Destination: Castletown
Make this pretty seaside town your base for the Southern 100 and see the real IOM outside of TT fortnight
Where the heck is Castletown? It’s in the south of the Isle of Man, next to the airport and just a 10-mile jaunt from the capital, Douglas.
Why not stay in Douglas? Because many bikers have been to the TT and already stayed in Douglas. The capital’s fine but Castletown is a much older and more traditional Manx seaside town and has a far more relaxed and quaint feel about it.
What is there to do there? The medieval castle – former home to the Lords of Mann - is the main attraction and well worth a visit, but the quaint little back streets and the picturesque harbour are also worth a mooch around. There are also good pubs, wine bars and independent shops.
When should I go? Between July 10 and 13. Why? Because that’s when the Southern 100 road races are held and the course runs right through Castletown. The town gets filled with bikers and race fans and even hosts the prize presentation in front of the castle on the closing Thursday (practising and racing, unusually, is held mid-week) so there are bike displays and a real party atmosphere. Expect to see top TT racers like Guy Martin and Michael Dunlop taking part.
Any good local roads to ride? It’s worth riding the 4.25-mile Billown Course on the outskirts of town just to appreciate what the Southern 100 racers have to face. It’s almost entirely lined by dry stone walls and is supernarrow and bumpy. Truly frightening that they’re lapping it at over 100mph.
The TT course is more fun to ride outside of TT week as it’s much quieter. But be warned: the Mountain section is NOT one-way as it is during TT week.
Another good ride is right around the island, hugging the coast as closely as you can. You can get right round easily in a morning or afternoon.
Is it good for food and drink? Many Isle of Man pubs offer great seafood dishes, particularly the local specialities like Manx kippers or Queenies (small scallops). The localbreed Loughton lamb is also worth seeking out. As far as beers go, Okell’s ale is the big local favourite but it’s also worth trying a few pints of Bushy’s ale, for a proper taste of the TT.