By edanI had only just made my permanent move to the Isle of Man on the 23rd of June 2026, and what stays with me most is the day after. Back in the UK, where I’d left from, there had been a heatwave, so I’d been looking forward to getting over to the island and into a cooler climate. I came over on the Steam Packet ferry from Heysham at around two in the afternoon and arrived shortly before six. After that I unloaded a few things from my car into storage, and that evening I watched the England v Ghana World Cup match in my local pub, The Queen’s.
But really, it was Wednesday the 24th that felt like the moment everything changed. I woke up to a beautiful sunny day, with a nice cooling breeze blowing across the island, and I decided to go on a hike. I drove about fifteen minutes up through the mountain to the car park at Sulby Reservoir, and from there I walked partway around the water and up into the hills.
I remember thinking how quiet it all was. I passed only a couple of fishermen. Other than them, there was hardly anyone. I could barely hear any cars or any noise at all, just the gentle lapping of the reservoir. The sun was warm on my face, and everything felt still in the best possible way. I passed a few sheep and lambs as well, which somehow just added to that peaceful feeling.
I’d had some sushi in the car before I got out, and then during the walk I dipped into my rucksack a few times for some little chicken snacks and a bottle of water. At one point I lay back on a bench and had my lunch there, just taking it all in. Blue skies, blue clear water, that soft breeze, and almost no one around on a three-mile walk. It was one of those moments where you don’t need anything more than what’s right in front of you.
What really hit me was the thought that I didn’t have any house to worry about back in the UK anymore. The sale had completed the day before. That was done. Finished. Sitting there by the reservoir, I felt that this was my new life now. I was going to be able to discover lots of new hikes, and that thought made me genuinely happy. I was also looking forward to being reunited with my dog, Poppy, when she and my partner moved over from the UK, because I could already picture her joining me on those walks.
When I headed back, I honestly didn’t want to go back to the car. I wanted to stay in that peace and tranquility a bit longer. It felt like all my stresses were just dissipating out into the air. Eventually I did drive back down through the mountain road to Douglas, but I brought that feeling back with me.
That afternoon I went to the supermarket and bought healthy food, lots of fruit, strawberries, and salad items. The hike had made me feel like I wanted to start looking after myself a bit more, from a nutritional point of view. I went back to my apartment and marinated some chicken in fresh yogurt and tikka and tandoori spices for later. It felt simple, but important somehow.
That day marked it for me: a fresh new start of healthy living. Not in some dramatic way, just in a quiet, real way. A sunny day, a cooling breeze, a quiet reservoir, and the feeling that life had opened up again.