We've been busy since leaving Liverpool... More on that in the next post. Despite the ongoing density of our schedule, however, we did manage a couple of walks that weren't just functional, but had a more exploratory purpose.

First: Archibald Knox's grave, in Braddan New Cemetery.

Purple Tern has talked about this Manx artist quite a bit, most recently here. As this article points out, his birthplace is less than 800 metres from his grave (which uses one of his own designs, although the story there is a bit complicated).





Then you cross the road at the bottom of the valley, and head up the other side. We went on Sunday, so the massive building site up there was quiet.







We subsequently did this walk through the graveyard twice, as it's a good way to reach the people who deal with Manx driving licences...


Second: The Fairy Bridge at Kewaigue

The Isle of Man is rich in folklore, with all sorts of mythological creatures roaming our small acreage. Among them are the Little People, which is what our Fairies prefer to be called. (There's lots more about them here. They're not all sweetness and light.)

That naming preference notwithstanding, there's a famous landmark here called the Fairy Bridge, which is at Santon, on the New Castletown Road. As you cross, you're supposed to greet the Little People (and you can hear this happening even on some of the local bus services).

This article, as well as offering a run-down on this whole bridge business, has a great picture of the Rolling Stones visiting the "official" Fairy Bridge in 1964...

Anyway, I was completely unaware that a beautiful little bridge near us actually lays claim to being the true Fairy Bridge. There's a map from 1869, it seems, that labels it as such... Let's go and find it, we said.

After weeks of scurrying and scouring, bloodhounds on the track of household equipment and services, it was really nice to remind ourselves of one of the main reasons we're here: The countryside and the atmosphere.













There's actually a third contender in the bridge debate. We need to take a look one day...

But actually folklore expert James Franklin probably has the right view: "The fault lies with thinking of any bridge as 'The Fairy Bridge'. The Lil' Fellas are all over the Isle of Man, including at many bridges. The Devil’s Elbow (over Glen Cam) between Michael and Peel; Ballaugh Bridge; Ballure Bridge just outside Ramsey; Governor's Bridge, Braddan Bridge etc -- these all have stories of Themselves there. The idea that there is only one place where the Mooinjer Veggey hide out is a little ridiculous."

Here's to finding more enchanted places...