The four kingdoms view (and 5 modes of transport!)

Well actually this is the view back down to Laxey from the summit of Snaefell, the mountain in the Isle of Man. The line you can see across the hill is the Electric Railway line that climbs up and circles the mountain from the town of Laxey down on the coast.

It has been a glorious day and well worth the trip to the summit as from here you can see across the Irish Sea to the mountains of the Lake District in England, the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland, the Kirkcudbrightshire coast of southern Scotland and Anglesey and the north Wales coast. You can just make out the Mountain road (in the bottom right hand corner of the main picture) where we could hear the whine of motorbikes as riders tested their skills on this stretch of the TT course. Practice started at 5.00 pm so the roads would be closed for the evening so after a nice lunch of Manx Broth we returned to Laxey station for a cup of tea and Manx Broggan (tea bread) and the electric railway back down to Douglas the island capital.

We made good use of our travel pass today getting the steam train in to Douglas, bottom left; the horse drawn tram, bottom right, along the promenade to the Electric Railway terminal and then the Electric trains to Laxey and up Snaefell, centre. Best Large.

We walked the mile and a quarter back along the prom but didn't see a single bus to take us back to our friends house. After finding the bus station we eventually got a bus home ( they are on strike!) to a delicious tea, made for us and a glass of wine.

A wonderful day out!