Weekend Away ...

From the top of Snaefell - wonderful ...

A rare weekend away ... took my  Saturday "day off" and me and Mrs S sloped off - a birthday weekend if you like (Mrs S birthday on the Monday so 'twas a "let's make a weekend out of it !!).  Finished work on Friday - home - change - and then off to Liverpool ... to catch the Isle of Man Ferry.  All booked in advance natch !!  Hotel 5 minutes from the ferry terminal (or 20 minutes if you turn left instead of right - my fault!!) Arrived about 2200 - time for a couple of drinks in hotel bar before preparing for the "Big Walk" on Saturday.

And a big walk it was ...  all worked well until the "turn around" at Sulby Reservoir to join the Millenium Way path back to the car - a very confusing bit of path (where there WAS a path) ... and then the rain and the (high) wind kicked in - just as we were knee deep in grass climbing up into the mist - knowing there were further climbs (and having seen the state of the "path") we hit the road towards Windy Corner.  It wasn't good - by now it was gale force and the rain was hammering it down - aargh.  Then - out of the mist - a knight in shining (Land Rover) armour arrived - someone we'd bumped into earlier on and had a bit of a natter. "Would you like a lift somewhere ??" - not half !!  Probably saved us about 2 hours walking in hellish conditions - grateful thanks were given !!!  Back to hotel (Admiral House - thoroughly recommended !!) - to change out of sodden stuff, then out for an Italian (La Piazza) - excellent food - we even sent the bill back (because they missed something off - that's how good/nice/honest WE are) - before finding a decent pub (Prospect) selling decent real ale (the Okells MPA is superb !).

Sunday - another excellent breakfast before heading off to climb Snaefell ... which was the aim of the weekend to be honest.  We've done England (Scafell Pike), Scotland (Ben Nevis), Ireland (Carrantouhill) and Wales (Snowdon) - so we needed another highest peak - and we did it before a fruitless wander around Douglas looking for a tea shop and then ferry back to Liverpool - and home.  

A few pics from the weekend at

Isle of Man 01/02Nov14

(obviously when the sh*t weather kicked in - the camera diasppeared into the bag !!!).

Looks like I missed a fairly grim weekend vis-a-vis football - defeats for Mossley, Stalybridge Celtic, Hyde and Ashton United.  Droylsden managed a win mind .. and Curzon have a replay at Northwich Vics tonight ... but naturally the Cup games (and associated replays this midweek) mean nowt local - bugger !!
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