What to do in the Isle of Man
There is something for everyone on the Isle of Man. Older people will enjoy the peace and tranquility of the island, young couples can take a romantic break snuggled in front of real fires during the winter or walking hand in had through some beautiful countryside; and families will find lots to do with kids, from great hiking to museums, wildlife and of course the traditional railways!
The island excels for those with a special interest such as golfers – there are many fine courses; nature enthusiasts will enjoy the fine wildlife; hikers the great walking opportunities and racing enthusiasts flock there for the famous TT challenge.
Douglas and Onchan
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The capital city Douglas is the main point of arrival for those coming by sea and is an excellent base for exploring the island. A traditional seaside town with splendid Victorian fronted promenade and seaside leisure facilities such as Summerland. It has a pretty harbour and is fairly sheltered. .
Douglas has a National Sports Centre with outdoor and indoor athletics facilities, cycling track, swimming with children’s fun area, indoor bowls and squash courts. In Onchan there is also a great pleasure park which is a hit with children.
Whilst not child specific, Douglas sees the start of the amazing Manx Electric Railway which runs to Laxey and Ramsey, and you can arrange a ride on the magnificent steam railway which will take you to Port Erin in the south. Both are great fun excursions for the family and children delight in them – especially if they are nine and used to travelling on the London underground, as ours was! The novelty of the carriage on the electric railway that has no doors and allows tree branches to practically brush past you offers kiddie appeal! http://www.iombusandrail.info/
Also worth a visit whilst in Douglas is the Manx Museum, especially for those with an archaeological bent. This is the place to explore Manx history.
Tourist Information Douglas
Peel and the West
Peel is located on the far west of the island and so is not as sheltered as the likes of Douglas. It is very pretty with a harbour and the fantastic ruins of Peel’s ancient castle and St Gorman’s Cathedral on St Patrick’s Isle. The castle dates back to the 14th Century and its history is outlined in the great audio tour that you can take of the place. Highly recommended! Our nine year old reviewer said that this excursion was by far her favourite, and was particularly taken by the information that castle toilets (because they made the structure weaker) were the spot many chose to invade!.
Close to the castle is the lifeboat station, where you can walk round a one of the boats and even see a launch if you are in the right place at the right time. Definitely worth a peek and good for children.
The Leece Museum (previously the History of Mann museum) is also based in Peel, where you can learn something about the folklore of the island.
Whilst not massively sunny the day we visited, the sandy beaches at Peel are clearly stunning, perfect for walking and marvelling at spectacular sunsets and lots of fun for the children
Laxey and the East
We travelled to Laxey on the Manx Electric Railway up from Douglas, probably the best way to get there. The weather was picture perfect and the coastal views on this trip took our breath away! Laxey is also the starting point of the Snaefell Mountain Railway (Snaefell is Norse for Snowfall and is the highest point on the island) which we also took advantage of, although we lost sight of the sun as we climbed the mountains into the clouds!. Unfortunately the clouds also prevented us enjoying the views of the Island and the neighbouring coasts of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales which are visible on clear days. It was an impressive journey past streams, valleys, heather, making for some spectacular purple carpets on the mountainside, and sheep who seemed little bothered by either the railway or the humans on it! A word to the wise, take a coat, especially if you are nine years old!
Laxey is famous for it’s gigantic Victorian Water Wheel, The Lady Isabella, thought to be the largest in the world and built originally to pump water from the Laxey lead mines. Alongside the wheel are the mines trail where you can learn about mining in the region.
Laxey tourist information
Ramsey and the North
At the far north lies Ramsey, the second largest town on the Island and served by the electric railway.
Ramsey is home to the Grove Rural Life Museum which explores the rural and agricultural history of this area, paying particular attention to the village of Andreas.
Ramsey has a small harbour, and on crossing this you can visit Mooragh Park which has plenty for old and young alike including a boating lake and extensive gardens.
The main pull for our family, however was the stunning Dhoon Glen, five miles out of Ramsey with it’s rugged landscape and breathtaking waterfalls. You’ll need your camera!
Ramsey tourist information
Castletown, Port St Mary, Port Erin and the South
Castletown to the south of the island was once the capital and is the town closest to the airport. Like many Isle of Man towns it is dominated by an obligatory fortress called Castle Rushen, a fabulously preserved medieval fortress. Open to visitors it is definitely worth a walk round.
The Isle of Man offers several ghostly walking tours in the evening which can be lots of fun and work quite well if you have slightly older children in tow. Other walking opportunities are available, we didn’t have time, but was recommended the walk around Scarlett Point to the south of the town.
Further afield towards Port St Mary there are both great sandy beaches and fabulous walking country with fine coastal paths. The views of Perwick Bay are to write home about! At Port Erin we spotted more beaches that our nine year old desperately wanted to spend time on and pony trekking – neither of which could we take advantage of on this trip but am hoping to make use of next time!
Our final fabulous destination for this part of the island was the extreme tip of the island. Cregneash and the sound (the treacherous stretch of water separating the Isle of Man and the Calf of Man). It is a stunningly beautiful landscape, with sheep roaming, seals basking and birds aplenty.
Castletown Tourist Information
| MyVillage review The Sound Visitor Centre and Restaurant You can’t get a better “welcome to the Isle of Man” view then this. The Sound Visitor Centre and café is situated at the very southern tip of the island, over looking the small Calf of Man isle. The view is truly breathtaking, the waves from the west crash against the rocks in the sound and the little Calf of Man sits serenely, barren of human life, a bright green jewel in a the grey-blue sea. If your lucky you can spot seals plus other marine wildlife going about there daily business and if the weather is a little too inclement the café with its 180° view is the prefect place to grab a cuppa and a scone to watch nature at its best. |
Where to stay
The Townhouse, Douglas
Hilton Isle of Man, Douglas
Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club
Glen Helen Inn, St John
The Sefton Hotel, Douglas
There are also a plethora of bed and breakfasts and holiday cottages. Further information on these from http://www.visitisleofman.com/accommodation/isle-of-man-hotels.aspx
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Hotels
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