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ON-LINE GUIDE TO THE ISLE OF MAN
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This brief guide provides
summary information on towns, villages and places to visit
in the Isle of Man as well as some interesting
facts and anecdotes on the local area. To find a specific
place either scroll down the page or use the find
facility on your browser. Much more information can be
found in our
TRAVEL GUIDES -
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The Isle of Man has an unusual status as a Crown Protectorate, with the Queen as Lord
of Mann represented in the Island by the Lieutenant-Governor. Best known for
its motorcycle races, its tailless cats and its
kippers, it has plenty to interest the visitor with a
wide range of wildlife, diverse geographical
features, plenty of entertainment and a rich history.
The TT (Tourist Trophy) races take place in May/June, and the Manx GP in August/September.
Douglas
The island's capital, Douglas, is a lively resort where visitors can
take a leisurely ride along the promenade aboard the
Douglas Bay Horse Tramway, a remarkable and beautiful
reminder of a bygone era. Another delightful means of travel is
the Victorian Steam Railway that runs between Douglas and Port Erin.
Following the line of the cliff tops, the memorable journey also takes
in bluebell woods and steep-sided rocky cuttings. The
Manx Electric Railway, completed in 1899, operates the oldest
working tramcars in the world and runs between Douglas and Ramsey.
No trip to the island is complete without a visit to
the Manx Museum, where the Story of Man film gives a dramatic
and
vivid portrayal of the island's unique history. On a
headland overlooking the Bay is a camera
obscura known as the Great Union Camera. Here, natural daylight
is focused on to a white panel through a system of lenses
to provide a living image of the scene outside.
Around Douglas
Ramsey
12 miles N of Douglas on the A18
This northernmost resort on the island is an attractive coastal
town with a cosy harbour that is popular with visiting yachtsmen. Just to
the north of the town stands the Grove Rural Life
Museum, housed in a pleasantly proportioned Victorian house.
Laxey
5 miles N of Douglas on the A2
Set in a deep, wooded valley, this village is home to one of
the
island's most famous sights, the Great Laxey
Wheel that marks the site of a once thriving
mining community. Known as the Lady Isabella
Wheel, with a circumference of 228 feet, a diameter of 72 feet, and a
top platform some 72 feet off the ground, it is the largest
waterwheel in the world. The wheel lies in
Laxey Glen, one of the island's 17 National Glens. The
Great Laxey Mine Railway, opened in 2004, carries passengers in tiny
carriages along a stretch of the line where loaded wagons once rolled.
Situated above Laxey, in a beautiful glen, are the
magnificent Ballalheanagh Gardens while, from Laxey station, the
Snaefell Mountain Railway carries visitors to the top of the island's
only mountain. Built in 1895, the six original tram cars still climb
the steep gradients to Snaefell's 2,036 feet summit from which there
are outstanding views of the whole
island and out over the sea to Ireland, Scotland and England.
Peel
9 miles W of Douglas on the A1
On the western side on the island, Peel, which is renowned for
its sunsets, typifies the unique character and atmosphere of
the Isle of Man. It is traditionally the centre of the Manx fishing
industry, including the delicious oak-smoked kippers and shellfish. Its
narrow winding streets exude history and draw the visitor unfailingly down
to the harbour, sandy beach, and magnificent castle of local
red sandstone. The recently opened museum is well worth a visit.
Peel gave its name to the only production car ever made on
the Island. The three-wheel Peel was one of the tiniest cars ever made
- the claim that it could carry a driver and a shopping bag was disputed
by some, who thought that it was a question of one or the other!
Peel Castle, one of Isle of Man's
principal historic monuments, occupies the
important site of St Patrick's Isle. In the 11th century the
castle became the ruling seat of the
Norse Kingdom of Man and the Isles.
Castletown
9 miles SW of Douglas on the A7
The original capital of the island, the town's harbour lies beneath
the imposing battlements of the well-preserved 12th century
Castle Rushen. Castletown is also home to the island's
Nautical Museum, where the displays centre on
the late 18th century armed yacht Peggy that sits in her
contemporary boathouse.
On the road between Castletown and Douglas,
visitors should look out for the Fairy
Bridge. For centuries, people on the Isle of Man have taken
no chances when it comes to the little people and it is still customary
to wish the fairies, who live under the bridge, a `Good Morning'
when crossing.
Perched right on the southwestern tip of the
island, Cregneash Village Folk Museum
offers a unique experience of Manx traditional life within a 19th
century crofting community. The centrepiece of Cregneash is
Harry Kelly's Cottage. Kelly was a renowned Cregneash crofter and
a fluent speaker of the Manx language who died in 1934.
Port Erin
16 miles S of Peel on the A5
Situated between magnificent headlands, Port Erin has its
own Arts Centre, which since 1975 has hosted the annual
Mananan International Festival of Music and the
Arts, now recognised as one of the island's most
prestigious cultural events. Port Erin also has a
small steam railway museum.
Calf of Man
15 miles W of Douglas
This small island, situated just off the southwestern tip of the
island, is a National Trust bird sanctuary. In Calf Sound, the stretch of
water between the island and the Isle of Man, the largest armada of
Viking longships ever assembled in the British Isles congregated
before setting off to invade Ireland.
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