Harley Davidson, stylish.

Design classic

Somethings are a design classic, and buck modern trends. The Harley Davidson motorbike is one of them. Synonymous with all things motorbike related, visions of the open road, cinematic panoramas, freedom, alone, but not lonely, part of the crowd, whilst remaining an individual. The iconic bike parked up in my hometown during Isle of Man TT Races, for what we call Ramsey Day  All the fun and focus of the two week festivities create a family orientated day for bikers, tourists and locals. Many a classic Harley can be found, with many an admirer. Including me.

Jane Hards Photography 

Image part of City Daily Photo theme day, which occurs first day of the new month, the theme today being stylish. For others around the world, see here

Isle of Man TT, Parliament Square, Ramsey

                          Throwback, 2009


The event known as the Isle of Man TT Races is almost here. A throwback shot, race week 2009. Fading evening light casts bike shadows, and sometimes a sunset if the riders get all the laps in, though not here, just the rainclouds passing over blue skies.  Due to the inclement weather on the island, the day race schedule is subject to change and evening races occur. Best advice for tourists. Pack shorts, sandals and a umbrella. You're bound to need all of them, sometimes together. I'm a photographer, and the TT for me is both work and pleasure. Jane Hards Photography, an older image on a Nikon D50.


For more TT and Isle of Man images see here

For other skywatch images around the world see here

Open, the new tram tracks

                          Alternative travel


The tram tracks have undergone an update and renovation during the closed winter period. General maintenance and shiny new cables, and paved and painted. A popular way for tourists to view the island, by tram all the way from Ramsey, through Laxey when you can depart for Snaefell Mountian, or continue on to Douglas. It's a long ride, so if you're in a hurry bus or car might be for you, but on a sunny lazy day, a slower ride through the Manx landscape might be the way to go. If you don't mind a bit of a chill sit in the outdoor car, as it's a great vantage point for photography. 

 Jane Hards Photography

Image part of abc

Mona Street & North Barrule

                                  Summer


One of my earliest photos of Ramsey, my adopted hometown. I'm standing on the corner of Mona Street, looking towards North Barrule, the grassy peak in the distance. The old swimming baths still open at the time (now the bowling alley) the tan coloured building directly below Barrule in the image. You can just see the orange vehicle parked outside the old baths, that would be a tourist coach which usually had a scheduled stop for refreshments in the old swimming baths cafe. Summer sunshine about 2006. 


Camera at this time, Nikon D50 

Jane Hards Photography

Call this one a Throwback Thursday

Manx Grand Prix

                       Sometime in August.......


............After the Isle of Man TT Road Races, we have the other motorbikes races, the Manx Grand Prix. Not as busy or well known out of biking circles as the infamous TT, but equally as exciting. Attracting many tourists and riders from across the world, the Isle of Man, once again gives up it's roads to the races. Daily life fits around the two weeks races (practice week, race week) so everyone can still get around the island negotiating alternative routes and breaks in road closures. I'm lucky to have a job that involves photographing this on my doorstep, my home town.

More info on the history of the Manx Grand Prix can be found here

More photos form the event and the island ca be found at Jane Hards Photography at the Manx

Part of Abc, and hoping Mrs Nesbitt will join us one year for the Manx, in addition to the TT

Snow on the Isle of Man TT course

              Don't worry, all be gone for TT


Where the street light is left hand side of the photograph is a little alley behind the back of Taubman Street. That's one of my spots to capture the Isle of Man TT races that happen May/June of each year. Parliament Square is part of the TT course. It's probably hard for all those tourists who come over for the motorbike race to envisage this snowy winter view as the same place they watch the race from. This area is also a meeting place for biking tourists visiting Ramsey. The same photo for TT would be full of visitors stopping for a bite to eat or soft drink from the pub close by. What a difference seasonal weather makes.

Jane Hards Photography

Part of Our World Tuesday

Valentino Rossi's Parade Lap, Parliament Square

                             Isle of Man TT 2009

Another one for Denise Nesbitt, as she is a regular visitor to the Isle of Man TT Road Races, which takes place May/June for two weeks each year. Denise, and motorbike fans will instantly recognise the "Doctor" Valentino Rossi. Following him was another motorbike and TT legend, Giacomo Agostini. They both completed a slow parade lap of the island wide route, prior to one of the races. 

