The Charity co-hosted two walks on Sunday 2 October and Sunday 9 October 2016
In total around 100 people attended the Knockaloe.im Charity and the Manx Footpaths Conservation Group walks on Sunday 2 October and Sunday 9 October. The two FREE guided walks encompassing the coastal footpath and Knockaloe Internment Camp were part of the Manx National Heritage Open Days 2016 where independent heritage organisations and private owners Island-wide join together to open their doors and share their knowledge of historic treasures.
Walk 1 (2 October 1.30pm for 2 1/2 hours approx) starts at the Schoolrooms and tours the site of the internment camp going onto the coastal footpath, the Creggans and Patrick village and churchyard.
Walk 2 (9 October 1.30pm for 2 1/2 hours approx) starts at Fenella beach via the coastal footpath to Knockaloe Internment camp and returning via the old camp Railway line route.
The walks were part of the Manx Footpaths Conservation Group's special commemoration of 30 years of the Coastal footpath this year.
MNH organised the Isle of Man Heritage Open Days 2016 as "An opportunity to explore some of the unusual or less publicly accessible historic properties, lands and buildings that celebrate the Isle of Man’s rich heritage and culture over two long weekends. Heritage organisations and private owners Island-wide join together to open their doors and share their knowledge of historic treasures. Free to explore - donations welcome to participating organisations."
45 people joined us for the second of the walks which took place on Sunday 9 October 2016. The walks allow attendees to peek at Heritage not normally seen and for this second walk, as well as touring Knockaloe, we were able to go inside Corrin's Tower (also known as Corrin's Folly) and see the stone commemorating Thomas Corrin's beloved wife. The main photo shows the view from the top of the tower across Peel Hill towards Peel. It was fabulous!
Whilst only a few of the internees could see the sea from their compounds, they could all see Corrin's Tower, and in an earlier post we included an article that the internees had written in their Camp 4 newspaper, Lager Zeitung, which was less than appreciative of the Tower!
The walk was organised by the Manx Footpaths Conservation Group and was a round trip starting at Fenella beach from where we and walking along. Alison Jones from the Charity was the guide for the Knockaloe aspects including where the Knockaloe Branchline crossed the Neb, Patrick Churchyard and the walk through Knockaloe up to the top looking back down over the camp. From here we went on to the wonderful Happy Hiker carving put in place to celebrate 30 years of the coastal footpath as well as remembering their past members and then to the top of Peel Hill to visit Corrin's Tower.
Thank you so much to the Manx Footpaths Conservation Group for inviting us to join up with them for these walks and to Tony Archibald of the Group for photos 2 & 3, 9, 10, 11, & 12. Other photos are by the Charity.
