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

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

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

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

Harley Davidson, stylish.

Design classic

Somethings are a design classic, and buck modern trends. The Harley Davidson motorbike is one of them. Synonymous with all things motorbike related, visions of the open road, cinematic panoramas, freedom, alone, but not lonely, part of the crowd, whilst remaining an individual. The iconic bike parked up in my hometown during Isle of Man TT Races, for what we call Ramsey Day  All the fun and focus of the two week festivities create a family orientated day for bikers, tourists and locals. Many a classic Harley can be found, with many an admirer. Including me.

Jane Hards Photography 

Image part of City Daily Photo theme day, which occurs first day of the new month, the theme today being stylish. For others around the world, see here

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

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

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

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.

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

Snow days

                           and slushy walks


One from the archives, when the town closed due to an influx of the white stuff. It's been 5 years since this scene and snowmen popped up on every street corner. I'd actually like another snow day. While everyone else takes the day off, to have a snowball fight, I'd be busy working capturing the snow covered landscape. Another part of the town, over the bridge taken from North Shore Road, looking Shipyards Road, leading down to the harbour. 

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of Our World Tuesday

Balck and white, harbour sunset

                        View from the pub


The colours were amazing stunning spectacular and all those adjectives some people use to describe their photos, when it should be for the viewer to decide. Stripped of colour, Ramsey Harbour, view from outside the oneof the many pubs of the town. Not a bad pint, and not a bad view either, even if it lack colour for some.

Jane Hards Photography for more images

Photo part of The Weekend in Black and White

Kayagh

                                    Misty


For those of you who don't know, I blog from a small island called the Isle of Man, from the even smaller town of Ramsey. I thought it would be ideal to introduce a Manx word with each image on the abc round each week. Although most people speak English, the Manx language has been introduced and spoken again on the island after almost dying out. As a comeover, someone who came here from across, UK, this is as much of an education for myslef as it is for the reader. So word for today is Kayagh, meaning misty as it was the morning of this photo. One of the first I captured when I moved here, on a film camera. The jetty and lighthouse, looking the same today as it did 12 years ago. Only the camera has changed, but I intend to find that film camera and take it up again.

Jane Hards Photography

Image part of ABC

For those of you wanting to learn more Manx click here

Having a splashing time

                        Turned out nice again


The walk to the shops, negotiating a little bit of tidal flooding and weather bombs along the promenade. The perils of small town, small island life.  This is living dangerously. Last week was avoiding sunburn from a scorching sunrise. It's all go, haha but we like it that way. Sunnier Isle of Man views can be found, Jane Hards Photography

Note to self, buy waterproof camera cover. 

Image part of Our World Tuesday

Weather bomb and waves

                                  Waterworld

The recent weather bomb, fortunately didn't cause the tiny island I live on, as much as damage as last Winter floods. Apart from a watery walkway, we had no major incidents in the town. No one needed a canoe to go shopping this time, as local shops survived without closing until refurbished. Tidal flooding, crashing waves, are part and parcel of living in a coastal town Waterworld one day, walk on the beach the next.


Image part of abc around the world

Location, Queens Promenade, Ramsey, Isle of Man

Round the Island Yacht Race

                                     Gone sailing


Another summer event, though the overcast skies may tell a different story for the race organised by the Manx Sailing and Cruising Club. Ramsey Harbour is the start of the island race, so a good vantage point for spectators and photographers to capture a sea full of competitors before the leaders make a break for it. The race has been run for over 50 years now, attracting both locals and competitors from towns like Fleetwood and Morecombe, across in the UK, and Dublin Ireland. As the Isle of Man is a little island i the Irish Sea, it's easy to access by air or ferry for both Ireland and UK.

The first race was held in Coronation Year and the main trophy was called the Coronation Cup. It's still the prize for the overall winner of Division Two. The contest in Division One, trophy called Ramsey Town Cup. The clubs also race for the Squadron Trophy ad this is awarded to the best three yacht team from any one club entered.

Not as famous as motorbike racing or cycling events we have here, but another sporting event for the adventurous, and another photo opportunity for us photographers of the island.

This post is part of abc ad other abc's around the world can be found here

Parliament Street

                           The local High Street

It's a few years since I captured this image, and a few changes have occurred, but it's still the main shopping area of the town.  Shops open and close every few years, but the pubs, banks and late night take out venues remain. The high street is a one way system which has changed direction a few times overnight, much to the confusion of non residents of the town. If you can't buy it on this high street, then you probably can't buy it in the town. A mix of chain shops like Costa Coffee to more localized shops like The Tide, Ramsey.  You won't find big department stores here, but you will find an eclectic mix of fishmongers, butchers, cafes, restaurants, toy shops, one off clothes shops. Even with the advent of internet shopping, the high street is still surviving in Ramsey.

Bowring Road, bridge at low tide

                             Birdwatching?

At low tide, the stonework of the sunken bridge is revealed and its 3 arches, which allow the Sulby river to ebb and flow out into the harbour (towards the right of the image) and the Irish Sea. Above the bridge is the main road leading out of Ramsey towards, The Grove Museum, (once not owned by the Bee Gees who hail from the Isle of Man, but by an altogether different Gibb Family. A post for another day.), and the villages of Bride and Andreas. Small fishing and sailing boats are often moored here when not in use, like the one pictured. At low tide cormorants, gulls, ducks, and herons can be seen flying through the arches to the other side, which leads to the Poyll Dooey nature area.  At high tide you can find the same birds diving for fish. You can also find photographers waiting to capture the scene, which on a dry sunny day is not a bad way to spend some free time, even if those birds don't appear.

Today's image is my part of the world, for Our World Tuesday. Other Our World posts around the globe can be found here. 
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