Left Southport for Liverpool 8:32am Train in plenty of time to book onto ferry for the 11:15am sailing. Arrived Douglas at about 2pm. There are two steep hill climbs leaving Douglas for the South. The larger ends near a sign for 'The Old Horses Home' (Yes, you'll feel like one after that!) I am making a wager that anyone cycling south cannot complete these two hills climbs without dismounting at least once. There is £50 waiting. An independant witness is required! I have since found out that you can circumnavigate this by turning left at the roundabout out of the harbour instead of right following signs for the South. This takes you along a short section of coast past Port Wallberry. This is the only section of my tour where I missed taking a route as close to the coast as possible.

  

The Weather improved during the day and was sunny by the time I set off for Castletown. Passing 'Fairy Bridge' and the main airport I reached Castletown in around one hour which I was quite pleased with. Stopped by the castle, had a banana and took some photies. Got one of a Panther. Pushed onto Port St Mary, not too far away, by which time it was very warm and there was a few people swimming in the sea so I decided as this was a holiday too that I would take a dip. Swam about for 20 mins then lay in the sun for 30 mins. It was getting later in the afternoon so wanted to find a place to camp and set off for Cregneish. Bit of hill climb takes you up and over to be greeted with a great view of the Calf of Man. At Cregneish there is a 'working farm' thats been restored by DAF. There are little info boards dotted about the paths and farmyard as well as along the well organised footpath to Spanish Head. I knocked about on several doors, well, there are only a few hosues in Cregneish. I got no answers so went back down the footpath and chose a nice meadow, with a great view fo the Calf. Made tea and enjoyed the sunset and listening to the swifts and the sheep and cows in the neigbouring fields. I was visited by a curious rabbit and a very nosey hedge sparrow who sang for about 10 minutes whilst sitting on the fence about 2 metres from my pitch. Got my head down by 9:30pm.

Friday 31st August - BLUE ROUTE
Got packed up by about 9am, weather cloudy but warm and not raining (I don't really like cycling in rain) and took the small coastal path from Cregneish to Port Erin, a lovley little seaside port. It was very quiet but the kind chap at the Cosy Nook Cafeat the end fo the beach made me some beans on toast and a pot of tea for £3.95 which was welcomed. Had a chat with one other customer who had arrived who was on a BMW. he informed me that it was touch and go if the racing would be on because of the cloud on the mountain section. It ceratinly looked cloudy on the hills. I set off knowing from 2 years ago that the hill climb out of Port Ering and onto the Glen approaching Colby was quite a toughie. I managed 75% of the height before my legs / energy / enthuisiasm gave out and walked the last 25%. Once on the tops some great views of the coast on both sides of the Island at once.

Taking a left on the Peel road there was some exiting downhills and bends through Glen Rushen and Dalby. Finally dropping to Peel with very hot rims and getting concerned about the noise from my brake blocks I took the footpath to the end of the Prom following a talk with a local chap with a walking stick who seemed far too vague on the local cafes to be relied upon. In the town centre I found a nice little cafe and got lunch and tea and chatted to a council worker who had a nice Claude Butler but smoked like a chimney and only used it for going to the shops. Another local turned up and I was informed that the main road North (A4) was closed off because one of the races was going ahead, however, there was a campsite at Kirk Micheal where you could join the old railway footpath and get round this. I set off not knowing what I was going to do, but enjoyed a fairly easy road and some nice coastal scenery towards Kirk Micheal.

  

Saturday 1 September - RED ROUTE
After a quiet night at Kirk Micheal campsite I set off for the North of the island. The road fairly easy and a good view of the coast which reminded me of Cornwall in places, expecially Blue Point Beach. I also noticed that this was the quieter side of the island with few cars about. There was mid cloud about but the weather was starting to look better. I pushed on up to 'The Point of Ayre' - you could see the lightnbouse on the approach from quite some distance, but the road seemed to go on for some time with some incline in your favour (thinking "I have to get back up this" the whole time!) There isnt much apart from the lighthouse. That and the feeling of satisfaction that I had reached the most northerly point. My stomach was calling and I turned back for Bride, a small village which has a post office cafe. I got some sandwihces and a pot of tea with extra hot water for reasonable money. So, I was now travelling South down the east coast towards Ramsey. Fairly easy cycling with a great view of the mountains. Ramsey was reached in farily quick time and took a few photos before setting off for Maughold. Now, the sun was out, it was hotting up around 1:30 pm and the roads start to get a bit more challenging on this section. Maughold has a ligthouse too with a great view of the coast. There are some public toilets in the village near the church. Its a small place but the people are firendly and will pass 5 minutes if you decide that the steep road out of the village starting at Ballajora train stop is a little over the top. I did and chatted to a lady with a cat who had been on the island years, had previously run a hotel in Ramsey. She told me about the '17 Parishes Walk' - an 85 mile walking race, record set at around 15 hours!!! I left Maughold after giving myself some extra work to see the viallage, still had the 8 miles to ride to Laxey. Well, they say, you havent done any hills until you get near Laxey and they werent wrong. The sun was up, it was hot, but the views amazing, looking across at the open fields contrasted with the blue sea and sky and the electric tram passing by occasionaly peaking out from behind hills and trees. Hard work but some great freewheels too.

