Group on Tynwald hill, St John's

Final day

Well, we're all now safely back on Irish soil, after a great field course.


On day five on the island, after a well-deserved break in the morning, we visited Castletown, the old capital of the Isle of Man. This beautiful, quaint town is in the south of the island, and right next to the airport. There we examined the colonial inheritance of the town. We visited the sweetshop - something some of us had been looking forward to - and spent some time wandering its winding streets, looking for clues of its English inheritance in the gardens of Castle Rushen and sipping tea in the Bowling Green Cafe as R.A.F. jets flew overhead.


Finally, we headed for Ronaldsway airport, and back to Dublin. It's going to be difficult to settle back into life after such a busy, but really enjoyable week. Thanks to all who made this week what it was, especially the students (this is the only blog-posting not written by them since Tuesday).

Day 4 on the island!

The bus left at 9 for the coastal town of Ramsey via Cronkbourne, a model village. The two rows of houses were once homes for the workers of the nearby factory which produced flax. The factory used the river as a source of power. We arrived in Ramsey to conduct a SWOT analysis of the town. This involved finding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. After conducting the research in our designated groups, we met as a whole and shared our thoughts. We found the town to be the least aesthetically pleasing of all the towns we have been to. However, we did find some positive points and potential future improvements. We also found out a lot about the people who lived there.

We then had lunch in the small village of Maughold. After our packed lunch we wandered around the nearby ecclesiastical settlement.

We made the short journey to the unique coastal town of Laxey. This town was in complete contrast to Ramsey. Again we conducted a SWOT analysis which highlighted the harmony between urban and rural areas. We visited one of the island's main tourist attractions, the Laxey wheel, which is over 150 years old and is still turning.
After a long and tiring but productive day, we are shortly going out to dinner and a quiz, and possibly to celebrate Arthur Guinness's birthday.

Hard at work in the sun

Day 3: Cultural, Physical and Historical aspects of the Isle of Man.

Today we travelled to the west of the island to Peel, a coastal seaside / port town with a population of 4,280. Peel is also the location of the island's only source of red sandstone which is found in the cliffs and used for construction. Our first stop was the Manx museum where we learned the ''Manx version'' of the story of Manann. Following this we had Delia's finest homemade sandwiches!! After lunch we visited the very historic Peel Castle which stands at the entrance to the harbour on St. Patrick's island. Here we got some fantastic views and participated in a historical treasure hunt where our task was to locate the various changes that had taken place over the centuries. While exploring the steets of Peel, all of us got to experience the Isle of Man ice-cream experience! Yummmm!!

Did you know that the island also played host to 20,000 civilian internees during the Great War 1914-1918! All trace of the camps has been removed from the landscape. Today the only evidence remaining is the wall that lines the avenue up to Knockaloe farm. Our final stop of the day was the Tynwald site in St John's which was also the point where the first TT race was held in 1906. Overall everyone had fantastic time on a sunny summer's day in the Isle of Man!!!

Day 2: Physical Landscape of the Isle of Man

Today we had a very enjoyable day and a windy day also. Our first stop off was at the East Baldwin Valley. The is part of the route of the TT Races. In the valley we measured height and location using the GPS and compass to create a cross section of the valley. After a brief stop over at the Sulby Reservor, we had a very pleasant lunch at Ramsey. In the afternoon we explored the Northern Lower Plains and we saw evidence of glaciation in the coastal region. An unforgettable visit was to "Jurby Junk", the biggest junkshop in Europe!! The scenic route on the way back to our accommodation was stunning. In the very far distance we caught a glimpse of Sellafield. Overall a very enjoyable and educational day.

First day on the Isle of Man

We made many fascinating discoveries on our first day, most importantly the fact that the island is entirely self-sufficient in terms of cauliflower and brussel sprouts. En route from Ronaldsway, we observed a pastoral landscape which shares many similarities with our own. Our driver - a "true Manxman" going back 6 generation - ensured that we learned about some local superstitions. Following student presentations on a range of aspects of the island's geography, we began our explorations of Douglas using historic and contemporary maps. We regrouped at the beautiful Villa Marina gardens to evaluate our experiences, before heading for a splendid dinner at the Terminus Tavern.











The Villa Marina gardens on the Promenade











Working on the maps

Friday before the Monday!

Just a weekend now separates the class and the Isle of Man. All the equipment and maps are ready (and E232 is now getting back to normal). All that's left now is to get some good nights sleep before the trip, which promises to be good. The days are filled with fieldwork, and we should see most of the island by the time we come back on Friday.
Check back here for updates on how we're getting on. The plan is to update the blog each evening, with photos if possible, so you can see what we've been up to and your friends and family can follow you on your field course.

Meanwhile to whet the appetite, here's some of what we may be seeing ...

Hello world!

Hi all.
So, it's a week to departure date, and we're getting ready, packing the bags and hoping for good weather (when has weather ever stopped a geographer!). Here's to a great field course!