Family Time on Ballaugh Shore, Isle Of Man

It is funny, because this blog is such an integral part of my life, that there are things that to me that still feel totally separate, and it would not even occur to me to write about. While I love writing about the different places I travel to, it has never occurred to me (past the odd Instagrams of sunsets) to do a post on the Isle of Man before. The Isle of Man, for those of you who don’t know, is a little island in the middle of the Irish sea, that has the worlds oldest continuous parliament, and is the home to the world famous TT motorcycle race.

My parents took me to visit my grandparents here on the island when I was a baby, and all I have from those trips are photo albums. I’ve been a couple of times since leaving school, but it is always for those unhappy family occasions I end up traveling here for. I think it is because family life and unhappy occasions are so far from what I usually write about and I don’t really feel comfortable sharing, that until now I have not got around to showing you all my favourite place on the island that I can walk to from the house my grandparents lived in for about the last decade of their lives: Ballaugh Shore on the North West side of the Island. 

Since arriving on the island on Saturday evening I’ve taken a few breaks away from the house to spend some time with my parents away from it all; we see each other all the time as we work and run a business together, but it is sometimes nice to take some time to enjoy each others company just the three of us.

These moments just walking along the beach together I especially cherish in what has been a week of uncomfortable firsts that come when you’re a grown up. We celebrate the happy occasions such as birthdays, graduations and engagements, but it is only in the hours afterwards that you realise you’ve passed some of the firsts you’d rather not remember; I’ve called someone up to let them know that someone we both loved had passed away for the first time, and given my first eulogy over the past few days. 

These photos are a mixture of some rather dramatic landscapes over the mountains and along the shore I shot with stormy grey clouds in the background on a walk before lunch with my father on Monday, and yesterday when we’d got changed after arriving back from the cemetery and ventured out together in the glorious sunshine. I was the only one who did not get wet feet as I was the only one clever enough to remember my wellies (you can’t get powder pink Hunters anymore, but I’ve included some other great styles below), my beloved Levi’s, and one of my favourite Boden Hampton Tees. They’ve run out of this colour, but a few other colours are now on sale at only £15 a pop. I practically live in these and I buy at least one every year. Oh, and my UCLA hoodie that is far too big for me, but because it is newer, even comfier than any of my school ones. 

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I’m catching the ferry back to England this afternoon, but I wanted to share such a beautiful beach with you before I left. Be it a sunny beach with blue sea and golden sand in Southern California, or somewhere with such changing moods and weather patterns such as this little stretch in the middle of the Irish sea, I have always adored the ocean, and can’t help bringing a little bit of it back with me every time I walk up and off the sand. 

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Hi, I'm Rachel!

I'm a food writer, professional recipe developer and cookbook author living in the English Countryside. I love creating easy, accessable recipes filled with vibrant world flavours that are manageable on busy weeknights. Simple and delicious dinners, from my kitchen to yours!

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