I thought I would look at a few of the attractions from long ago which I remember from Sunday School picnics and so on which remain special today.

Let’s start with an old favourite…Silverdale!

The buildings that now house the restaurant and other facilities were once owned by the Quayle family, who also owned Ballasalla Cregg Mill.

It was later purchased by William Quine MHK, an amateur arborist who planted the area with trees and used the Silverburn to mill flour. The glen was developed as a tourist attraction for day trips from Douglas at the end of the 19th century.

After Mr Quine’s death in 1907, his son Thomas (also an MHK) took over the mill, restored the Monk’s Well, and further developed the area.

By 1910, the mill had been repurposed as a café for the booming tourism market and was known as Silverdale Tea Rooms.

In 1938, the mill was sold to Cecil Joseph Mitchell, who continued to promote the glen as a tourist destination.

The amusements and recreation area were bought by the Forestry, Mines and Lands Board in 1960, and the mill and café in 1962. The lower part of the glen was donated to the Manx National Trust in 1966.

A small lake was created when the Silverburn River was dammed for the mill, and it was later repurposed as a boating lake when the glen was developed as a tourist attraction.

One of the most charming features that has attracted visitors for generations is the carousel and water wheel.

Driven by the Silverburn River, the water wheel originally came from the Foxdale Mines, where it was once a washing floor wheel.

The carousel horses were installed in 1911 and are still in operation, although they have undergone frequent refurbishments after extended periods of inactivity.

When the carousel was first installed, an adult was needed to hold open the sluice to divert water from the river, allowing the carousel to turn.

I remember when we got off the coach in the tight parking area, we would all rush to have a go on the boats. I bet I’m not the only one who not only fell into the lake but also got blisters on my hands from trying to make the old paddle boats go faster.

Let’s stay nearby on our little trip and look at the historic site of Rushen Abbey.

Founded in 1134 under the 12th-century King of Mann and the Isles, the abbey came under Cistercian rule in 1147, and the abbey church, dedicated to St Mary, was completed in 1257. The abbey was dissolved in the 16th century.

In 1853, the Isle of Man government bought Rushen Abbey, apparently with the intention of turning it into a lunatic asylum. However, it was never used for that purpose, and in 1864, an act was passed revoking the sale. In the early 1900s, the abbey ruins became a popular tourist destination, famous for the strawberries and cream served in its gardens. Afternoon tea dances entertained both locals and visitors, along with delicious homemade strawberry jam.

For some reason, Wikipedia jumps from those glory days to 1998, when Manx National Heritage acquired the site. But I remember Rushen Abbey being a pub - and who remembers the Academy nightclub in the grounds?

Another memory of mine is being one of the many stallholders who set up shop when visitor coaches arrived for the regular summer markets.

We also pitched up in Castletown Square, at Tynwald Day, and who remembers RAF Jurby Day?

The grounds and historic site have now been under the guardianship of Manx National Heritage for nearly 30 years. Adjacent to the site is the Abbey Restaurant, which has to be one of the best venues on the island for lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner.

Who remembers Glen Wyllin in its heyday?

The pleasure grounds were owned by the railway company, whose line crossed the valley via a viaduct.

Very popular with holidaymakers and Sunday school trips, I particularly liked the motorboats on the lake. I seem to remember them having screens, which to a young boy reminded me of the fairings and screens on TT bikes!

The grounds were developed in the late 19th century. So, what did the Victorians ever do for us? Answer: lots!

Another thing I clearly remember is that in the building next to the lake, there were not only games but also one of those mirrors that created an amusingly distorted image of whoever stood in front of it.

Much later, there was a fish hatchery nearby, and many locals would bring their mobile homes or camp. The current operators of the popular campsite took over in 2015 and have since invested in the infrastructure.

They’ve added swings and other attractions - remember the boat swings?

Nearby is a beautiful, long beach, which, in my opinion, is reminiscent of those in the Algarve.

One painful memory I have, as a fair-skinned youngster, is spending the whole day climbing up the sandy cliffs, only to end up looking like a lobster from the powerful sun, with no protection from its harmful rays!

No Sunday school picnic would be complete without a trip to Royal Ramsey.

This title came about after royal visits by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1847, and by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1902.

As a boy, I remember the song ‘Ramsey Town, Shining by the Sea’ and was convinced that the sun always shines in Ramsey…it’s true, isn’t it?

The town’s name derives from Old Norse, meaning ‘wild garlic river’.

Ramsey was the landing place of the Viking warrior Godred Crovan around 1079.

Determined to subjugate the island and make it his kingdom, he fought an important battle on Sky Hill, resulting in a period of Viking rule that influenced the development of the Manx nation and many traditions that continue today.

Godred’s son, King Olaf, was murdered by his nephew, Reginald, near Ramsey Harbour in 1154.

Now, that history was never taught in any of the schools I attended—how about you?

Much more recently (only 810 years later!), Radio Caroline North was based in Ramsey Bay from 1964 to 1968. I clearly remember my dad pointing it out to me while we were driving down from the mountain.

The first stop on our Sunday school picnic, after parking up in the square, was always a visit to the famous Ramsey joke shop. Naughty boys (not me, of course!) would emerge with stink bombs, sneezing and itching powder, and plastic models of dog droppings to place in embarrassing spots on the coach.

We would head to Mooragh Park for sports, with prizes of oranges and buns donated by my dad.

I had no idea that in 1881, Ramsey Town Commissioners bought the Mooragh—then a 200-acre tidal swamp—for £1,200. It was transformed into a pleasure park and opened to the public six years later.

No visit would be complete without a turn on the motorboats and, of course, a go on the TT crazy golf… Happy days!