I spent a happy fortnight exploring the Isle of Man with my parents and a friend in the summer of 1985. It was 34 years before my next visit in July 2019. I don't know why I left it so long to come back, as it is such a beautiful island. Even in early July it wasn't busy anywhere but Douglas, good news for visitors who don't like crowds, but not so good if you work for the Isle of Man Tourism Department!
In Manx the Isle of Man is known as Ellan Vannin. The Isle of Man is famous for its TT motorcycle races, which are held using the island’s public roads in May/June each year.
In Manx the Isle of Man is known as Ellan Vannin. The Isle of Man is famous for its TT motorcycle races, which are held using the island’s public roads in May/June each year.
The Isle of Man can be accessed by vehicle ferries run by the very old fashioned sounding Isle of Man Steam Packet Company from Liverpool/Birkenhead, Heysham, Dublin and Belfast to Douglas. It is not cheap if you want to take your car but I discovered that it was £100 cheaper to sail during the week, compared to weekends. Some of the sailings are in the middle of the night. I sailed from Heysham at 2.15am. You can book (and pay) for a cabin or a reclining seat but you won't get a whole night's sleep, as the sailing time is less than 4 hours. However if you don't do this, unlike other overnight ferries I have been on to Ireland or Shetland, there is nowhere to lie down, as the seats in the bar and restaurant all have arm rests between the seats.
Alternatively you can fly to the Isle of Man from regional airports across the UK and from Dublin. The Isle of Man Airport (also known as Ronaldsway) at Ballasalla seemed to be very busy with planes taking off and landing at frequent intervals, when I spent a day close to it at Derbyhaven, Langness and Castletown. The Manx Aviation and Military Museum is located at the airport.
I know lots of people who have visited the Isle of Man for walking holidays and they have all said how much they enjoyed exploring the island. There is a network of well signed public footpaths across the island, as well as 4 long distance paths:
- Raad ny Foillan (Way of the Gull). This is a 95 mile coastal footpath, which encircles the island
- Millennium Way - this runs for 23 miles from Castletown to Ramsey and was opened in 1979 to celebrate the Millennium of the Manx Parliament or Tynwald
- Herring Way - this 14 mile footpath runs from Peel to Castletown
- Heritage Trail - this 10 mile route follows the trackbed of the old railway, which ran from Peel to Douglas via St John's
I walked a few short sections of the Raad ny Foillan around The Sound and The Chasms and Maughold and they were all paths with stunning scenery.
The Sugarloaf from Black Head
The Sugarloaf from The Chasms
The Chasms
The Calf of Man from Buroo Ned
Looking towards Maughold Head from Port Mooar
Douglas is the main town on the Isle of Man and in 2016 the population of Douglas and Onchan together was just over 36,000, which is 42.4% of the island's total population. It is my least favourite place on the island because it is very busy with cars and has lots of parking restrictions. That said, it is a perfectly pleasant town with several lovely public gardens and a long promenade, which runs for more than two miles all the way to Onchan Head.
Things for visitors to do in Douglas include:
- The Great Union Camera Obscura. This was built up on Douglas Head in 1892 and is open to the public in the summer months.
- The Manx Museum. This is open all year and is free to go in.
- Ride on a Horse Tram along the seafront. Horse trams have been running along the seafront in Douglas since 1876, making it the world’s oldest surviving horse drawn tramway.
- Home of Rest for Old Horses. This is just outside Douglas at Richmond Hill. It is open to the public in the summer months and school holidays is free to go in. It was started by two sisters in 1950. They were concerned about the fate of working horses that had come to the end of their working lives and were shipped off the island to an unknown fate. It is home to many retired horse tram horses, as well as ponies and donkeys. It has a very reasonably priced café.
Douglas Promenade
Derby Square, Douglas
Horse Tram at Douglas in 1985
Tynwald Building, Douglas
This building is known as "The Wedding Cake" for obvious reasons!
Camera Obscura, Douglas Head
From this angle the painted sign says CAMRA OBSCURA - obviously a place of pilgrimage for real ale fans!
One of the resident of the Home of Rest for Old Horses
Home of Rest for Old Horses - yes, they have donkeys too!
Snaefell is the highest point on the Isle of Man at 621 metres. The name means 'Snow Mountain'. The Snaefell Mountain Railway, which runs 5 miles from Laxey up to the summit of Snaefell, was opened in 1895 and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. When we went on it in August 1985, the top of the mountain was shrouded in cloud, you couldn’t see any views and it was very cold.
