Latest news with #ParishWalk
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Rolling road closures for 85-mile Isle of Man Parish Walk
Motorists have been warned to expect disruption on several key routes as more than 1,100 people take on the Isle of Man's Parish set off from the National Sport Centre in Douglas at 08:00 BST on Saturday aiming to complete the 85-mile (137km) route within 24 road closures will see the A1 between Union Mills to Crosby shut to all traffic between 08:20 and 10:30, with Derby Road in Peel closed from 12:30 to 18: closures and one way systems along the course will be signposted for both walkers and drivers. Starting at the turn of the 20th Century as a competition to see who could walk the furthest, the first organised walk took place in 1913. A formal route set in the 1960s sees those taking part cover a course that visits the churches of the island's 17 rolling closures reflect a requirement for competitors to check in at each location by a specific time. The competition will see the closure of Cleaynagh Road, which runs between Braaid Crossroads and the A5 from 09:00 to 11:30, and the Orrisdale Road near the Blackboards on the A5 shut between 09:30 and 13:30.A raft of other roads will temporarily be one-way to allow them to be used by support teams for parking and assisting include the Sloc, Church Street in Peel and the route between Jurby and Bride have also been reminded of several zones where stopping is not permitted, such as from Braddan Bridge to Union Mills and at the Church Road junction in Lonan when leaving must cross the finish line at the War Memorial on Harris Promenade in Douglas within the 24-hour competition period to officially register as having completed the current record holder is Richard Gerrard, who completed the course in 14 hours, 40 minutes in 2015. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Manx firefighter takes on Parish Walk in full kit challenge
A Douglas firefighter is attempting an epic walking challenge on the Isle of Man, in his full emergency Hays is taking on the 85 mile (136km) Parish Walk to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity and the Great North Air Ambulance full uniform, breathing apparatus, and helmet, added about 15kg (33 lbs) of weight to the challenge, which gave participants 24 hours to complete the would be the 37-year-old's first attempt at the event and he said: "I've definitely gone in at the deep end with this." While many do complete the walk that visits all 17 island parishes, the majority of those taking part set a target to reach the halfway point of Hays said: "I'm looking to ideally travel between hopefully Peel and maybe Ballaugh at the furthest, which will be about 30 to 40 miles." About 1,100 walkers are expected to take to Manx roads as part of the annual challenge. 'Mental resilience' It follows a similar challenge last year, when two of his colleagues took on the walk wearing firefighting helmets. But this year they wanted to "elevate it" and Mr Hays said he "voted myself in to do it" for the two it would be a big physical challenge, he said it would also test him mentally. He said: "Mental resilience is something that's quite big in the firefighting profession, just being able to kind of dig into what reserves you might have and just carry on with what's in front of you."Hopefully this proves that to the nth degree," he added. To train Mr Hays said as well as going for walks of about 15 miles at a time wearing weight belts, he had also been walking on an inclined treadmill with sand in his cylinder for added off at the National Sports Centre at 08:00 BST, competitors will cross the finish line in the gruelling challenge on Douglas Promenade on Saturday. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Parish Walk veterans dub epic 85-mile event 'addictive'
A man who has completed the Isle of Man's Parish Walk 22 times has said it was "definitely a bug now", ahead of this year's event. Andrew Titley first took on the challenge in 2001 and was motivated to keep doing them after experiencing people's annual 85 mile (136km) walking challenge, sees more than a thousand competitors tackle the island's 17 parishes within 24 Titley said after his first finish "people who I've never met were patting me on the back saying congratulations and shaking your hand". 'Fantastic atmosphere' Despite the physical and mental toll the race can take, Mr Titley said the "euphoria of actually managing to complete it" overrides "all the pain". He said: "The community just gets together for the whole event, everybody's involved... it's just a fantastic atmosphere."It's definitely a bug now."The Ronaldsway Met Office has forecast temperatures of up to 21C (70F) on Saturday, which may add to the physical challenge of the event on walkers. 