Winter Barn Owl

Winter Barn Owl
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Showing posts with label Laxey wollen mill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laxey wollen mill. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

An afternoon in Laxey

During a non race day, we took a leisurely drive up the east coast to Laxey, home of the Woolen Mill...
We packed a picnic lunch and sat on the promenade enjoying the warm sun and light breeze...
...enjoying the view of the bay while appreciating the fortitude of the young children swimming in the freezing water...
  Given that the island was flooded with bikes, it wasn't a surprise to see a line up of rare BSA Gold Stars out for a ride
Laxey's livelihood, during the 1700's to early 1900, was mining.  This statue sits in memory of the men who spent their lives (and sometimes lost them) working in the mines...
I wrote about the 'Laxey Wheel', known as Lady Isabella.  
But have you met Lady Evelyn?
In all our years visiting the Island, we seem to have missed her, hiding behind stone walls and high trees.
  She sits on the grounds of the 'washing floor' where the waste stone was separated from the ore.
It is now a lovely park with wrought iron art work and a dedication to the men of Laxey who lost their lives during both world wars.
















Even the old ore carts were filled with blooms
 We capped off a great day enjoying dinner with our friends, Barbara and Eric, who own the charming B&B West Lodge
and our flatmates, David & Christine.
Spicy chicken curry
Barbara's 'Good old fashioned' English triffle
Next up, more racing.....

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Have you met Lady Isabella?

One of the most famous landmarks in the IOM is the water wheel at Laxey, 
fondly called 'Lady Isabella'.
She was used to pump water out of the coal mines - a real engineering feat!

I didn't have the nerve to walk right to the very top, but made it halfway up

Laxey is also known for it's Wollen Mill, which produces the local Manx tartan,
 still woven by hand.

A more colourful example of the tartan
Dotted along the mill were lovely sculptures....


When we got home, the resident Manx cat, Charlie, 
decided to move into the kitchen and take a nap on the chair
We did have to kick him out to eat our supper!
More racing to come....