  

Arriving at Laxey, rather hot and tired, I went up to the Great Wheel, took some photos and then got an ice cream. I asked the guys working on the preparations for the outside theatre that night, Romeo and Juliet, where the campsite was and got good instructions. Down to the campsite which is near to the harbour, next to the school, I was met with a small but fairly busy campsite. There were some converted ex-army vehicles, some classic british bikers as well as a large group which I found out to be a 35 piece brass band from Port Erin. I got talking to them and was offered food and drink before I even got chance to pitch up. The showers left a little to be desired but the kitchen facility was great. Getting my pitch sorted was asked into the neighbouring couples tent for more food and drink. They had bought  a property on the island and where doing it up whilst living on the campsite. Very firendly and had long chats with them until midnight. It was a great end to a great days cycling and almost the end of my tour.

Sunday, 2nd September - FUSCIA ROUTE
Got my kit packed up by about 9:30 am and set off for the last leg back to Douglas. Weather was sketchy but not raining and I made my way along the harbour up to the steep steps that take you back onto the road, watch out there is a gate thats impossible to take a bike through, you have to lift over your head. Some fairly steep climbs take you away from Laxey. Saw a couple of power walkers and a few cyclist who looked like they where well practiced hill climbers. As usual I wanted to stick to coastal routes as much as possible, took the road to Groudle past the tram station. Again some great coastal views, varying workload but rewarded with some exiting freewheels. To be honest I was in Douglas before I knew it, at around 11:30am so went for some lunch before checking in at the ferry terminal. I was left with a feeling of acheivement and wondering why I hadnt done this earlier, much earlier, like years ago !!!

The Isle of Man is great for cycling and camping. You are never more than about 6 miles from a little village or a shop and there are some wonderfully unspoilt countryside spots. My total distance was 90.2 miles. Of course you could do this over a shorter or greater time and still enjoy it. I recommend this tour to anyone who is fairly fit, likes  abit of a challenge and appreciates some moments of serenity.

Epilogue
Following 3 great days cycling I arrived back in Liverpool with a slight 'incident' when disembarking. Two thirds of the way down the ramp my front wheel got lodged in a slot in the steel work and I was catapulted head over heel onto the steel ramp, only for the bike to land on top off me and a pedal hit me in the back of the head. No offer of help and with many anxious car drivers mad keen to get off the ferry I had to drag myself to the side and recompose to get the train to Southport only to find on my arrival at Moorfields that due to an electrical fault there where no trains to Southport, but a replacement coach service would take me to Bank Hall (maybe... not sure about the bike I was told). I was offered first aid due to the blood dripping down my leg but then told they could not administer any, I had to apply the bandages myself. Fortunatly the 80 year old Irish coach driver allowed the bike on the coach which did indeed get me to Bank Hall and then to Southport. The next day I went to Southport hospital with pains in my side as was diagnosed with suspect cracked rib(s). When I returned and got out of my car I heard a hissing sound and I had a puncture. I left it to the next morning as I was still quite sore from the fall. The next day after changing the wheel and getting covered in black soot / dirt I retruned to the house to find the water had been switched off - it was then I read the notification from United Futilities that it would be off all day. I packed a bag and drove to my parents for a shower which made me late for my 10 oclock appointment. Due to an electrical fault, the 24 port switch had failed which meant I had to drive back to Southport and retrun with some temporary replacement switches. I got to my 12 oclock at 4 oclock and left there at 5. After tea I worked until 11 getting the job I should have done at 12 finished. The next day John rang me to see if I had got the message to get to a job for 8am, yet I already made arrangement for 8:30 - during that conversation I got another phone call from the first job telling me that everything had gone off again. The rest of the week was no different and included a screaming phone call from a client who had let her domain expire but some how held me accountable and one about Outlook Menus being greyed out.....

I now need another holiday !!!