Over 200 photos of the two weeks racing and visitors can be seen here 

More abc's around the world can be found here 

Ramsey Park Hotel

                              Room with a view

Set looking over Mooragh Lake, is Ramsey Park Hotel completed in 2012. The hotel overlooks, both the park and seafront. On a clear day you can see Scotland and the Lake District, Cumbria. The hotel caters for both business and leisure, wedding, private functions, and has it's own dining area, Lake View Restaurant which is as it says, an dining experience with watery view.


Further details can be found here
 

Ramsey Sprint, Ramsey Day, Isle of Man TT

                                 Usual TT stuff

Isle of Man TT Races area two week event on island usually, June. First week practise, second week races. In between race days we have a day set a side in Ramsey, conveniently called Ramsey Day. It's a fun day out for all ages, with everything from face painting, motorbikes stunt team display, the Red Arrows  display, bike merchandise stalls and take out food stands. Most of this takes place on the Mooragh, where the rugby pitch doubles as a bike park. Strange sight to see a rugby pitch full of motorbikes.  It's also the place for the Ramsey Sprint, seen in the image.


Ramsey Sprint is a drag sprint, with a lot of wheel burns on show. Anyone can compete, though they will have to pay a small entry fee to pay. As you can see, it's not all sprint race, but stunts and entertaining the crowds for some. Visitors from all over the world take part, some with specially modified bikes for that special trick or two.  Sunshine is optional, but always welcome. More of  TT photos can be found here on facebook


This is my Our World post this week and other our world post can be seen here

Isle of Man TT, Sure Sidecar Race 2

Side by side. The next shot was a wheel lift and crunch!

Sidecar 15 Roy Hanks/Kevin Perry - Sidecar 16 Gordon Shand / Phil Hyde

This is a new spot to me to photograph from, School House Corner, Lezayre Road, Ramsey. I normally photograph right in the heart of town, Parliament Square. It's not just motorbikes racing at the TT (Tourist Trophy) Road Races, sidecars feature heavily too. There are not many sport events in the world you can get this close to photograph, from the safety of someones garden. For me they are still after 11 years here the best two weeks on the island.


Manx Grand Prix, coming soon.

The Chuck Wagon, Take Away

                       Gone but not forgotten

There are many fast food outlets in Ramsey, from traditional fish and chip shops to the local kebab shop. Others have closed to be replaced with trendier coffee shops and restaurants. The Chuck Wagon was one of those closed in recent years, now replaced by another food outlet, Coffee Break. The Chuck Wagon was a popular venue in Ramsey for bikers, those visiting tourists, over for the Isle of Man TT Road Races. The fastest of fast food could be bought there, for those needing to eat and ride. A bag of chips or a burger washed down with a can of coke was perfect sustenance. I have friends over for the TT, who remember this place fondly, because it reminds them of "that time of year." 


City Daily Photo, theme day today is take away outlets and others around the world can be seen here

Isle of Man TT, Sidecar TT 1

                                All in a row


I've neglected the blog this week, as I've been photographing this, The Isle of Man TT Races. These three lined up nicely coming round the corner, just passing my local and favourite pub in Ramsey, The Central. Today we have an unscheduled race break due to the torrential rain, otherwise known as usual summer weather. Back to it tomorrow. 

Mooragh Park, Ramsey, Isle of Man

   Mirror Image

Mooragh Park is the largest public parks in Ramsey and dates back to its development to 1885, officially opened, 1887. The park was developed over reclaimed salt marshes. Homing two cafes, the tennis court, crazy golf, crown green bowls, children's play area, BMX track, newly installed gym equipment, and the boating lake. A little something for everyone. 
 



Other our world posts can be found here

Ramsey Park Hotel

                              Spot the hotel?


The hotel is a relatively new addition to Ramsey and is situated just outside Mooragh Park (where the image is taken from) and overlooks the beach to the right. Look closely, you'll spot the building behind the trees on the right of the image. Set off the beaten track of the town itself, but only by a few minutes walk over the bridge.  Nowhere is too far to get to in a small town.

