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Start of the Triskelion Way, Rushen Abbey

NEWS AND EVENTS

News

A tip for members: We have found a couple of very useful free apps for your smart phone. Firstly, OS Locate will give you map co-ordinates which will help the emergency services to find you should you find yourself in trouble. It also has a compass. The second one is Maps.me which can help you find your way home in the event of you becoming lost (or maybe in thick mist). It shows you where you are on the map and has already proved itself useful to us a couple of times. Neither require mobile data to work away from home. Of course, there are many more apps. of this type on the market, I’m sure you’ll find one to suit you. Lesley

A reminder to dog walkers  - dogs must be on leads on the Ayres National Nature Reserve (NNR) from the 1st April until the 31st July. This is to protect the high density of ground nesting birds on the reserve including terns, ringed plovers, oystercatchers, curlews, skylarks and meadow pipits. Byelaws are in place to protect the wildlife habitats at the Ayres NNR and failure to comply with these could result in a fine up to £2,500.

Can you help????
Walk the Isle of Man-  Monday 1st  to Friday 5th October 2018

Sally Helwich of Isle of Man Event Services and Andrew Foxon of Go-Mann Adventures are pleased to announce that they are preparing a walking event on the Isle of Man to run from Monday 1st – Friday 5th October 2018 (with a welcome evening on Sunday 30th September).

a few words from Sally and Andrew...

‘’The MFCG has been a great supporter of walking events and festivals on the Isle of Man in the past, and we are hoping that this event will also be of interest. It is intended that the week will attract walkers to visit the Island (and perhaps also stay on for Heritage Open Days) and our hope is that it will be of interest to people living on the Island, tie into 2018 Year of Our Island, help people to try walks they might not do on their own, encourage them to join the MFCG if they are not members already and consider developing their own walking and walk planning skills.
We are working on an outline programme at the moment which would give a minimum of 3 walks on each of the 5 days with the opportunity to increase that to 5 or 6 walks if the demand is there.
We hope that members of the MFCG will be interested in taking part either helping as walk leaders or joining in the walks. Information will be put onto a dedicated Facebook page and Group as confirmations come through. Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/WalktheIsleofMan/
Here’s where we hope you’ll be able to help:
If you’d like to register interest in receiving further information about the event, or to help as a walk leader, please send your contact details to us at the e-mail addresses below. If you don’t have e-mail, please leave a message for Andrew on 480129 or 833154. We will then be able to keep in touch and hope that you will tell your friends and contacts about the event after the first details are launched.
Those who would like to take part as walk leaders will receive some additional support and training in the run up to the event, but hopefully will already have some experience of planning walking routes, and managing groups on guided walks.
We do hope you’ll join us, help others enjoy this glorious Island and enjoy taking part yourselves’’.

Contact details – please contact both Sally and Andrew:
Sally - sally.helwich@iomevents.com www.iomevents.com
Andrew – afoxon@iom.com www.go-mannadventures.com 480129 / 833154

Dungannon Ramblers

Brian, David & Maree, ably assisted by several of our group, guided 29 walkers, ramblers and strollers visiting from Dungannon in County Tyrone.  On Thursday 10 May they went down to the southeast of the island.  Some went for a stroll around Cregneash and down to The Sound.  Most walked from Port St Mary past The Chasms, down to The Sound and on to Port Erin.  A great day out in magnificent weather.  The Isle of Man at its best. The next day they all went up Snaefell. The weather was not quite so kind. 3 walked down from the summit, most walked down from the Bungalow and some spent the day in Laxey.  We hope you enjoyed you few days on the Island Dungannon, we certainly enjoyed meeting you all.
A short note from our friends from Dungannon: ‘Dear Brian, can I say on behalf of myself and the strollers how grateful we were to have your guidance and knowledge around the Island. Everyone enjoyed the trip and seeing the Island through the eyes of someone who loves and walks it’s paths’.

Lesley & Jim at the Haltwhistle Walking Festival

Lesley says…’We had a week of great walks in the fantastic Northumberland/Cumbria countryside, hills, glens, fells, woodland etc. and the weather was good too.  Many thanks to Marj and her team for the choice of walks and the superb organisation. Well Done guys! Hope to see you again some time and good luck with your Autumn Festival’.

