Harbour reflections

                                    Still waters


Not a recent image as the Isle of Man seems to be under a rain cloud for the past 3 weeks. Grey skies do make great black and white landscapes though.  The in-between pubs walk shot. Mirror image of the Sulby River, moored boats along the quayside, looking towards Bowring Road. 


Image part of Skywatch, were other sky shots of the world can be seen.

Stormy weather over Snaefell

                            It's not all sunsets



Snaefell is the Mountain you can see bottom right of the photo. On a clear day you can see for miles, across to England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Not on a stormy weather day though like today. That's when the pub is a better option. Taken from the Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve.


Snaefell 
Poyll Dooey on a sunnier and snowier days


Image part of Abc

Autumn Sunsets

                         Remains of the day


One from the archives. The Poyll Dooey Nature Reserve. Dying embers of the evening sky. No street light, purer colours.  Bit of peace and quiet in a noisy world.


Image part of  Our World Tuesday


Nikon D50, Ramsey, Isle of Man.

Before the strom

                             Rain never stops play


Mooragh Promenade and beach
Ramsey
Isle of Man


The view before the rugby game. You can tell when the game starts, that's always when the rain hits. If you like an apartment with a sea view though, with a park seconds away. This is your spot.



Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

Sulby River Reflections

                             Mirror Image


Sulny River
Sulby Bridge

Nothing changes much apart from the weather and the camera. This was taken 2008, on a Nikon D50, attempting manual settings.

Image part of weekend reflections

Sunshine on a rainy day

                                      Sunrise


Image part of Skywatch and other around the world can be seen here

Don't be fooled by the vivid orange sunrise. Wait a minute on the Isle of Man and the rain will shortly follow. Nice while it lasts though.

Mad Sunday, Isle of Man TT - Pink Panther, of course

                       Fancy dress, optional.....


.....but a lap of the famous Isle of Man TT course isn't for tourists and locals. It's all part of the two week Road Races fun, some for charity, some just for the hell of it.  Motorbikes as far as the eye can see down Road, Lezayre turrning into Parliament Square. For more bikers in costume click here. 

Image part of ABC

Denise will understand. 

More TT Race images here

Where the brook meets the sea

                  Here. Behind me is the beach


If you follow the path upwards through Ballure Glen across the road and further upwards you'll reach the source of the brook, Ballure Reservoir. Behind me is the beach and the brook becomes a trickle until it eventually meets the Irish Sea. At high tide, you can't enter the the Glen via the beach, so always best to check those tide times.

Image part of Our World Tuesday. Click the link for others around the world. 

For more Isle of Man Images see here.

Shadows and sunshine

                              Halfway point


Crossing the bridge that connects one side of Ramsey to the other. Midday sunshine casting shadows patterns

Ramsey Swing Bridge, Isle of Man

Image part of The Weekend in Black and White

Gimme Shelter

from the rain, because it's not always blue skies
 


A Saturday photo. The place where I sit before photographing Ramsey Rugby, and the half time break. The beginning of the season is around late August each year, and blue skies abound. Fast forward a few months and winter rugby games are accompanied with torrential rain, and howling gales. This is where I seek shelter. This bench nestled within a brick structure on Mooragh Promenade, overlooking the Irish Sea. There is more than one of these shelters along the promenade, but this is the one right behind the rugby pitch. Though with the horizontal rain, it's not always as sheltering as it should be. Theme day on the blog today, with all the other City Daily bloggers is Shelter. 

Click here for other images from the daily photos
Click here for Skywatch for skies around the world

Ramsey Rocks, sunset

                               Street party


Ramsey Rocks, I've mentioned before is a annual event that takes place in the town along the harbour quayside each July. For one night only, bands, kids entertainment, food stalls etc are out in force. Except this year. This year was a washout, and cancelled due the inclement weather. The image of a full town turnout resplendent with sunset, was, unfortunately last year. Oh well, what's another year to wait. The local pubs however did a roaring trade as many of the bands played indoors and those already out for the festivities made their way there too, minus the kids. 


Image part of Skywatch.

To the lighthouse

                                   Suntrap


Sometimes the tide is so far out, you can walk continuously from one beach to the other along the coastline of Ramsey.  You can also capture upshots of the lighthouses standing where would normally be covered in the Irish Sea. Doesn't happen often, but when it does worth taking a camera. If you're lucky you'll even capture a local group of horse riders cantering the same route.  One for future photography projects. 

