Arran Longship Invades Isle of Mann Viking Festival!
Posted: Thursday, 13 July 2006 |
The Arran Longship Society Invaded The Isle Of Mann Viking Festival last week! It was an amazing week of events and international mucking about. There were vikings from all over. Russians, Polish, Icelandic among others as well as loadsa British and Manx. There was a really good turn out from the locals who laid on a fantastic range of events for us including live music at night (on a stage from Glastonbury) and on Sunday night, The Festival of Fire.
Arran was represented by a delegation from AVLS, many of the usual crew couldn't make it with it being the height of the farming and tourist season but we still mustered a bunch of disgraces to row our longship, which I have to say is definetely the most beautiful ship out of the four longships at the festival. And definitely the nicest to row having rowed in one of the others.
Spending a week in the sun in one of the most beautiful places in the world, hospitality and rowing with big burly vikings is a tough but someone's got to do it!
This is the cottage featured in the Movie Waking Ned, The Isle of Mann is a popular film location
The South of the island has stunning cliffs and beaches. This shows the white beach and Calf of Mann in the distance
We built stone towers on the white beach to see if they multipy like the ones on Arran and Holy Isle
We hiked up the cliff path to Dalby the nearest village then back to Peel just in time for the rowing. We didn't get to see much of the rest of the island as we were rowing most days so spent most of the time in Peel.
The Viking Village was facinating. The festival had built it high on the beach complete with look out towers and security was suprisingly good! There was tons to see from sword fighting, hand craft and metal work demonstrations to a full range of armour, clothing, weapons and crafts for sale.
The House of Mannanan was well worth the visit. It tells the story of Mann from the first Celtic settlers and the Viking invasions to the present day through marrionetts, big screen films, reconstuctions, models and a range of interactive technology. One of the most impressive displays is the Viking Longship used to reconstruct the journey from Scandanavia to Mann
Peel Castle is an impossingly avocative structure built on St Patricks Isle which is now linked to Peel by a causeway. St Patricks Isle has been inhabited since 6000BC and was the stronghold of the Kings Court throughout the Dark Ages. The fort that is the oldest part of the present castle was built during the 11th century by King Magnus Barelegs, now there's a name. There is an interactive guide given out at the gate house when you visit or go to http://www.isle-of-man.com/heritage/sites/peel-castle/index.shtml
The blue roof on the beach side is the sound stage for the music side of the festival which was very, very LOUD and had to be danced to.
There was quite a bit of hanging about while we got orginised, two of us had planned ahead and packed rucksacks full of beer and food, guess who has the beer from the faces in this photo?
We did a fair bit of rowing Vikings back and forth from the Castle to the Beach for the invasion re-enactments. I didn't do any rowing till the last day as I was only just out of plaster when we left for the festival and didn't want to do further damage to my poor withered wrist. I forgot my camera so all the photos on this blog are courtesy of Miss Julie Gurr. You can tell Julie took these photos as I would've had all those Russian rowers shirtless...
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Manx Longship
Captain Nigel
After rowing accross the Vikings jumped out of the Longships, ran up the beach and started fighting the Manx who retreated to the Viking village but were sent back out by the women to send the vikings packing.
The Viking Royal Family
The Viking King was Killed in the Battle. The Torch light procession took the Kings Body to his longship where he set sail for the last time.
Dead King Cormac Trying not to Laugh
Typical Vikings, no sense of propriety, you can't take them anywhere...
This is Bogwolf showing Arran Vikingesses True Manx Hospitality. Looking forward to next year already. The people are really friendly, the island is gorgeous, there is great things to do and see and the seafood is fantastic! And I have to say it was wall to wall top totty, a bit like being a kid in a sweet shop! Perhaps an idea for next years fank? (see calumannabel & Annie Begs blog archives on the Western Isles pages)
Arrans Viking Festival, Corrie Capers, is the second week in August, Largs Viking Festival is beginning of September. I will post the programme for Corrie Capers as soon as we have decided what we are doing. Proust!
Arran was represented by a delegation from AVLS, many of the usual crew couldn't make it with it being the height of the farming and tourist season but we still mustered a bunch of disgraces to row our longship, which I have to say is definetely the most beautiful ship out of the four longships at the festival. And definitely the nicest to row having rowed in one of the others.
Spending a week in the sun in one of the most beautiful places in the world, hospitality and rowing with big burly vikings is a tough but someone's got to do it!
