Real Ales IoM

For Camra interactive map, click here. There are 6 pubs in Peel. The Whitehouse Hotel does Bushy's (which seems quite common) plus 3 to 4 guest ales and the Creek Inn does 3 to 4 guest ales. The other common ale is Okell's (Crown, Peveril, Royal and Marine). Creek, Crown and Marine all do food.

Ferry Booking

Just booked ferries for IoM  via Liverpool as follows:
(Cannot find a cheaper option).
It is too early to book train tickets Derby to Liverpool, but hope to get these in April with a cost of under £10 each way with Senior Railcard.

Something to Look Forward to ...................

Grim weather for cycling here at present (in February), but we look forward to some great cycling in the IoM.
Remember hot sunshine, having a tan, and wearing shorts?

See the sort of thing we will be enjoying in June on this video.
Click HERE

Travelling Arrangements

I am considering travelling to IOM via Liverpool to take advantage of the extra 4 hours to get acclimatised and to do the shopping to be specified by Shawn. It is also a shorter crossing - no bad thing for a poor sailor like me. The departure is 11:15 and the logical train service (assuming it has not changed when the summer timetable is implemented) is 07:40 from Derby to Crewe and thence 09:32 CRE to LIV, arriving at 10:11. The ferry terminal should be reachable in 15 minutes but I will suss out the route on a visit between now and June. An alternative which may be more expensive is to go via Sheffield but that would entail departing Derby at 07:05 to pick up the Nottingham to Liverpool EMT service at either Chesterfield or Sheffield.
The snag with either of these options is that one train delay/cancellation and the ferry is missed with a long wait to the next. I am therefore contemplating an overnight stop within cycling range of the ferry.  Travelodge at St Helens is currently offering a double room at £35 (non returnable).

Garmin courses for the 7 IOM cycle routes

For Garmin users, here are links to my courses of the seven cycle routes given in the Visit IOM website (in the directions described) and shown on the OS map (with the numbers on the OS map), plus a couple of others:

Douglas Dock – Bunkhouse: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17098345 

Heritage Trail: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264114

Douglas CR1:  https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17263873

Castletown CR2: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264051

Port Erin CR3: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264411

Peel CR4 : https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264234

Ramsey CR5: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264498

Laxey CR6: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17264154

TT Course: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/17095892

I've set them all to 'Public' but let me know if the links don't work; there are other ways of transmitting this information.

Food Shopping in IoM

It seems that our best options for supermarkets are:-
a. Tesco in Douglas (the only Tesco on the island).
b. Shopright in Peel (only a couple of miles from the bunkhouse).
There may be others, but these would serve our immediate requirements on arrival until we get to know our surroundings.

2018 DragonRide to the Isle of Man

7 prospective DragonRiders met yesterday evening in the Brunswick to discuss the basics of the proposed ride around the Isle of Man. Present were Clyde, Martin, Maldwyn, Shawn, Peter, Ian (welcome back) and Les (welcome). Clyde presented a sketch of towns, cycle routes and railways and also a potential itinerary. This was accepted as it was although an update was issued by Clyde after the meeting to allow for a Sunday visit to the Groudle Glen Heritage Railway.

POSSIBLE ITINERARY FOR IoM 2018

Date
Thurs 14 Jun	Arr Douglas 14:00 or 22:00 from Liverpool, or 02:00 or 18:00 from Heysham	Ride to Bunkouse, Peel by the Heritage Trail. IoM Cathedral? Peel Castle?
Fri 15 Jun	Ride Heritage Trail to Douglas, take IOMSR to Castletown and Port Erin & return to Douglas	CR2 & 3 optional rides by breaking journey at Castletown and Port Erin*. Return to Bunkhouse by Heritage Way
Sat 16 Jun	Heritage Trail to Douglas, take MER to Laxey and Ramsey	CR5 from Ramsey. Break journey at Laxey to see Wheel and go on Snaefell Mountain Railway to summit and back. CR6 from Laxey optional*. MER to Douglas. Heritage Trail to Bunkhouse
Sun 17 Jun	Heritage Trail to Douglas. CR1 from Douglas, to include Groundle Glen Railway	Douglas Bay Tramway, Derby Castle, Tynwald. Heritage Trail to Bunkhouse
Mon 18 Jun	Ride CR4 to Ballacraine, get on TT circuit	Ride TT circuit to Ramsey, Douglas and Ballacraine. Ride remainder of CR4 back to Bunkhouse
Tues 19 Jun	Dep Bunkhouse at the crack of dawn	Dep Douglas 07:30 or 15:00 to Liverpool, or 08:45 or 20:00 to Heysham

* Requires taking the bikes on the train (obviously)

Thursday or Friday: dep Douglas 09:50. Arr Castletown 10:27. Ride CR2. Dep 12:27. Arr Port Erin 12:50. Lunch at Port Erin. Ride CR3. Dep 16:00. Arr Douglas 17:05. Note there are extra, later trains on these two days (19:00 from Douglas, 21:15 from Port Erin).

Trains to the Snaefell summit are quite frequent (half-hourly). There are extra, later trains on a Wednesday or a Friday.

MER trains are mostly hourly. There are extra, later trains on Wednesday and Friday.

Note also: Groundle Glen Railway is open only on Sundays

Our accommodation for all 5 nights (14th to 18th June inc) will be the bunkhouse at Knockaloe Beg Farm, near Peel. Clyde has given the following brief details:

There are 2 showers and toilets, below the sleeping quarters.

There are only basic 'cooking' facilities: fridge, microwave, toaster, kettle, sink, so we couldn't be fully self-catering! There is a dining table and chairs, so we could order take-aways. I wonder if the rest of the accommodation was under-booked if they would consider doing any meals? We could only know once we get there. 

Coming from Douglas on the Heritage Trail, TL when you reach the A27 outside Peel and in less than a mile TR to Knockaloe Beg Farm. Or if using roads only, take the A1 from Douglas, TL onto the A40 at St John's, then TR onto A30 to Patrick. At the A27, TR and then immediately TL to Knockaloe Beg Farm.

Ian has added the following thoughts

I noted that the farm cafe does breakfasts on Saturday so we can have a big "slap up meal" on that day. Whilst we can check what they offer, I'd be very surprised if they'd be interested in cooking for us outside of Saturday.

Looks to me that catering will be:

• Breakfast of toast, tea, coffee, maybe cereal, maybe juice (except on Saturday when we can have the big meal)
• Lunch - either pack-up made at breakfast time or cafes out and about.
• Evening meal - visit to Peel for pub or restaurant. There are Chineses in Peel so we could get a take away although not clear if they deliver.
• Snacks - tea/coffee/biscuits/cake/fruit/nuts? in the bunkhouse.

and Shawn has further commented

It's amazing what you can rustle up with just a microwave and a toaster!

Breakfast should be easy, nearer the time I will circulate a shopping list of provisions we can bring to start a larder! If I make a suggestion for 2-3 items for each to bring i can just pick up ‘fresh ‘ produce on day one to last the week. 

There are ferries to Douglas from Liverpool and Heysham and riders are to research and book their own journeys there and back.

Perhaps there would be some value in a further meeting to share travelling arrangements and to finalise any last moment issues.