Red Arrows over Ramsey, Isle of Man TT

                                             Display Team

The famous Red Arrows display team flying over Ramsey Harbour, Ramsey Day, during the Isle of Man TT. Usually one of the highlights of the two weeks race event schedule, especially for those that want a break from the motorbike races. 


Brief history of the Red Arrows can be found here

Other abc's around the world can be found here

The wallabies escaped, but we have meerkats!

You looking at me?

Just outside Ramsey is Curraghs Wildlife Park. Now, I have told you before of the escaped wallabies roaming the hillsides but not of the gorgeous baby meerkats. Yes, they are even cuter in the flesh and very entertaining. So far, no baby meerkats have escaped to go on a pub crawl in Ramsey, but I will keep a look out and produce photographic evidence if they do. On this island anything could happen, and usually does.



Island residents or the curious can check out the link below for info all about the Curraghs. http://www.gov.im/wildlife/news.xml

Just remember you can't take a baby animal home, as I keep being told!You can't stop a wallaby from following you though.........

Life's an Isle Of Man Beach - My World

Mooragh Beach, Ramsey

Keeping it simple this week and responding to a several requests for more beach images. So here we are again, walking out of town. As you can see the tide is out so you are able to actually walk out quite away. You see we have wonderul sweeping bays(two remember) but the sand is always damp due the incoming tides as I have mentioned before.


Towards the left handside would be Mooragh Promenade. We are actually further along the Promenade than we have been before. Behind me out of shot would be the harbour jetty way off in the distance now, bridge and Ramsey town. To the right is obviously the sea, but as we are an island you would expect to see land ahoy at some stage. You do, and that would be part of the British Isles, England, Scotland and Wales. On a clear day you can make out the landscape of the Lake District in Cumbria. Looking north the bay sweeps round to the promontory known as Shellagh Point. This is the closest I have taken you to it. Shellagh another Manx word. It appears Shellagh means willow. I have noted recently it's use as a girl's name. I'm not sure those using the name know of it's origin, or are Manx. I wonder if anyone out there knows of another meaning or anyone is actually named Shellagh? I'm still searching on this one. Just curious.


For perspective click the words in red below to show you stages along the beach. May help to put this scene context. For those that have read about the Grand Hotel on the blog, behind the white house on the left out of sight would be the Grand Hotel.

Beach 1
Beach 2

Beach3
Rocks

DON'T LET THE TOURISTS ESCAPE!

Not The Magical Mystery Tour but roll up anyway

I told you we have tourists. Not just for two weeks in June when the TT Road Races are here either. Real live people spending their hard earned salaries(actually pensions these were more your retired folk) to help boost the economy here North of the Island. All the way from Barnsley, Yorkshire, England. To a Manx person here the island is the mainland and the UK is commonly known as "across" which means wherever the tourists came from, they came from across but are very welcome. Very, very welcome. So where would they go this side of town?

The little group you can see were heading off towards St Paul's shopping centre. That would be a left turn at the conveniently named St Paul's church you can see that's the tallest building on the left. This lot went straight for the Shoprite, one of local Supermarkets. Actually they hit the toilets first but we'll gloss over that one. Next was St Paul's Bookshop, then we had a split in the ranks and they stopped by the one or two cafes we have dotted about the town which would be off towards the right of the image. Of course the odd one or two sneaked off for a heavier tipple in the oh so many pubs we have. Incidentally the grass verge you see that is adjacent to the old Swimming Pool. Apparently that's the place they normally went first for a slap up lunch, but that's now closed and they didn't want to leave the main body of the town and go over the bridge to the new Swimming Pool. The words told you so come to mind. Apparently it suited a Pensioner's pocket. I'm sure they'll love the New Pool soon, 0nce they are brave enough to cross the swinging bridge of doom.


Next time I'll try and get a tourist eating a Davison's ice cream or should I say fighting the seagulls for it. I swear the gulls can spot a tourist from a local a mile off and dive bomb for bag of chips. So no posed contrived smiley images but natural sneaky peeks of grumpy kids, moaning pensioners, stressed parents and argumentative adolescents. Still wish you were here?

