Tales from the Isle Of Man
Rich heritage, beautiful beaches and animal magic – Gilly Pickup finds it all off the coast of Britain.
Aa LTHOUGH destination steeped in folklore, with its own language, currency, the world’s oldest continuous parliament, and abundant wildlife – including, rather bizarrely, wallabies – this is no far-flung land.
In fact, it is just off the coast of Britain. Granted, though, it is a world apart in many ways.
Ellan Vannin, better known as the Isle of Man, is an island in the Irish Sea – part of the British Isles and a British Crown Dependency, but not part of the UK or the EU.
In fact, it was part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides right up until the 13th century, when it was ceded to Scotland.
The Duke of Atholl eventually sold its sovereignty to the British crown in 1765, and since then the British monarch has been its head of state, holding the title Lord of Mann – even when, as now, that monarch is female.
The capital, Douglas, is a captivating seaside town, with wide terraces, sweeping sands, palm trees and a relaxed atmosphere.
The seafront promenade is lined with hotels and guest-houses, many recalling the era when holidaymakers from the mainland arrived in their droves on steamships to enjoy a bustling resort.
Broadcaster and poet Sir John Betjeman was one of its biggest fans back then.
“A miniature of all the western world,” he once wrote of it. “Such wildness and such sophistication, such oldness and such newness.”
Tourism was an integral part of the island’s economy for over a century, but now it makes up less than 10% of the Manx economy.
Though the height of its glory days may be over – many people prefer to opt for foreign holidays rather than stay closer to home – the island’s Department for Enterprise has launched a three-year tourism campaign aimed at encouraging people to experience all it has to offer.
And that, I discovered, is quite a lot.
On my first day I headed to the Point of Ayre, the island’s northernmost point.
It was rather strange to think that where I stood was closer to Scotland than Douglas.
This swathe of sandy coastline, with its distinctive red-striped lighthouse, is popular with walkers – and for spotting oystercatchers, seals and basking sharks.
Around 33 miles away, at the south-west of the island, the Sound was next on my must-see list.
Boat trips run from there across to the Calf of Man, where puffins and dolphins are common sights. It’s also one of the few places where visitors can see the four- or six-horned Manx Loaghtan sheep.
Speaking of wildlife, I really hadn’t reckoned on the wallabies. After all, this is far from Australia!
I was on a guided wildlife walk in the Ballaugh Curragh wetlands – a marvellous place to see butterflies, birds and wild flowers – and at first I thought my guide was pulling my leg when he said around 120 wallabies could