Lynne's Travels : Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man is situated half way between England and Ireland, only 33 miles long by 13 miles wide - full of breathtaking scenery and centuries worth of interesting history. There are many Travel Companies offering tours to the Isle of Man, coach trips, holidays by air from various UK airports; but I chose to drive to the port of Heysham and go over as a foot passenger - which worked very well.

It was very easy to get there and to check-in at the ferry port, and the almost 4-hour crossing was thankfully very smooth. After disembarking, my hotel was only a 15 minute walk along the delightful promenade with its sunken gardens and immaculately kept hotels.

You can even stop for a selfie with the Bee Gees - who were born on the Isle of Man.

Looking out from the promenade is what looks like a miniature castle built on a rocky island - it is called the Tower of Refuge and was built in 1832 as somewhere for anyone shipwrecked to "take refuge".

As well as being the main port of the island, Douglas has plenty of other things to see, you can easy spend a day wandering along the river (with hundreds of boats), admire its varied architecture or shop!

There are top class shows at the Gaiety Theatre and at Villa Marina - both beautiful buildings in interesting surroundings.

It is worth walking up the hill behind the port, as you will find a park with fabulous views over the bay and all of Douglas.

There is a lighthouse on the cliff (you will see many lighthouses on the island)!

And a Camera Obscura - but check its opening times if you want to go inside, as they do vary.

Just around the cliff, you come to the ornate Marine Drive Gate which was opened in 1892 - as an entrance to the drive to the resort of Port Soderick. A rail track was laid a few years later for an electric tram - but it is now a pleasant walking trail where you can do some dolphin spotting as you go.

The Isle of Man is famous for its trains - steam trains, electric trains and horse drawn trams; and one of the best ways to see the island is to buy a Go Card. This lets you use all those forms of transport including public buses.

Go ExploreBus Vanninhttps://www.iombusandrail.im › go-cards › go-explore

A full day exploring was going south on the steam train all the way to Port Erin. The line was opened in 1874 and is the longest narrow gauge railway in Britain - with several different trains operating each with unique carriages.

There isn't much at Port Erin, but that is why most people come here - for its quaintness and peaceful surroundings. If the weather is good, you can relax on its sandy beach or walk to one of its nearby beauty spots. The tiny island of the Calf of Man isn't far away and this is where you can take boat trips wildlife watching, perhaps being lucky enough to spot a dolphin, seal or a puffin.

There is a small museum here and you can go in for free with your train ticket.

Keep your eyes peeled - there is always something unusual to see!

You can use your Go card to hop on and off at any station, so you can spend as much time as you want at each place. The next stop along the line is Port St Mary with its picturesque harbour, but I opted to stay on until the following stop of Castletown.

Castletown was once the ancient capital of the island; it is now just another fishing village with a colourful harbour, narrow lanes and fishermen's cottages - and its most famous feature is Castle Rushen.

Castle Rushen was originally built in 1265 by the Norsemen, and later was a fortress and home to the Kings and Lords of Mann - it is renowned as one of the best preserved medieval castles. It was once used as a prison, a mint, as well as a royal residence - and is highly worth a visit. It was the seat of the island's government until 1866 - but it is now a museum offering an insight into the island's history.

Castle Rushen - Cashtal RushenManx National Heritagehttps://manxnationalheritage.im › castle-castletown

By the train station, there is a fabulous play park for children - if you need to let them burn some energy off before boarding the train. One thing that is particularly memorable is how many colourful flowers there are along the railway track - I have never seen so many huge fuchsias growing wild for miles and miles along the journey.

One of my favourite days out was taking the Manx Electric Railway from the end of Douglas' Promenade (you can't miss it - as there are huge white letters on the cliffside above the depot). This line is just over 17 miles long - the longest narrow gauge vintage electric railway in the British Isles. It goes north along the coast to the village of Laxey before continuing on to Ramsey.

Laxey is a busy little place, but if the weather is right, catch the Snaefell Mountain Railway tram to the summit of Snaefell Mountain. What a scenic journey this is, travelling to the highest point on the island where you can see all Seven Kingdoms if you are lucky.

