The Point of Ayre is the Island's most northerly tip and when you stand here you are closer to…read moreScotland (14 miles) than you are to Douglas. Most of the Island's northern plain is made up from sand and gravel that was deposited here during and after the last Ice Age. There is a large car park, a lighthouse, a foghorn and a Winkie. The buildings are not accessible. The beach is pebbles. There are lots of seals, we saw about 100 and they put on a fantastic show for us. Some were basking on the beach and others playfully popping their heads ouot of the water. It was magical. The flowering heathland, nesting birds, diving gannets and dramatic sea currents all combine to make the Point of Ayre a truly remarkable landscape. Put on a windbreaker jacket as it can be windy.

I recommend visiting the Isle of Man for at least a few days on any jaunt to the UK. Between the…read morehustle and bustle of London and other big cities, you'll love to have a respite in a laid back place with laid back people. In our summer 2017 visit to the IOM, the weather was damn near perfect (after time in the 80+ degree sauna of London): Sunny, an occasional cloud or sprinkle with temps in the mid 60s (Fahrenheit) And of course, with so much reasonable weather and the long days, we wanted to go outside. We visited Onchan Park every day of our journey: Mini-golf, bumper boats, tennis, just chillin' on a bench, checking out the north end of Douglas Bay, eating at the nearby cafe ... it's all fun and relaxing. And, we were surprised at the level of hospitality. They don't get a lot of tourists on an island with a complete population around the same as Trenton, NJ, but they were great about letting these yanks access their facilities. A local even let us borrow some tennis rackets and balls, and we tried our hand on their well-kept courts.

A very pretty shaded glen which is famous for Bluebells in spring. We visited early April and…read morethere were just a few bluebells around the edges. We visited a week later and still no change. It is now the end of April and there are more out. From the carpark on the main road you can walk down a pathway and see babbling water along the way and set your feet in it to cool down. Look out for the old wooden sculpture The Wizard of Man For those visiting by car, take the A2 main Laxey to Ramsey road. Turn right down to Maughold village on the Maughold Road then turn right down the road marked Cornaa. A large car park is provided at the bottom entrance to the glen. By Tram It has easy access from the electric tram, which stops at its top entrance. The stone buildings located within the glen were erected by the Great Mona Mining Company which operated from 1854 to 1857 and 1866 to 1867. The glen is very popular with artists and photographers.

There is a signpost. We parked in the adjacent field. Road parking not a good idea due to width…read more Its a short 300metre walk straight on from the road. you will pass a stone trough, walk straight on not left and turn the corner. There is a stone stile, hop over it and there are the stones. Magical set against a backdrop of sea and gorse.. Cashtal yn Ard, or the Castle of the Heights, is a well-preserved chambered tomb situated on raised land overlooking the parish of Maughold. The monument was originally a megalithic chambered cairn - a conical heap of stones built as a landmark - and is one of the largest and best preserved of its kind in the British Isles. The site is shrouded in mystery and mythology as the discovery of a strange arrangement of stone slabs has never been explained, though some believe it could have been used as a communal burial place for Neolithic chieftains and their families. Cashtal yn Ard dates back to around 2000 BC and although the stone cairn has been stripped away, the large firmly set stones create a dramatic burial site. Situated on raised land near the coast, the site also provides views overlooking most of the parish of Maughold and across the sea to the Lake District.

This is a small historical village illustrating crofter life style of the 1800.'s where weaving and…read moreknitting often took place in the homes of the villagers. There are a few cottages and someone waiting to give you a demonstration and backround story of village life. It was harsh indeed. There will be a fire lit in one of the buildings. There is a small church, tearoom and gift shop with museum upstairs. We arrived as it was opening and it was a very misty morning, the Cloak of Manannon added an authenticity to the village. The Calf of Man was visible only momentarily. We saw a caped figure scuttling off to one of the cottages, later whom would be telling us a story. It was quite lovely and a highlight of the trip. There is a car park about 10 minutes walk away or if you are early there is room right outside the giftshop for small cars. Meayll Circle is a short walk away, about 20 minute round trip.

I absolutely fell in love with Grizedale Forest over the past weekend. Looking for somewhere new to…read moreexplore when we visited the other half's parents, they suggested heading to the forest. Cue some very windy roads and a few moments of "are you sure this is the right way?" - but we found it! We headed to the visitor centre to take a look at which walk to take. They have both cycling and walking routes, so make sure you're looking at the right map...! We decided on the white route, and the helpful member of staff explained that you simply follow the coloured markers - if you lose the colour, it's time to retrace your steps. Our walk took about 2 hours overall and was described as moderate, and it's worth pointing out that it wasn't wheelchair/pushchair friendly, so a quick chat with a staff member would be needed to find an accessible route. The reason I fell in love was a) because of the absolutely stunning weather we experienced and b) the selection of sculptures that can be found on each route. The large keys in trees which played music if you wound them fast enough were a personal favourite, following by the huge stone fox, which actually provided a nice place to rest and admire the valley view. I feel the downsides sit with the shop, which was overpriced and didn't seem to stock any drinks (very odd considering the length of some of the walks), and the parking payment. It's all done automatically by registration plate when you drive in, then you enter it at a paypoint - best have some cash on you as noone has quite thought through that no phone signal = no card reader signal. There's bike rental available and the Go Ape course if you need something to keep more active members of your group entertained. Recommended!