This is the cottage featured in the Movie Waking Ned, The Isle of Mann is a popular film location
The South of the island has stunning cliffs and beaches. This shows the white beach and Calf of Mann in the distance
We built stone towers on the white beach to see if they multipy like the ones on Arran and Holy Isle
We hiked up the cliff path to Dalby the nearest village then back to Peel just in time for the rowing. We didn't get to see much of the rest of the island as we were rowing most days so spent most of the time in Peel.
The Viking Village was facinating. The festival had built it high on the beach complete with look out towers and security was suprisingly good! There was tons to see from sword fighting, hand craft and metal work demonstrations to a full range of armour, clothing, weapons and crafts for sale.
The House of Mannanan was well worth the visit. It tells the story of Mann from the first Celtic settlers and the Viking invasions to the present day through marrionetts, big screen films, reconstuctions, models and a range of interactive technology. One of the most impressive displays is the Viking Longship used to reconstruct the journey from Scandanavia to Mann
Peel Castle is an impossingly avocative structure built on St Patricks Isle which is now linked to Peel by a causeway. St Patricks Isle has been inhabited since 6000BC and was the stronghold of the Kings Court throughout the Dark Ages. The fort that is the oldest part of the present castle was built during the 11th century by King Magnus Barelegs, now there's a name. There is an interactive guide given out at the gate house when you visit or go to http://www.isle-of-man.com/heritage/sites/peel-castle/index.shtml
The blue roof on the beach side is the sound stage for the music side of the festival which was very, very LOUD and had to be danced to.
There was quite a bit of hanging about while we got orginised, two of us had planned ahead and packed rucksacks full of beer and food, guess who has the beer from the faces in this photo?
We did a fair bit of rowing Vikings back and forth from the Castle to the Beach for the invasion re-enactments. I didn't do any rowing till the last day as I was only just out of plaster when we left for the festival and didn't want to do further damage to my poor withered wrist. I forgot my camera so all the photos on this blog are courtesy of Miss Julie Gurr. You can tell Julie took these photos as I would've had all those Russian rowers shirtless...
Captain Nigel
After rowing accross the Vikings jumped out of the Longships, ran up the beach and started fighting the Manx who retreated to the Viking village but were sent back out by the women to send the vikings packing.
The Viking Royal Family
The Viking King was Killed in the Battle. The Torch light procession took the Kings Body to his longship where he set sail for the last time.
Dead King Cormac Trying not to Laugh
Typical Vikings, no sense of propriety, you can't take them anywhere...
This is Bogwolf showing Arran Vikingesses True Manx Hospitality. Looking forward to next year already. The people are really friendly, the island is gorgeous, there is great things to do and see and the seafood is fantastic! And I have to say it was wall to wall top totty, a bit like being a kid in a sweet shop! Perhaps an idea for next years fank? (see calumannabel & Annie Begs blog archives on the Western Isles pages)
Arrans Viking Festival, Corrie Capers, is the second week in August, Largs Viking Festival is beginning of September. I will post the programme for Corrie Capers as soon as we have decided what we are doing. Proust!
Comments
Did they warn the Manx what happens when a wild Susan is let loose? Monte Carlo still hasn't recovered, when can we tempt you back?
Rienne from Monaco
And after all that time in Peel, on Mona's Isle, did you not see the moddy doo (phonetically speaking)? Perhaps too much good ale was imbibed.......
Flying Cat from peering out from under a black dug
Hi Rienne! Shouldn't take any more time off during the high season but may well drop over in the autumn. Give you a ring over the next few days, you could come over for Corrie Capers & Pittenweem Arts Festival?
Sunny from The Slave Quarters Emporio Artistic Arran
any news regarding Corrie Capers? We are coming up for a couple of weeks and don't want to miss Up-Hellia. Have you got the sail up on the longship yet? If it's anything like the Isle of Mann festival it will be fabulous
Hale Barns from Carla
Why, oh why don't you sell ice cream in your shop? You would be rolling in it by now.
The Parched People from The House of Ill Repute, Arran
Don't sell icecream because it's an art shop not an icecream parlour. The paper etc. might get a bit sticky
Sunny from Arran
"Isle of Man" or "Mann" not "Isle of Mann"; e.g., "I've been to the Isle of Man." or "I've been to Mann."
Matthew W. S. Bell from 1.5 years too late
Arran ExPat wandering the world, residing in Cyprus for now with the odd visit home.
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