ELTIPS AV R T

But what made it perfect for the TT races this week also make it a top choice for a cycling break – a far more relaxed way to get about.

Twisting, winding lanes that criss-cross the island are as smooth as glass and the rolling hills stretch to shining seas on all sides.

We felt like we were on a remote Scottish moor when my father, brother and I spent five days investigating this relaxed island.

But it was a lot easier to find your way home, even for the least athletic Lycra-clad biker.

You are never far from your hotel on an island so small – 33 miles long and 13 miles across, to be precise.

We arrived via London, Coventry and Manchester for this rare family meet- up, none of us spending more than an hour to hop into the middle of the Irish Sea.

Fr o m the island’s Ronaldsway Airport, it was just 20 minutes into the capital, Douglas, where everyone lives.

The whole thing was quicker than the journey from Manchester to London.

And because there was no faffing about getting there, it added up to an ideal destination for a long weekend on the saddle. At night we enjoyed slap-up meals in the growing foodie hub around Douglas’s historic harbour.

Then we strolled along the promenade by our hotel, the Best Western Palace, near its equally historic electric railway.

By day Douglas is packed with activities, with a host of motoring museums and the world-famous TT track to take in.

But it is also just sedate enough to while away a quiet afternoon in the spring sunshine. It goes without saying we did this several times after we returned, exhausted, from our pedalling exploits each day.

The whole ordeal was made much easier by the state-of-the-art Orbea bikes provided by Bike Hut in Port THE TT races start at the end of May and run for two weeks. So if you want to avoid the crowds, or join them, make sure you plan ahead. NOT many cars on the island means less pollution but it also lets the sun beat down. So pack your sunscreen. THERE’S no national speed limit on certain routes – but don’t get carried away if you hire a car, as speeding in restricted zones is punished heavily. Erin, on the island’s southern tip. Gone are the days when hiring a bike meant worrying whether it would still be in one piece at the end of the road. Nowadays, everything is much more reliable.

So we left our steeds at home and by the time we checked in on our first night, everything we needed had been delivered.

Impossible

While the more challenging 100-milers might be too much for anyone fresh to the cycling fraternity, it’s more or less impossible to get lost on the Isle of Man.

Indeed, after setting off on one of the readily available routes, it was never long before a diversion on to the scenic route was required. Several times we made it up as we