A huge area of woodland to explore in the Lake District, either on foot or by mountain bike - it's…read morea spectacular place to get away from it all for the day. There are several colour-coded waymarked footpaths, in varying lengths and levels of difficulty (from easy to strenuous) as well as dozens of others paths and bridleways crisscrossing the landscape so you can either buy a map for £1.50 or just see where a route takes you. Go Ape (an aerial assault course) has a site here, and as well as a visitors' centre there's a children's playground, education centre, café and shop so plenty of things for families to do. For our group it was all about the walking; the forest has hosted a sculpture trail since the 1970s, so we were on the look out for exhibits whilst we wandered through the trees. It has to be said there were a few times we were wondering if we were looking at art or some forestry equipment...or a pylon! The car parking was really straightforward and rather cutting edge - a number plate reader registers your vehicle when you arrive and you pay when you leave by typing your number plate on the screen. It was a bargain too at about £4 for several hours. If you're a lover of the great outdoors, then you can't get much better than this.

Easy to find just off the A3 as you come into Laxey (before the wheel, opposite the turning for the…read moreLaxey Beach). Two sites. you can park on the road. The largest known megalithic tomb on the island lies in the garden of a private cottage. The Cairn (a conical heap of stones built as a monument or a landmark) grave is made of coloured sandstone with a forecourt of 12 metres across and 4 metres deep. It contains three chambers once filled with burials. When excavated only one burial and bowl survived. King Orry's Grave, as it is commonly known, tells something of the residents who lived on the Isle of Man during the Neolithic times over 4000 years ago. The site was built by farmers as a memorial to their ancestors. Ceremonies held on the site left traces of hearth and flint. King Orry was King Godred of Crovan a well known Manx legend. He took control of the Isle of Man and many of the islands between it and Norway, in 1079. To honour him, many monuments were named after him, but there is no connection between this historical figure and these prehistoric remains.

It's beautiful in every way. A piece of engineering, a piece of Art and a piece of history. The…read morepaint job is immaculate, no disrepair here at all. I first tied to climb in 1974, made it to the second level and had to be brought down by a school dinner lady. Tried again yesterday 2025, made it to the second level again and was brought down by a kindly Scottish fella. Pablo climbed the spiral all the way to the top. Make sure someone is on the ground to get a picture of you because its one of the best photo ops in IOM. Gifts available at the ticket office. Walk on after to the Mine Exhibit, put on your helmet for a 30 yard walk into the mine, It was very wet inside so be prepared. This is a tourist attraction at its best.

The Great Laxey Wheel is one of the most quirky attractions you can find on the Isle of Man. On the…read moreone hand you are right - it is just a big (very big) water wheel - but honestly, even if you have seen it on pictures before you visit, you are still awed by the sheer sitze of this engineering feat of the Victorian Era. In a time when industrialization shifted from water power to steam power, a small band of engineers in the hills of Laxey resisted the changing times and started to build one of the biggest water wheels that the world had seen - and which is now the highest functioning water wheel in the world. But for what did they build it? The 22m high structure was built to pump water from the mines deep under the Snaefell Mountain and it did it for quite some time until it finally had to succumb to the bigger power - steam, and eventually the end of mining in this place. But the wheel was never dismanteled, and over the last years it was restored to old glory. So what can you see here beside of a f. big water wheel? The whole place is a Manx Heritage Sight and there is a lot information about the Wheel, the History and especially about the life of the Miners in that time. Everything is explained in great detail and especially the part about the miners is very interesting as you get deep insight into the life of miners, how dangerous the work was and what it meant to live without social security. Beside of this you can walk up to the top of the wheel and have splendid views over the surrounding area or you can explore a small mine shaft to get a better feeling what working conditions were like in this place. Yes, it is true that you can see the Wheel also from town without paying a penny for it - but the closer you get, the more impressive it is and with all the additional information and the view from the top it is well worth the money. So if you happen to be on the Isle of Man, you should make Laxey part of your itinary. The Wheel, the Snaefell Mountain Railway, the Electric Railway and an awesome tea shop give Laxey enough attractions to keep you occupied for a whole day!

Langness Lighthouse was established in 1880 and engineered by David and Thomas Stevenson…read more White tower 19 metres high. There are 77 steps to the top of the tower. You cannot go into the Lighthouse but the Way of the Gull Pathway goes all the way around the Lighthouse from the Car Park. The walk is fantastic, easy and great for dogs. The views are fantastic. We spent about an hour going all the way around, you could easily take longer on a nice day. There are benches to stop and the grass is super soft and spongy to sit on.