The day I travelled up was completely clear and bright; but as I got closer to the summit, clouds appeared (only at the summit). So although the journey up there was stunning, once I arrived at the top, I struggled to see very far - but I can highly recommend a trip up there though.

There is a cafe at the top where you can buy refreshments; and you can walk the short path up to the very top of the mountain, before catching the same tram back down - or a later one if you want to spend more time up there.

Coming back down, there are great views of Laxey's major attraction - the Laxey Wheel.

About a 15 minute walk from the station, back into Glen Mooar Valley, you will find the island's most iconic landmark - the famous Laxey Wheel. Also known as Lady Isabella, it is the largest working water wheel in the world; built in 1854 to pump water from the nearby lead mines.

The wheel is just over 72 feet in diameter and an extraordinary feat of engineering. You can see it turning, moving water even now; learn about its history and that of its past workers. Or if you have the time you can take the spiral staircase to the top and enjoy panoramic views into the valley and beyond. It is immaculately kept and as impressive as I had wanted it to be.

At Laxey station you will find a tea shop, ticket office and toilets.

Laxey holds more secrets, and if you have more time I can highly recommend walking down to the harbour and beach. The winding lane with its colourful fishermen's cottages, follows the river, passing the Valley Gardens and Lady Evelyn Water Wheel, and Laxey Woollen Mill before reaching the stunning coast of Laxey Bay.

The views are mesmerising, enticing you to stay longer enjoying the peace. There are toilets and a cafe on the beach - but that is all! No amusements or noisy rides to spoil the ambience of the place. It is about a 20 minute walk but completely worth it.

Back up at Laxey station it was time to complete the coastal ride - up to furthest town of Ramsey.

Ramsey is centred around its commercial harbour, beach and Mooraugh Park and Lake.

But the views along the coast were my favourite part of that journey - stunning views of the coastline.

Arriving back at Douglas at the end of a long, exhausting day - I was able to catch one of the Trolley buses otherwise known as Horse Trams. These travel between the Manx Railway depot and the Villa Marina complex (about 3/4 way along the promenade) and save your legs the mile or so walk.

My last full day out was by bus across the island to the town of Peel (no trains or trams go this way). Peel on the west coast, known as Sunset City was a real surprise. You can imagine fishermen, vikings and even pirates walking along the lanes and sea front here - there are so many points of interest.

There a a lovely colourful promenade here with a few interesting shops and eateries; and a sandy beach.

The House of Mannan takes you on a journey through a life-sized reconstruction of a Celtic roundhouse where you can see the crew of the viking Odin's longship and see how they lived.

I had seen a few of these wire structures around the island - and hadn't realised that they were recycling bins - what a novel idea!

One of Peel's highlights is Peel Castle built on St Patrick's Isle by the Vikings. It is one on the best heritage sites on the island, being used as a place of worship, a fortress for a viking king, a royal residence and the centre of the islands government for over 200 years.

Visitors can walk around the extensive grounds and climb to the top of the Gatehouse Tower. It is a great place to spot wildlife in or above the ocean - so take some time and enjoy this very special area.

Peel is renowned for its fishing and somewhere you can buy the freshest fish and seafood.

Many people only associate the Isle of Man with the TT Races, which attract tens of thousands of visitors each year. In Peel you will find the Leece Museum showcasing many of the Races motorbikes and information about the 37 mile course that winds its way around the island's roads.

There is also information about the Peel Courthouse and Prison, details of ships that have sailed from here and people's lives over the past few centuries. I thoroughly interesting little place that only asks for a donation when you visit.

On the bus ride back to Douglas, it was amusing to see lamp posts that were covered in padding to protect both the motorbike riders and the post. There were gardens with dozens of deck chairs ready for spectators (perhaps at a charge); but the funniest sight was a churchyard full of rows of wooden pews outside lined up like a grandstand. (I wasn't quick enough to get a pic of that though)!

As you can see, there is far more to this idyllic isle than the TT Races (although I did find it fascinating discovering more about them), it is an ideal place to visit for a relaxing break - especially if culture, history and scenery is your thing. A last snippet of information is that the Isle of Man is home to the Manx parliament - one of the oldest continuously functioning parliamentary bodies in the world. I loved my visit to the Isle of Man and will definitely be going back to discover some more of its secrets.