Babooshka http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/ ramsey daily photo

RAMSEY BUS STATION

All aboard

After skywatch  yesterday a more realistic photograph. One of those walking shooting images you take when you hope no one is looking. Notice that white lump in the background that was the embarrassment of snow I told you about we had? It settled on the mountain and wouldn't budge just didn't make it's way down to the town. Told you our snowfall was pathetic.  That's going off at tangents though. This is as you can all read is the bus station.

 As there are locals on this I have compressed and posted the low res version. This was last Saturday. Not very busy is it? Credit Crunch after Christmas not many travelling to the sales in Douglas. You can see the buses lined up ready to go as far a field as Douglas and Peel. We even have bus called the "Ramsey Skipper" which basically travels full circle around the town. Handy if it's raining(have I mentioned it does that a lot) or you just can't be bothered walking with your shopping. It's a great way to see the town should you be a tourist or new to the area as you get to see not only the town but a trip along the promenade for a normal fayre and not an over priced tourist bus price. If you are visiting the island I recommend a bus ride. Fabulous way to see the full majesty of the coastal cliff areas from the top of a double decker you just don't see from a car. As you can see our bus station is graffiti free inside and out and the waiting room has non vandalized toilets and radiators that work in winter. Jealous aren't you? I here so many places now where people won't wait inside. Sometimes it's good to be small. When you can't get a bus though......

......Get a taxi. We have had a lot of problems recently in Ramsey with the merger of two taxi firms, one now owning the other and the service I am sad to say has not been up to the old standard and we have been let down badly. Happily a new one man operation we came upon by chance taxied me to Douglas. I want to give a big shout out here to Adrian of NE Cabs 817272 Executive Private Hire. Came at very, very, short notice let me take a detour to drop off some work, was on time and got me to my destination on time too. Friendly and professional and I did say to him that he was getting a plug on the blog. If you read this blog and you are North of the island, call him. First time we'd used him and we continue from now on. We all to often moan about bad service, but tend not to praise good. Redressing the balance. 

Maybe I should be a tourist for a day and try the skipper. I can't recall the route so that could be fun. Who's for a virtual bus ride round Ramsey via the camera and the internet. Let me know. Do have a local skipper type bus and do you use it I wonder?

GRAND ISLAND HOTEL CLOSURE- MY WORLD

Grand Island Hotel, Ramsey

My World

The Grand Island Hotel has been scheduled for closure for several years now and always survived. Not now though . Time has been called on the faded Dame of Ramsey. Demolition and of the premises to be replaced with flats(apartments) has caused mixed reaction. It is fair to say the Georgian style hotel set in it's own grounds as you can see had seen better days as far as paying guests were concerned and business functions. Set alongside Mooragh Promenade which I've shown you often looking straight onto the Irish Sea, secluded and within walking distance of the main body of the town it was the place to stay. Time has not be kind to the hotel that looks like it would be at home in Florida, rather than the Island. It had become run down, a money pit and time was called. It is such a shame that plans were not drawn up earlier to rescue such a former glory but the inevitable march of time caught up with those that dragged their heels so to speak and the rescue had become too costly, too late. The Grand Island Hotel is no more. The image is just a quick snapshot, a keepsake really of the former most prestigious building in Ramsey. We still have bed and breakfast accommodation and a few smaller venues can perhaps cater for business, but this is a sad time not only for the building but the small group of staff who were there to the end.  So long.

The image was taken two weeks ago. Had to act quickly before it disappeared so not my usual standard, but waiting for the right day and right conditions are a a luxury you can't afford when something is about to be demolished. Next time you pass something in your town you always intend to photograph take that photograph. Wait to long and it just might not be there anymore but consigned to the history books. Is there a building that you would regret not capturing? So long to The Grand Island Hotel for tomorrow is another day.

Klaus, Imac,  Fishing Guy, Ivar, Tom, Louise, Wren, Sandy and others are to thank for the neme. Click here for more my world's.

Babooshka Ramsey Daily Photo http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/