40 | 24 HOURS IN THE ISLE OF MAN


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24 HOURS IN THE ISLE OF MAN


ANDREA MCVEIGH Spends 24 Hours


Exploring The Isle of Man with Emerald Airlines...


June 2023


Jane Hodson, from Guided Tours of Mann. We soon bumped into Lester, a guide with the Story of Mann collection of Manx National Heritage attractions.


Full of


FANCY breakfast in Belfast and dinner in Douglas? Add in lunch at the airport and you have the perfect itinerary for a trip to the Isle of Man.


This convenient schedule is all thanks for Emerald Airlines’ new route from Belfast City Airport.


Flights, which


run six times per week in summer, and four per week the rest of the year, are perfectly timed to get maximum enjoyment from your trip. The flight itself lasts only 20 minutes -


less


time than it took me to get from my house in Belfast to the airport. It felt like we’d just risen above the clouds before the outline of the Isle of Man came into view and before I knew it, we’d landed. Nestled in the heart of the Irish Sea, the Isle of Man is one of those places that’s both refreshingly different while being conveniently close to home. Just 33 miles long by 13 miles wide at its widest, with 10,000 years of human history to its name, it may be geographically small, but when it comes to culture, heritage, activities and adventure, it’s huge. My parents and brother had visited the Isle of Man before I was born, but this was my first trip. I’d seen our faded family photographs of Manx cats, crazy golf, pedal- boats and ice creams by the seafront. And most of the beloved attractions of years- gone-by are still enjoyed by new generations of families, couples and solo travellers. But these days you are equally as likely to see adventure-seekers enjoy wild swimming, mountain biking, kayaking, sailing and eco- tourism too. Nature-lovers will find a real haven as the island, as a whole, enjoys UNESCO Biosphere


status, in recognition of its environment, culture, heritage and economy. Walkers and hikers will love the iconic Raad ny Fiollan (Manx Gaelic for ‘The Way of the Gull’) - a 100-mile path around the coast. And with 18 national glens, 27 nature reserves and 26 dark sky sites, it offers, quite literally, a breath of fresh air.


Then there’s the road racing. The capital, Douglas, is even twinned


with


Ballymoney - the hometown of our very own TT legend, the late, great, Joey Dunlop.


Tens of thousands of fans descend on the island each year, with many more watching


on TV. So there’s both escapism and adventure in abundance, but alongside


that, there are also numerous ways to immerse yourself in culture, history and heritage.


I started my 24-hours on the Isle of Man trip in charming Castletown – the former capital of the island before Douglas took that title - in the capable hands of local expert,


enthusiasm and passion for his subject, with an obvious love for both his job and his home, he guided us around Castletown’s Castle Rushen, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Europe. We also saw the Old Grammar School, which started life as a church before becoming a one-room schoolhouse; and the Old House of Keys, once the seat of the Manx government. We also got the full story behind the Nautical Museum and the Peggy, an 18th century yacht, currently under restoration. After saying goodbye to Lester and Castletown, Jane continued our tour of the south of the island, taking us to Cregneash village, an open-air folk park with traditional thatched cottages, where you can see how the crofters of old lived and worked. From there, it wasn’t far to The Sound of Man viewing point in Port St Mary, at the very southern tip of the island. Popular with walkers, and home to bird and seal sanctuaries, from here you can see the Calf of Man, a small island that’s known for its 33 species of seabirds. Another must-see is Peel, a traditional fishing town on the west coast, and one of the oldest cathedral cities in Britain. At one point on our road trip, we stopped at a railway crossing as one of the island’s famous steam trains passed. You can travel from one end of the island to the other without setting foot on any form of transport that’s less than 100 years old, by going on the 150-year-old Steam Railway, covering the south of the island, and the Manx Electric Railway in the north.


My day ended at my hotel, The Claremont, situated on Douglas’s promenade, with a delicious dinner of


local scallops and


lamb. The Manx people are rightly proud of their produce and, along with seafood,


most notably


herring, their lamb and dairy products are among the very best.


The next day, I took a trip to see the famous Laxey Wheel, the world’s largest working waterwheel and climbed the 96


steps to the viewing platform, before taking the Mines Trail to learn more about the lives of the miners who worked there. After a drive to Ramsey, and Ayres National Nature Reserve in the very north of the island, it was time to head back to the airport for my super-short flight home. Before that though, I had one last Manx experience to enjoy – saying hello to the fairies at one of the island’s fairy bridges. It’s traditionally good luck to do so and I didn’t want to risk offending the little people as I aim to go back to the Isle of Man as soon as I can, so I’m not taking any chances! Aer Lingus Regional operates Emerald Airlines flights between Belfast City and Isle of Man, operating four times per week, increasing to six-weekly for the peak Summer season. The airline also operates a double daily service between Dublin and the Isle of Man. Fares start from £39.99/€39.99. To book visit aerlingus.com.


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