Time to wrap up the Isle of Man, now.
The Maltmeister still had a few ticks needed along the southern coast, but first a tourist detour.
Along with Glen Maye and the Calf, Niarbyl is a world-class piece of coastline, and we had it to ourselves for five minutes before the crowds descended from the gastro café.
A well-know movie was filmed here; I think it was “Invasion of the Guardian Reader Families”.
After that detour, half an hour was spent looking for the Port St Erin Golf Club, rumoured to have a barrel of the Okell’s Bitter. With a major tournament taking place and the Grant Thornton Trophy being set up, I doubted we’d get in, but the Pubmeister borrowed a Titleist club and blagged his way in.
Some more authentic ticks for Maltmeister in Erin then, while I strode off looking for bottle-shaped cars and Bass signs. No Bass at the Bay Hotel though, as Kirsty just found.
The Bay Hotel, traditionally one of the Island’s best, also had plastic glasses out as there was live music on the beach, so I gave it a miss.
At the top of the hill overlooking the bay, a group of Wallies were playing a game of “Where’s the Draught Bass ?” Their disappointment was palpable.
A quick look at the Calf Sound, not quite as swirling and dramatic as it can be, but I’m sure we saw some rocks moving, which was very exciting.
A quick stop in the Albert in Port St Mary for an actual pint. Again Okells, I never strayed.
And then to Castletown, which is as good a small town as you’ll get, spoilt only by its proximity to Jeremy Clarkson.
My notes say “Lots of Pipers”, “Women all drinking pints”, “Walking on Sunshine” and “I found a new pub”. At least 3 of those are probably connected.
Back in Douglas, I went back to the same Chinese takeaway and had the same dish as Friday. Good grief.
Anyway, as is traditional, here’s my Top 6 takeaways from Man.
- Duncan’s driving
- Maltmeister’s jokes
- Okell’s consistency
- Dave Halliwell’s hospitality
- Salt & Pepper chicken from Hot Wok
- Hooded Ram Mosaic
Oh, and the owner of the Glenfaba was the Guvnor.
retiredmartin 
When we sat watching the sound between the island and the Calf of man, the rocks that were moving were seals. We spent a pleasant afternoon just sat watching, until we rode off back to the ferry terminal and someone needed petrol #nosuperunleadedavailableanywhere
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Oooh I was first too!
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You’re always first in my heart, Richard, even if time differences and 24 hour clocks suggest otherwise.
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I admit to some relief that your IOM posts have reached an end without undue reputational damage, other than that which is entirely merited. The trip was a blast – cheers.
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The reputations are entirely honourable. Should have said those couple of pints at Terminus and Queens on Saturday evening were possibly the best kept of the trip. Photos had run out.
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Yes and Sidings was very good too. Well blogged Sir.
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I just had a nice pint (two actually) of Bass at the Green Man in Grantchester. NBSS 4 by my reckoning …
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Really. I might head there right now and test that…
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Why does “Grantchester” sound like a fictitious place ? The sort of settlement that would feature on The Archers.
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Boom ! 👍
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I just walked past Jeffrey’s house.
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Very good, 3.5 I’d say. A mere £4.60 too. Selling a lot of that Carpenter’s Cask.
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Surprised you didn’t have the evil keg Old Empire there…
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Highly tempted, but stuck to the local. The Old Empire was cask, just confusingly labelled.
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For a holiday home Clarkson buys a lighthouse next to a public footpath and then claims having a public path so close to his property breaches his human rights.
With such a dread of other human beings I doubt if there’s much danger of him stepping through the door of any of Castleton’s pubs.
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CR7 as he is known herewith.
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Or DG4 if you believe Martin.
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Come on, Jezza is second only to Sir Geoffrey as Greatest Living Yorkshireman 😛
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Er, you’ve missed Coldwell. He takes it personally.
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But I thought he was born in Chippenham.
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That was the Jeremy I thought of too. Posh bit of Chippers, though.
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Pleased to see the bottle car is in use as it was facing the other way when I saw it
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It was their big festival day; you’d have loved the beach “entertainment” that made plastic glasses compulsory.
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The annual World Tin Bath Championships was being held in the Middle Harbour while i was in Castletown.
No evil plastic glasses though.
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“Not a micro”
Has potential though.
“while I strode off looking for bottle-shaped cars ”
It certainly beats the Oscar Meyer weiner mobile over here. 🙂
“Their disappointment was palpable.”
The one in black sitting down looks like she’s crying.
“#NoWhales”
Of course not; it’s called Calf Sound (and I thought it was mainly sharks anyways over there).
“#PrettyCastletown”
I see where it gets its name from. 😉
“here’s my Top 6 takeaways from Man.”
Tsk, tsk. You’re starting to sound like a click-bait article in the on-line newspapers. 🙂
Cheers
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Click bait ? Now there’s an idea.
“Cor, look at the wet foamy head on this Bass in the soaraway Sun”
“Letting herself go -You’ll never believe what the Turks Head look like today”
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