‘We used the bus into Douglas to explore the capital and ferry port. It’s an easy place to walk around, with a pedestrianised area and a number of interesting places to visit’
When we’re free to travel to the Isle of Man once more, visitors will find great scenery and a relaxed pace of life, says Andria Massey
HAVING TOURED EXTENSIVELY around the Scottish islands, my housemate Pearl and I decided that for this (pre-covid 19) trip, we’d visit an island that was a bit closer to home.
We had a couple of ferry port options to get to the Isle of Man and opted for Heysham – the new junction off the M6 made it an easy destination to reach from our home in North Wales.
After an uneventful crossing, which took about three hours, we booked into Glenlough Campsite in Union Mills, just outside Douglas, the island’s capital, which makes an ideal base for exploring.
Although Glenlough is not staffed for much of the day, the owners were there on our arrival to introduce us to the site.
Exploring the island
Wherever possible, we prefer to leave our vehicle on site and explore the area using public transport.
On the Isle of Man, the excellent bus service covers almost the whole of the island. Buses that stop outside the campsite gates will take you to nearby Peel, while 50m down the road, there are others for the trip into Douglas.
On day two, we took the bus to Douglas, which is pedestrianised and an easy place to explore. Interesting attractions include the Manx Museum, with its fascinating display of Viking gold, the elegantly restored Villa Marina and the rather splendid Gaiety Theatre entertainment complex, with its enormous Edwardian concert hall.
The famous Douglas Bay Horse Tramway runs on the promenade from the southern terminus at the Victoria
Pier, adjacent to the Sea Terminal, for around 1.6 miles, to the southern terminus of the Manx Electric Railway. This electric line, opened in 1893, connects Douglas with Laxey on the east coast, and
Ramsey to the north.
Reefs and refuge
In Douglas Bay is St Mary’s Isle, home to a small structure known as the Tower of Refuge. This was built as a shelter so that shipwrecked mariners could wait in safety until help arrived.
The partially submerged reef on which it is built was often responsible for damage to shipping, so the tower also provided a vital visible warning to vessels.
It is possible to walk to the isle during low tide, but this can be dangerous because the sea comes in quickly and people have been stranded. Boat landing is an option, but difficult, so the best way to see the tower is from a distance.
The Great Union Camera Obscura is a fine Victorian landmark located on Douglas Head. Constructed in 1892, its 11 lenses have entertained many visitors, providing a view of the surrounding area – and the ability to spy on fellow tourists!
The following day was a bit grey, but we used it to look around this southern part of the island, including The Sound,
AC