Cregneash Village

This morning we visited Cregneash Village, which is an authentic 19th century village being run in the old ways.  We saw inside the croft houses, the one I photographed was home to mother, father and eight children, with one room and one bedroom, and ladder to the attic where the children slept.  There were Clydesdale horses in the village and they grew barley, potatoes, swedes, cabbage, carrots, and also flax for linen.  The church house was large, but the crofts supported life only in a poor way.

In the afternoon we went to the Calf Sound, at the southermost tip of the island, where there was a cafe to have lunch.  The waters aroundthe Sound are full of wildlife, and a real hotspot for seals which were sunbathing on the rocks below.  We walked around for quite a while just enjoying the sea views, lots of Thrift flowering, and other wild flowers too.

We noticed all over the island lots of Red Valerian growing wild, in nooks and crannies, on verges and out of walls.  It is very attractive, and seems to be the main wild flower on the island, growing rampant everywhere.

Later in the day we visited Port Erin, just in time for coffee.  It is a pleasant town, and its Railway Museum, with a beautiful steam engine on show and in working order too.  We saw it leave pulling a long train, a great sight.

It was a full day and we were happy to relax with a short walk along the promenade in the evening.

Have added some extras.