Wednesdays walk.

I hope you're ready for lots of pictures.

Yesterday I took one of my usual walks out to the White Bridge, you've been there with me before. But I took the camera along anyway and took pictures of the wildlife.

There were loads of ducks paddling about on the river.

 I did envy them, it was very warm and it would have been wonderful to dip my toes in and cool down.

 I'm sure that's what these chaps were up to. These hooded crows were hopping about very close to the waters edge.

 Once I was over the bridge I had to change course to avoid the brambles, there will be blackberries soon.

 These pretty roses were scrambling along the side of the path too.

 And everlasting sweet peas. They don't have the same sweet scent or variety of colours as their annual cousins, but they are pretty to look at.

There are poppies blooming everywhere at the moment. This one was a lovely reminder of our recent trip. As the coach toured through France, Belgium and Netherlands we saw 1000s of poppies growing in the fields, gardens and along the road sides. Flanders Fields truly are red with a sea of poppies.

 Common Foxglove.

 Thistles

 And periwinkles.

 Have I tild you that my route takes me passed the golf course? I'm not a fan of golf, to me it ruins a good walk. There are several good courses here on the island if you are a fan though.

 There are several bridges like this on the island, in fact there are two here in Ramsey. They are usually closed! This one goes into the school and is only opened during TT week. When the roads are closed for racing, this is the only way to access the school. Schools are closed during race week but, the exam schedule must go ahead as it ties in with the English schedule, so the children have to go to school! This bridge wasn't there when I went to school, we had to romp in over fields or sit our exams in a church hall in town.

The second bridge in Ramsey allows access to about a third of the houses in town, that would otherwise be cut off during the road closures.

 Some one had been busy yesterday.

 This milestone was almost lost inside the hedge! 

9 Miles to Kirk Michael.

7 5/8 to the Point of Ayre. (The most Northerly point of the island)

17 miles to Douglas. (The Capital)

1.2 mile to Ramsey town center

25 miles to Castletown. (The old Capital)

 On the fiinal stretch of my walk I was followed by the town gardeners! This pretty red clover is gone, mowed down along with all the other lovelies along this footpath! Such a shame, I used to see so many butterflies and bees along this path, but in recent years they are no longer there. 

I blame the need to be tidy, cut back and mown away. There are not so many wild places any more. :-(

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Time for more domestics. A little every day keeps me up to date. Until DS arrives with about a months worth of laundry that is!! Good thing we're still having this glorious weather.