Ramsey, Isle of Man, around noon, Nikon D7000

Image part of Black and White Wednesday

Ballure Glen

                               The walk to the sea


Ballure Glen is another hidden walk you'd overlook if you didn't know where to look, as it's set off the main road leading out of Ramsey to Douglas. If you start at the top entrance, off Ballure Road, you follow the path and stream from Ballure Reservoir, that will eventually lead you to the Irish Sea and beach  If you decide to go over the little bridge situated within the glen, you have a small climb up to Ballure Walk and where you'll find a picnic area. The island is full of myths and legends, and one of those tells of Carrasdoo men.  Believed to have had a base by the arches where the path meets beach.  There fires were lit tricking ships leading to their destruction. These  men were known as 'wreckers'. The Isle of Man, has a always will be a strange but beautiful place.


Part of Our World Tuesday

Derby Road, Ramsey, Isle of Man - Sunset

                                             Mirror image


Skywatch this week, a dusky pink serene scene. Mirror image reflections along the harbour inlet, Derby Road, looking towards Bowring Road. The sun rises over the beach, and sets inland, always casting a myriad of colurs over the harbour inlet, Sulby river and buidlings. No two days are the same, which is great for a photographer on a night time walk. 

To see a sizzling orange fiery sunset of the same view see here. You'll see what I mean about the colours of the setting sun. Unreal, yet natural.

Skywatch images around the world by others can be seen here.

Elfin Glen, Ramsey, Isle of Man

                           A Woodland Walk

The left hand path lead towards the Mountain Road and Albert Tower. The right hand path leads towards Lhergy Frissell and onwards down to the hairpin ( a well named tight bend) also part of the Mountain Road. From the top and looking out of the glen you have a wonderful view of the town of Ramsey and the coastline, viewing mainland Britain. That's on a clear day. If the mountain mist is about you'll be lucky to see your hand in front of your face. Either way a nice out of town walk. 


Image part of Black and White Wednesday, and more from other bloggers can be seen here

Waiting, Isle of Man TT

                      Not the queue to the pub


It's ABC on the blog circuit this week ad the letter is Z. If you look closely on the image you can see black and white stripes midway in the photo across the road. Those are where pedestrians wait to cross the road safely, and it is called a Zebra crossing. Many countries have these, nothing unique to the island, but use of varies throughout the world. A instantly recognizable image that transcends most languages. The image taken at the two week event, Isle of Man TT Road Races. This may look like the queue for a pint from the pub in the distance, The Central, but the spectators waiting on Parliament Street for the motorbike race to begin. 

Jane Hards Photography


Other ABC posts around the world can be seen here

Ramsey Rocks, Ramsey National Week

                               Summer Nights


Next week on the Isle of Man is Ramsey National Week and the image above is from the annual festival, Ramsey Rocks which takes place down by the harbour quayside. Local bands, family fun, food stalls and  kids entertainment.  If  it rains, there is always the pub. Several pubs in fact.  Possibly the busiest night out in the town, or at least one of them.  Fingers crossed for sunshine hoping for sunshine.

Ramsey Rocks, bands, bull riding and beers can be seen here

Image part of Skywatch where other skies of the world ca be seen.

Yn vooir - The waves

                     Night time photography


As it is ABC on the blog, another Manx word or saying. I thought Y might be a difficult letter, but a whole list of words appeared. yn vooir =  the waves. Night time photography, with the Nikon, crashing waves under moonlight rays. Living on an island you are never far from the sea, and midnight strolls along Queen's Promenade are the norm. 

Y words in Manx


For other abc's around the world see here. 

Red Arrows, Upside down

                          The display team


Almost every year, on Ramsey's special day (conveniently named "Ramsey Day") during the Isle of Man TT Road Races we have the UK Red Arrows display team do a flyover display. Tricks, licks, upside down spills, crossovers, leaving contrails of coloured and/or white smoke in their wake. Everybody with a camera, smart phone, video etc has the chance to get a least one shot. One of about 30 captured, where all are upside down, which is the theme today for us bloggers. 

Other interpretations of the "upside down" them can be found here


Jane Hards Photography

Walk up to Albert Tower, for the view

                            Misty Mountains 


Short and sweet tonight. A walk out of town up through the Ballure Reservoir, cross the mountain road, continue to Albert Tower and watch the local mist known as Manannan's cloak roll over North Barrule. Then the walk back down through through the glens in time to catch a sunset. Not bad days photography work with the 
trusty Nikon


Jane Hards Photography 


Image is "up" part of ABC, created by Mrs Nesbitt, who will be over to the Isle of Man and Ramsey next week and Our World