'The cheering, the crowds' Another veteran is race director Ray Cox, who completed it in 1994 and has been organising the event for the past 30 said: "The cheering, the crowds, the ambience, there's a certain spirit that pervades on Parish Walk day that I do believe is unique."It becomes addictive and that's why we have so many people that come back year after year." The walk as we know it today was reincarnated in in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century there were walks through the parishes but "they were informal affairs and frequently challenges between neighbours with wagering involved, organised in public houses late at night", Mr Cox said since then it had become a "national institution" and an "incredible physical feat". It was the "one day of the year that pedestrians can take back the roads" and those that took part were "phenomenal athletes" who also faced a "huge mental challenge", he Gleave has won the women's race for the last two years and said she never expected to be topping the leaderboard. She said: "The first time I did it and I went to Peel I thought 'gosh I don't know how people finish it'.""Fast-forward years later to have my name on the trophy twice, it's really surreal.""It's something I feel incredibly lucky to have been able to achieve."More than 1,100 walkers are due to set off from the National Sports Centre race track in Douglas at 08:00 BST on Saturday. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Isle of Man's veteran's hand crank challenge to 'inspire others'
An army veteran who completed the equivalent distance of the Isle of Man's Parish Walk on a hand crank machine after losing the use of his legs said he hoped his efforts would "inspire others".Mike Ryan said he decided to complete the 85-mile (137km) challenge at the National Sports Centre (NSC) as the event's route would be "impossible" in a wheelchair due to the said he had decided to take on the venture, which he completed in just over six hours, to "surprise" himself and demonstrate to others "I am more than what you see".Mr Ryan said: "It is easy for people to look at people with a disability and think they are 50% of the next person... give me an option to be judged on a level playing field and I won't come last." The former member of the Royal Engineers said he decided to use the hand crank machine, which is designed to improve upper body fitness, because it was the only piece of exercise equipment he could use that registered a distance. Mr Ryan, who served in the British Army between 1994 and 2001 and did tours of Germany, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, said he broke his legs in more than 140 places over a three year was referred to the NSC by the island's mental health services due to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after leaving military service. Attending the gym sessions "helps me get out of the house more and combat stress", he said he had "jokingly" asked to sign up for the Parish Walk Challenge at the NSC, which sees entrants complete the distance of the walk on a variety of gym equipment, but had then taken it on in receiving a medal for completing the task, he said although it was different from the annual walk itself it was no less of an achievement."I know it is not the same as completing the Parish Walk, but I would say to anyone to go and do 85 miles in a day is challenging, even if it is not the same challenge," he others with PTSD to seek help, he said: "Don't suffer in silence like I did for a few years."Completing the challenge in six hours and 15 minutes, Mr Ryan raised about £650 for local charity Bridge the Gap, which aims to help young people with long-term health conditions. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Entries for 2025 Parish Walk set to close
Anybody wanting to take part in this year's Parish Walk on the Isle of Man must submit their entry before Monday. The annual challenge sees competitors set off from the National Sport Centre at 08:00 BST to attempt to complete the 85-mile (137km) route covering the island's 17 parishes within 24 hours. Applications to participate in the walk on 21 and 22 June will close a minute after 23:59 on Sunday. Organisers Manx Telecom (MT) said more than 1,000 people had already signed up for this year's event. The walk began at the turn of the 20th Century as a competition to see who could walk the furthest. The first organised walk took place in 1913 but a formal route was not set until the 1960s. MT said the Parish Walk provided an opportunity for participants to "challenge themselves, whether their aim is to reach one parish or complete the full 85-mile route within the 24-hour time limit". Entries opened in December and can be submitted online. The record completion time for the event is 14 hours 40 minutes, set by Richard Gerrard in 2015. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X. Entries open for annual 24-hour Parish Walk More than 1,000 take on annual Parish Walk Parish Walk