Snaefell Mountain Railway train at Laxey Station
The Isle of Man Steam Railway runs 15.5 miles from Douglas to Port Erin via Port Soderick, Ballasalla, Castletown, Colby and Port St Mary. It is a narrow gauge railway and first opened in 1873. There is a small Railway Museum at Port Erin Station.
There are other small narrow gauge railways at Laxey (Great Laxey Mines Railway), Groudle Glen and the Curraghs Wildlife Park.
There are other small narrow gauge railways at Laxey (Great Laxey Mines Railway), Groudle Glen and the Curraghs Wildlife Park.
Steam train at Port Erin Station
Steam train at Port Erin Station
Douglas Railway Station
Ancient historical sites on the island include King Orry’s Grave – he was the Norse ruler of the island but he died on Islay. There are also Neolithic chambered tombs at Meayll and Cashtal yn Ard.
King Orry's Grave, Laxey
There are 18 coastal and mountain national glens spread around the Isle of Man. These are preserved and maintained in a semi-natural state by the Isle of Man Government and all are open to the public. I visited 6 of them: Ballaglass, Colby, Bradda, Laxey, Port Soderick and Glen Maye. I thought they were all lovely but Ballaglass Glen at Cornaa was my favourite.
Ballaglass Glen
Ballaglass Glen
Colby Glen
Glen Maye
Castletown in the south of the Isle of Man is home to Castle Rushen. The first castle was built c1200 for a Norse king. It was added to over the centuries. It was used as a fortress, royal residence, mint and prison. It is one of the best preserved medieval castles in the world. It is now in the care of Manx National Heritage and is open to the public in the summer months (admission charge).
The Old House of Keys (the 19th Century parliament building), a Nautical Museum and the Old Grammar School are also located in Castletown.
The Nautical Museum is not as grand as it sounds, although it is interesting. It is the former of home of the eccentric and inventive George Quayle. He had a ship built called Peggy in 1789, which was the first armed yacht and is the earliest example of a British schooner. George kept Peggy in a boathouse at his house and after his death in 1835 she remained interred there and forgotten about for 100 years. In 2015 she was removed from the boathouse and is currently undergoing renovation, so is not on show. You can however see the room George had designed to look like a ship's cabin.
The Old House of Keys (the 19th Century parliament building), a Nautical Museum and the Old Grammar School are also located in Castletown.
The Nautical Museum is not as grand as it sounds, although it is interesting. It is the former of home of the eccentric and inventive George Quayle. He had a ship built called Peggy in 1789, which was the first armed yacht and is the earliest example of a British schooner. George kept Peggy in a boathouse at his house and after his death in 1835 she remained interred there and forgotten about for 100 years. In 2015 she was removed from the boathouse and is currently undergoing renovation, so is not on show. You can however see the room George had designed to look like a ship's cabin.
Castle Rushen, Castletown
Old House of Keys, Castletown
Nautical Museum, Castletown
Cabin Room, Nautical Museum, Castletown
Castletown from the top of Castle Rushen
Castletown Harbour from the top of Castle Rushen
Medieval banquet, Castle Rushen
Medieval kitchen, Castle Rushen
Castletown Harbour
The Old Grammar School, Castletown
This was built around 1200 and was the Castletown's first church. It is the oldest roofed structure on the Isle of Man. It later became a school for boys. It is only open to pre-booked parties.
Castletown Harbour at low tide
Lighthouse at Castletown Harbour
Laxey Wheel - 1985
The Laxey Wheel is the largest working waterwheel in the world. It was built to drain water from a lead/silver/zinc/copper mine and was completed in 1854. It was named after the wife of the governor of the mine – Lady Isabella. The mine closed in 1929 and is now in the care of the Manx National Heritage. As well as the waterwheel, which you can climb to the top of, there is also a signed trail up Glen Mooar, which takes you to the ruins of some of the other mine buildings.
Laxey Wheel - 2019
Laxey Wheel
Laxey Wheel
Mine Trail, Laxey
Looking up Glen Mooar from the top of the Laxey Wheel
Mine ruin, Laxey
I love all grey cats but this was one of the biggest and most friendly I have ever come across. I wanted to take him home but we resisted the temptation.