Dot and Janice recently returned from a very enjoyable week at the Ride2Stride walking festival in the Yorkshire Dales. This is described as "a festival of walks, talks and music along the fabulous Settle-Carlisle railway line" and it's ideal for anyone wishing to attend a walking festival without a car as all walks leave from stations on the Settle-Carlisle line. Each evening a folk music session is held in a local hostelry, close to the finish point and the train station, with local and visiting musicians providing the entertainment. Over the 7 days of the festival they gave a choice of 28 walks ranging from 4 to 15 miles and 1 guided tour. The walks were led by experienced volunteers with a wealth of local knowledge. Following a couple of cool blustery days at the beginning of the week the weather just got better and better, ending with a very hot and sunny Bank Holiday week-end.  With its easy access to the Yorkshire Dales, Pennine Way, Craven Way, Dales High Way and The Three Peaks (Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-Ghent), not forgetting the famous Ribblehead Viaduct, this is a perfect area for a walking festival.

Ramblers Association Holidays

Did you know?...That the MFCG is affiliated to the Ramblers Association. When you book a walking holiday through the Ramblers Association and you say that you belong to an affiliated walking club they will pass on a small sum of money to the club. It costs you nothing extra and it benefits YOUR club.

DISTURBANCES AT FALCON AND OWL NEST SITES

Already this season, Manx BirdLife has received a number of reports of irresponsible and illegal behaviour around the nesting sites of some of our most special and rare birds. It has come to their attention that people have been:

1) Climbing down cliff faces to Peregrine Falcon nests

2) Approaching Hen Harrier nest sites

3) At night-time, illuminating locations in which Owls potentially are nesting

All of the above involve Schedule 1 species, which are specially protected by the law. IF YOU WITNESS anyone approaching or disturbing the nest, young or nesting site of a bird of prey (owls, falcons, harriers etc.), please take photographs and send these to Manx BirdLife. We shall be pleased to pass these on to the Island's Wildlife Crime Officers (anonymously if you wish). You can also send these yourself directly to the Wildlife Crime Officers: PC Mark KERRUISH and John HILLS Ramsey Police Station 812234. Some disturbance is of course inadvertant and can be resolved by calmly advising those at fault of their error. But some disturbance is clearly deliberate. The motivation might be simply wanting a closer look, a better photograph, or worse - for example, stealing eggs or nestlings. You are our wildlife's guardians, so please keep an eye out. Thank you.

The following MAJOR footpaths have been temporarily closed

RoW 329 Majestic Coastal path(Onchan) from King Edward Road to Majestic Apts will be closed DAILY from 07.30am to 5.30pm from 25th April to 24th October.

Temporary closures are currently in place for each of the following three tracks/paths. However, a more prolonged 6 month closure has been applied for on each of them. This is due to the extensive amount of damage that they have suffered. There is currently no date set for when works will be carried out. The closures will be published on Roadwatch.                                                  
The byway known as 'The Dowse' (map ref: 304828 to 285824) 
PRoW405 - Lynague, German
PRoW632 - Riverbank Road, Ramsey

Manx Utilities is refurbishing the sewage works at Ballagarey in Marown. Because of this the Heritage Trail will be closed between Glen Darragh Road towards Union Mills up to the private access way to Glenlough Campsite until  approx. June-July 2018. The main road from Douglas to Peel is the only option to bypass the site.
n.b. The Heritage Trail at Ballagarey will now be opened at weekends (Sat 2pm to Mon 7am). DoI thanks  everyone for their patience whilst they continue to work on upgrading this essential sewerage infrastructure - due for completion in July 2018

The ‘Tony Wright’ bridge on the Spaldrick footpath, used by walkers to get along the coastal path to Bradda Glen and tourist attraction Milner’s Tower in Port Erin has been closed for safety reasons.

For further details the contact number for DoI is 850000.

DISCLAIMER AND USEFUL INFORMATION:

Walkers are reminded that they participate at their own risk and should keep behind the leader. This disclaimer is found under the logo on all walks lists and we ask that leaders remind all participants of this before starting each walk.

Walkers should keep to the right on all public roads (unless common sense dictates otherwise) and not deviate from the way-marked footpaths.
Please refer to notes column for information.

Walking boots or stout shoes and wet weather gear are advised.

Please bring a Travel Pass or Money for walks which start with a train, bus or tram journey.

Dogs are not permitted.

Difficulties such as broken stiles or blocked Rights of Way should be reported to the Footpaths Officer, David Leiserach at David@manxfootpaths.org or tel: 491976. If you have a camera or phone please take a photo and note the location.

VISITOR INFORMATION

This month’s walking programme:-

NB:  Please check all start times

Wednesdays