this is one of the camera checkpoints shown, passing through Parliament Square. It's also the place I do my job, TT photographer.


Jane Hards Photography - TT photos
Isle of Man TT - older post

Image part of abc

Ramsey Hairpin

                           The Biker View


Ramsey Hairpin, to those familiar with the Isle of man TT Races this will be a familiar view, a sharp turn leaving Ramsey and heading towards the mountain road. When not doubling as a racetrack as you can see it's a suburban sedate road with little traffic apart from "rush hour" commute. It's the Isle of Man. Our rush hour is a little more relaxed. You're more likely to be stuck behind a tractor than a traffic jam. If you can make it across the road in one piece, you'll find woodland walks leading to Albert Tower and a view of the town, which everyone has photographed at some point.


Jane Hards Photography - TT photos

Image part of Our World Tuesday

Mooragh Promenade

                         The beach seat view


Sundays are made for sitting on a bench and watching the waves. The more adventourous can brave the freezing cold waters and surf the waves. The photographer can sit a capture the scene. 

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

Mooragh Lake Reflections

                               Mirror Image


The local boating lake in the local park on a breeze free Spring day. O the Isle of Man, that could all change  within hours, but pretty while it lasts.

Jane Hards Photography - see more

Image part of Weekend Reflections

Open, the new tram tracks

                          Alternative travel


The tram tracks have undergone an update and renovation during the closed winter period. General maintenance and shiny new cables, and paved and painted. A popular way for tourists to view the island, by tram all the way from Ramsey, through Laxey when you can depart for Snaefell Mountian, or continue on to Douglas. It's a long ride, so if you're in a hurry bus or car might be for you, but on a sunny lazy day, a slower ride through the Manx landscape might be the way to go. If you don't mind a bit of a chill sit in the outdoor car, as it's a great vantage point for photography. 

 Jane Hards Photography

Image part of abc

England from the Isle of Man

                   The land on the horizon


Another walk up to Albert Tower, through Ballure Reservoir and no to the top. In one direction you can see Scotland, another view Ireland, and this view, the strip of slightly darker blue on the horizon, is England as viewed from the Isle of Man. On a clear day, less hazy the Lake District is a a lot more visible. But not today, too much sunshine. Not that I'm complaining.


Jane Hards Photography - more island views


Image part of Our World Tuesday.

Harbour inlet

                           Water like glass


Another old one on the little point and shoot. Locals will notice, the absence of the swimming pool, which would now be part of the skyline, next to the residential property left of the image. The harbour inlet which ebbs and flows out to sea in the image, and behind to Mooragh lake out of shot. Taken on North Shore Road, Ramsey, Isle of Man


More island images  - Jane Hards Photography

Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

Weekend reflections

                                River blues


Mirror image reflections on the Sulby river. One for my friends who miss this area more than any other part of the town of Ramsey, Isle of Man. .


Jane Hards Photography


Image part of weekend reflections

Skyline sunset, Isle of Man

                          Dark skies at dusk


The setting sun over urban Ramsey skyline, residential apartments.  Queen's Promenade looking towards St Paul's Square. 


Jane Hards Photography


Image part of Skywatch, Nikon D7000

Gladstone Park and Skyhill

                                           The back view


If the postman calls and you're not in, this is where you'll find your postal items, Gladstone Park, the white building in front of the peak in the distance Skyhill. View taken for the bridle path, formerly the train line, Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve. Plans to turn the are into a Supermarket are often rumoured, but so far no extra supermarkets. 


Jane Hards Photography

Nikon D50 about 2007 and the view is still the same.

North Barrule, Isle of Man

                                 Up North


A walk up to the Albert Tower is a great vantage point to overlook the town, the coastline or this view of the the North Barrule. Some views, are worth a climb, Captured on a sunny Summer's day.

Jane Hards Photography for more Isle of Man views from sunrise to sunset

Image part of ABC where fellow bloggers upload a image for each letter of the alphabet.

Cherry Blossom on Parliament Street

                                                                           Spring

A archive from a few years ago on the little point and shoot, taken around this time  of year on the local high street. A few regeneration changes to this area since this captured image, but pale green building is still the Mitre pub and the cherry trees still blossom. You know it's Spring when the blossom arrives. 

