Douglas through my eyes.

 Although it was supposedly late spring early summer when we arrived on the island, the weather was very much a typical Manx mix — everything from beautiful sunshine 

to thick fog 

and torrential rain arriving in no particular order. 

Oh and just plain grey overcast days too. 

I made the best of it, of course, and got out for walks whenever I could.

I lived most of my life in Ramsey in the north, 

but during this visit we stayed with my brother and his wife in Douglas, the capital. I know Ramsey far better, so it was rather lovely — and slightly strange — to rediscover Douglas after more than 12 years away.

One of my favourite places to walk was Douglas Promenade. 

I made a point of walking there several times during our stay; it’s a wonderful stretch for wandering, with the sea always doing something different every time you look at it.

On one of those walks, I came across a new-to-me sculpture. Did you know the Bee Gees were born on the Isle of Man? 

This sculpture was installed after I left the island, but I knew I would come across it.

A very familiar sight, though, was the Tower of Refuge sitting out on Conister Rock.

You can read more about that little tower and its history here. 

There are so many other memories along the promenade too: the horse drawn trams, 

I always loved to see the horses pulling their load along the prom. Don't worry, they are the most spoiled rotten horses that ever lived. They are only allowed to make so many pulls a day, then back to the stables before being walked up to their paddock to rest. They retire to the Home of Rest for old horses where the spoiling continues. Such beautiful and lucky animals. 

Other familiar sights include the Jubilee Clock which was installed to celebrate Queen Victorias Golden Jubilee.

The sunken gardens. 

In the island’s heyday as a tourist destination, these gardens would have been full of visitors enjoying a break from the cool easterly breezes. 

They’re still there today, though used more quietly. With rising sea levels and wilder storms, they really do become sunken gardens in winter when flooding takes over 

it was good to see them restored again for the summer months.

One walk I was determined to do was through Summerhill Glen. 

It begins on the promenade and winds its way uphill towards the TT course. I used to love walking it — either up or down — the paths twisting this way and that through trees and greenery.

The paths always had pretty lights strung along them, and while I noticed there is more lighting now, I’m not entirely sure I agree with all of it. I think I still prefer the simpler, softer lighting from before.

 Visiting in the daytime, though, I enjoyed the wildflowers and trees and the sound of water tumbling down the streams just as much as I remembered. There were some new sculptures too. It was nice to revisit this beautiful spot.

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One thing that really caught my eye one day while walking was a sign I hadn’t noticed before… 

well, I never knew!

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Of course, there is much more to Douglas than a single blogpost can capture. It remains one of the island’s two main arrival points, where ferries bring passengers in from England and Ireland, as they always have. Back in the day there were also regular sailings Wales and Scotland, and several other ports around the Irish Sea. Sitting right in the heart of the British Isles, the island has long been well connected, even if those links have changed over time.

There is a lovely museum in Douglas that tells the story of the island’s past, and it is well worth a visit for anyone wanting to understand a little more of its history and character.

Strand Street, the main shopping area, hasn’t changed all that much. Many of the same shops are still there twelve years on, alongside a few newer additions, but it still feels familiar.

The electric tram still leaves from the promenade and heads north towards Laxey and beyond, a reminder of the island’s enduring traditions of transport and tourism. The steam railway, departing from the south of town, and certainly deserves a mention in its own right another time.

Coming back after so many years away, I was struck by how much felt unchanged, and yet how much time has quietly moved on all the same. It was a pleasure to rediscover Douglas — familiar in feeling, but different in detail — and to see it again through new eyes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing Douglas through mine.

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