02-May-2023
1.
Cronk Sumark
We could do this one straight from the house.
Nice views, as always, from our peaceful lanes
And here, very clearly, is where the PATH starts
Here's our objective, looking like just a wee blip from this angle
The ascent is quite steep, however
Awesome terrain
The top!
The sign above is a bit vague. According to Andrew Johnson and Allison Fox (A Guide to the Archaeological Sites of the Isle of Man, Culture Vannin, 2017), the fortification probably dates back to the late Iron Age or the early medieval period, and probably served as a lookout, control point, or defensible hilltop for some local big potato.
The summit area is not extensive:
But the views are great:
Looking back at our little peak
Home via the Claddaghs, a favourite Sunday outing spot for our family back in the day...
...and the village of Sulby
2.
Kerroogarroo Fort
Just a few kilometres from our residence is this 17th-century star-shaped earthwork, built by John Stanley, Earl of Derby and Lord of Man: "It was constructed before he left to fight for the King in the English Civil War. It is believed that there was once a wooden stockade around the top, providing protection to any soldiers inside. Its location might seem unusual, but when it was built, the surrounding land would have been much more marshy and any army wishing to move from Ramsey to Peel on dry land would have had to pass this site. The fort was surrendered to parliamentary forces in 1651."
Today the approach is guarded by sheep
A view across the middle
And of the drop-offs from the embankments
So... Two more places I knew nothing about, despite the fact that I grew up on the Island...
And the list of other such places doesn't seem to get any shorter.