A Thundering Tour of the Isle of Man
Departs:
20th May 2024
Price per person:
£729.00
Deposit: £89.00
Single Supplement: £116.00
Small but perfectly formed, the Isle of Man offers heritage railways, coastal drives, museums, historic houses and its very own parliament. Steeped in fairytale and folklore it has a delightful collection of tourist attractions and with the island being only 30 miles long, all are within easy reach of the fascinating capital of Douglas.
Your Accommodation
Rutland Hotel, Douglas
This traditional hotel overlooks Douglas seafront and provides great service and food.
All bedrooms are en-suite with complimentary Wi-Fi and tea/coffee facilities in the room. The restaurant offers lovely sea views.
The hotel has a lift.
To make a reservation call 01268 763800
Holiday Itinerary
Day 1: We travel to our overnight hotel in Preston.
Day 2: We take the ferry from Heysham and travel onwards to our hotel in Douglas.
Day 3: After a leisurely breakfast we take a journey on the Manx Electric Railway, a classic electric inter-urban tramway, running along the island's eastern coast, to Laxey. Here we switch to the larger Snaefell Mountain Railway which winds its way to Snaefell Mountain's summit where we take in the stunning views of the Island. The Victorian railway has been in operation since 1895 taking passengers on a five mile long journey on the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. While there we have time to have a spot of lunch (not included) before taking the return railway down and head back to Douglas to spend the rest of the day at our leisure.
Day 4: After breakfast we set off to discover the south coast today, not forgetting to give a quick wave to the fairies who may bring us good luck as we cross Fairy Bridge! We visit Castletown, with its various historic sites including Rushen Abbey, the Old Grammar School and the Nautical Museum, before making our way to Cregneash Folk Park. Traditional costumed guides show us around their delightful cottages at this peaceful, restored 19th century crofting village. We then make the short journey down The Sound, a protected nature reserve with seabird and seal colonies as well as an excellent cafe with fabulous views across to the Calf of Man. We continue our journey by coach to the resort of Port Erin where we enjoy a visit to the local railway museum before we embark on a one-way trip aboard the Isle of Man Steam Railway to Douglas. We enjoy a journey through the countryside on this perfectly maintained, original Victorian train system and the longest narrow gauge steam line in Britain.
Day 5: Today we are met by our step on guide as we follow the famous TT course. We head northwards first to Jurby, where we visit the fascinating Isle of Man Motor Museum. The impressive collection comprises more than 500 exhibits from around the world, including classic cars and motor vehicles and rarely seen private motorcycles. Highlights include a 1902 Columbus Electric and a 1953 Humber Super Snipe tourer used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their Coronation tour of the Commonwealth. After we head to Royal Ramsey, a working harbour town set against the North Barrule Hills, where we enjoy time at leisure for lunch and perhaps a quick look at the Fynoderee Gin Shop. This afternoon we head to Knockaloe Visitor Centre, the site of a WW1 internment camp. We learn about the many thousands of people who were interned here between 1914 and 1919, where they lived and what life was like for them in what was once a village and a working farm. For descendants of internees, it is a truly moving experience and a tribute to those difficult times.
Day 6: We return back to Heysham for our early morning crossing and make our way back to the local area.