To Ponder over the Bog

This is (or was) Curragh Pharrick or Curragh Patrick which is Manx for Patrick's Marsh.

This is an area of boggy ground surrounded by sand hills which were formed as a glacial moraine in the Ice Ages. The boggy ground was generally considered as common land from which local residents could cut reeds for thatching.

About thirty five years ago there was a legal dispute concerning the right to cut reeds and an adjoining land owner objected. I cannot remember how the case ended.

However here you can see what remains of the reed bed. The rest of the area has now become completely overgrown by the encroaching willows.

The legal case clearly had no effect at all upon the advancing vegetation and nobody bothers to do any thatching either. Time has marched on.