Parliament Street, Ramsey, Isle of Man

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of Our World Tuesday

The white bridge

in black and white


The single file bridge, the aptly white bridge, straddling the Sulby River, Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve. Sky Hill in the distance. The bridge atm is need of a coat of paint, or perhaps it should be reamed the rusty bridge.


Jane Hards Photography 


Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

Under the pier reflections

                                      Still

Back out with the little point and shoot camera, leaving the big DSLR at home. Sometimes, it's better to have the smaller camera, you look for a different view.

Queens Pier, Ramsey, Isle of Man 

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of Weekend Reflections

Mona Street & North Barrule

                                  Summer


One of my earliest photos of Ramsey, my adopted hometown. I'm standing on the corner of Mona Street, looking towards North Barrule, the grassy peak in the distance. The old swimming baths still open at the time (now the bowling alley) the tan coloured building directly below Barrule in the image. You can just see the orange vehicle parked outside the old baths, that would be a tourist coach which usually had a scheduled stop for refreshments in the old swimming baths cafe. Summer sunshine about 2006. 


Camera at this time, Nikon D50 

Jane Hards Photography

Call this one a Throwback Thursday

Mythcial, Manannan's Cloak,

                           It's a Manx thing


This week on the ABC round I am spoiled for choice, living on the Isle of Man. The local language once almost obsolete, but again being spoken by islanders is known as Manx.  Even the local sea mist (featured yesterday) has a Manx flavour, known locally as Manannan's Cloak, a mythical sea mist, a shroud to protect us from enemies thrown over the island to obscure you it from view, by the sea God Manannan also known as Manannan Mac Lir. For further reading see links below. The mist usually lasts a day or so, rolling in from the sea, over the island and can indeed be quite spooky and play havoc with your camera lens. 


Jane Hards photography - to see more of the mist rolling in from the sea. 
Manannan Mac Lir. - fro more on the Manannan
ABC - for more post on the letter of the week by fellow bloggers

I wonder if any of you out there, also have a specfic name for your local fog/mist.

Manannan's Cloak

                         The local sea fog

Manannan's Cloak is a local mist which from time to time rolls in from the sea, covering the island in a foggy, hazy, blurry shroud said to protect  the island from being seen from marauding enemies.  The sea mist gets it's name from Manannan, a sea God, who from time to time according to legend, protects the island, hence Manannan's Cloak. I don't think we are being besieged by marauding Vikings today, or even tourists for that matter, so feeling quite safe, to photograph the local phenomena. 

 

Jane Hards Photography

 

More on Manannan Mac Lir can be found here

 

Image taken Stanley Mount West, Ramsey, Isle of Man, part of Our World Tuesday

The Swan

                               Bird's eye view


This week my Skywatch image is a place familiar to readers of the blog from the early days, The Swan Pub.  A large public house situated on the corner of Lezayre Road and Parliament Square, a regular drinking hole for locals and a one Isle of Man TT tourists will recognize as a place to watch the motorbikes race round the route through Ramsey. Sunset, optional, pint and pub lunch compulsory, karaoke depends on who is singing. 


Jane Hards Photography - the people, the pub views

Image past of Skywatch, where people join one  day a week to show their skies.

Manx Taxis, Albert Road

                              The quiet time


The building to the right of the image, where the lights are on inside, is the base for Manx Taxis, situated on Albert Road. Even small towns have taxi firms for late night revellers, early morning airport runs, school runs, hospital runs and I'm having a taxi because it's raining and this shopping is heavy runs. After the school run and before the evening pub crowd go out shot. The quiet time for the night shift before the door to pubs runs start. 


Jane Hards Photography

Laa jiu, a selfie and fishing boats

                                Two for one 


Today on the blog I have combined two nemes. One day a week I introduce a Manx word, as I live on the Isle of Man. The Manx word today is coincidentally actually "today," which in Manx is "Laa jiu." The other part of the blog post contains what we are calling the "shy selfie" and somewhere in there you can spot the shadowy image of the photographer.  Image taken down by the harbour, West Quay, where moored fishing boats are at rest. 

Image Nikon D50, my old camera, around noon. 

Jane Hards Photography

Laa jiu part of ABC

Selfie part of the CDP theme day