Do you have a favourite season? I think they all have special things about them, and I love each in different ways.

Having more time now that I am retired from full-time work provides the opportunity to enjoy each one, and thankfully, being in generally good health, I am making the most of it.

Sadly, life can deal a cruel blow to many who do not have the opportunity to do so.

This includes a number of school friends and others who didn’t live to get older and enjoy retirement, so each healthy day is a bonus.

I walk a lot around our lovely island and, when you look around the uncertain and unstable world, although of course there remains much to be improved upon, I really feel fortunate to live where I do.

My wire-haired fox terriers, Rosie and Ted, will be five in a couple of months’ time, so with my walking companions we set off on fresh adventures most days.

The phrase ‘man’s best friend’ is really appropriate, and I know they look forward to getting out in the fresh air, hopefully with sun on their backs.

We make the most of our time together because, as loyal family members, the hardest thing is the recognition that they are only with us until their teenage years, and when the time comes it can be so hard.

I can’t and don’t want to contemplate that at this time, so we enjoy our time together.

The time passes really quickly, even more so, I feel, as we get older. We have barely had another Christmas when TT time comes around again.

After the gales and prolonged periods of heavy rain over winter and into the new year, the going was tough on many of the footpaths in terms of thick, sticky mud, but as we moved into early spring things have generally improved.

It is at times like this that your attention is diverted to our farmers and how they have to cope with such conditions on a daily basis.

The other thing I often think about with having dogs is that they must always be on a lead in the countryside near fields with livestock, and we always stick to public footpaths and rights of way.

This is particularly important at lambing time. It never fails to astonish me how each year we witness careless, at best, behaviour which causes destruction of livestock and misery for farmers who have nurtured them.

Positive thanks are due to the Department of Infrastructure workers and others who have been undertaking improvements to some of the footpaths, cutting back and providing wooden walkways where needed.

Obviously, it is an ongoing task, but we have real assets for tourism in our 17 glens and many public rights of way, including the Raad ny Foillan, or ‘Way of the Gull’, the 100-mile coastal footpath; the Millennium Way, which is just over 23 miles and was re-established in 1979 to celebrate the millennium of Tynwald; and another favourite, the Bayr ny Skeddan, ‘The Herring Road’, from Castletown to Peel Harbour.

We are very fortunate to have these and other walks available. For further details, go online to Visit Isle of Man, where information about walks and various guided tours and adventures is available on the detailed and user-friendly site.

At Ramsey Hairpin, the Manx Wildlife Trust, supported as a centenary project by the Rotary Club of Douglas, has been in the process of developing a new area, the Hairpin Woodland Park, which stretches over to Milntown House, where after the enjoyment of the natural environment you can partake of some of the tasty fruits of nature.

Of course, they also have longer-established reserves, including the Ayres National Nature Reserve and Scarlett.

They have nine reserves open for public exploration, including Close Sartfield Wetlands and Ballachurry Ponds and Hide. Again, contact Manx Wildlife Trust for more information.

Springtime is one of the most special times, with the spring flowers and birdsong - a time for rebirth and regeneration.

First to venture out are the lovely snowdrops peeping out whilst snow remains on the surrounding area.

Then crocus flowers bring purple, yellow and white to the landscape.

Our hedgerows come alive with the bright optimism of hosts of daffodils, and for many a special treat is the daffodil walk at Port Grenaugh.

The daffs have now gone back to sleep, but when I was there last week the area was alive with peacocks trying to charm the ladies.

I watched for a few minutes as one displayed his wonderful feathers and indeed shook his tail feathers as a peahen approached, but she passed him by as she played hard to get.

He must have wondered what he needed to do to attract her attention.

As I wandered back around the coastal footpath, the banks were covered in sea pinks and the vibrant yellow of the gorse, with its scent wafting as I passed in the glorious light of the early evening.

Bluebells are another treat to be seen.

My favourite place to see them is timeless Ballaglass Glen, where they carpet the wooded areas and, nearby, carved out of the rocks over thousands of years, are the sparkling streams making their way to the sea.

Sprinkled amongst the bluebells are the primroses, and the scent that surrounds the dash of colour is heavenly.

One of my favourite walks starts at Poulsom Park in Castletown, where I follow the Millennium Way as the river weaves its way alongside.

Occasionally, the treat of one of our steam locomotives passing by is a real bonus as they head south to Port Erin or on their return journey to Douglas.

These, alongside the Manx Electric Railway, horse tramway and other rail systems we enjoy, all blend together as real tourist attractions, as they have for so long, and make the island offering so special.

Just along the path is a magnificent display of water splashing over to lower ground with some human intervention on the Silverburn River, another one being just before Silverdale.

The gentle walk along to Rushen Abbey from Castletown is about two and a half miles.

Then I continue alongside the Abbey restaurant (well recommended!), where there is a river-crossing ford for cars, and on to the historic Monks Bridge, also known as Crossag in Manx, meaning ‘little crossing’.

It was built in 1350 AD by the Cistercian monks of Rushen Abbey.

The packhorse bridge allowed the monks to pass over the Silverburn River so they could travel to their northern farms.

The bridge features on the ancient Royal Way between Castletown and Ramsey.

Passing by the bridge, you enter the glen, which continues with various footpaths near the river and is surrounded by trees, ferns, plants and the ‘aroma’ of the stacks of wild garlic along the way.

I remember my dad calling it ‘stinking Rodgers’ in earlier times.

Finally, we reach another timeless attraction, Silverdale Glen, with its lake, boats, wildlife, café and the most recent addition, the Trail Lodge situated in the 300-year-old corn mill.

The part I most enjoy, as I relive childhood memories of the water-powered roundabout, is the excited sounds of the children enjoying this magical place.