Maughold Lighthouse - 1985
Maughold Lighthouse - 2019
Point of Ayre Lighthouse - built in 1818
Point of Ayre - northern tip of the island
Point of Ayre Lighthouse
This lighthouse was first operational in late 1818 or early 1819. It was automated in 1993.
Point of Ayre Lighthouse
Point of Ayre Secondary Lighthouse
This small lighthouse is located on the gravel bank to the south east of the main lighthouse. It was built c1890 and decommissioned in 2010. It is known locally as "The Winkie".
The seaside towns of Port St Mary and Port Erin are located at the south west end of the Isle of Man. They are less than a mile apart but Port Erin is on the east coast, while Port Erin is on the west coast.
Port St Mary - 1985
Port St Mary
Port St Mary
Port Erin from Milner's Tower on Bradda Head
Port Erin Bay and Bradda Head
Tynwald - 1985
The Manx Parliament meets at Tynwald in the village of St John's on 5th July every year. The tradition of meeting here was begun by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago, making it the oldest continuous parliament in the world. During the rest of the year the parliament meets in Douglas.
Tynwald on 6th July 2019
Tynwald on 6th July 2019
Tynwald on 6th July 2019
Niarbyl Bay 1985
Niarbyl Bay 2019
Niarbyl Bay 2019
Niarbyl Bay 2019
The 1998 film Waking Ned was filmed at Niarbyl Bay.
The town of Peel is located on the west coast of the Isle of Man. It is the 3rd largest town on the island with a population of 5,374. It is a lovely town to wander around with two sandy beaches, two cathedrals and lots of narrow lanes.
The House of Manannan is located in the middle of the town. This is a museum which tells the story of the Isle of Man from Viking times through to the 19th century with life size reconstructions. The House of Manannan is run by Manx National Heritage. It is open all year and there is an admission charge.
Moore's Manx Kipper Factory is located in Peel. Guided tours of the factory are available one afternoon a week in the summer. The small Manx Transport Heritage Museum and the Leece Museum (local history and motorbikes) are also located in Peel.
There is another Transport museum (buses, cars and wagons) located at Jurby in the north of the island. The Isle of Man Motor Museum (classic cars and motorcycles) is also located in Jurby.
Peel from St Patrick's Isle
Inside a Celtic roundhouse in the House of Manannan
Replica of Odin's Raven - House of Manannan
House of Manannan
Peel Cathedral
Moore's Manx Kipper Factory
Peel from St Patrick's Island - 1985
Douglas Head Lighthouse in 2019
Douglas Head Lighthouse in 1985
Manx Electric Railway terminus at Douglas - 1985
The Manx Electric Railway runs 17.75 miles from Douglas to Ramsey. It was first opened in 1893.
Ramsey is the second largest town on the Isle of Man with a population of 7,845 in 2016. I thought it looked a bit scruffy in places but it is an interesting town to walk around and it has a working harbour and the lovely Mooragh Park. The town is also home to Manx National Heritage's Grove Museum (the former home of the Gibb family) and Milntown House (guided tours are offered twice a week). The Queen's Pier, which is 684 metres long, opened in 1886 but was closed to the public in 1991 and is now in a derelict condition and facing an uncertain future.
Manx Electric Railway train at Ramsey Station
Manx Electric Railway train at Laxey Station
Laxey Station - Manx Electric Railway
Ramsey Harbour - 1985
Grove Museum
Wildflowers in the garden at Grove Museum
Ramsey Harbour
Swing Bridge, Ramsey Harbour
Mooragh Park, Ramsey
In 1881 the Ramsey Commissioners bought an area of saltmarsh to the north of the Sulby River in Ramsey and turned it into a pleasure park with a boating lake to attract visitors to the town. A new sea wall and promenade were constructed at the same time to protect the park from the sea.
Harry Kelly's Cottage, Cregneash, 1985
Harry Kelly's Cottage, Cregneash, 2019
Cregneash Manx Folk Museum has a number of traditional thatched cottages and farm buildings which are open to the public (admission fee). They illustrate what rural life was like in the Isle of Man in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
King Olaf I gave land at Ballasalla for an abbey in 1134. It was originally belonged to the Sauvignac Order but it later became a Cistercian monastery and was the main seat of religious power in the Isle of Man. It was dissolved in 1540 by Henry VIII. It is now in the care of Manx National Heritage.
Rushen Abbey at Ballasalla
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