UK ISLANDS
5 DAYS from £511
5 DAYS from £570
Manx Loaghtan
The Isle of Man Steam Railway
A Taste of the Isle of Man This tour reveals the flavours & fineries of the Isle of Man, set like a jewel in the Irish Sea. As well as riding its celebrated small trains, including the Snaefell Mountain Railway and Isle of Man Steam Railway, we explore this ancient isle to experience pretty towns like Ramsey and Peel, trace the iconic TT racecourse, and savour its spirits and ‘Pie in the Sky’. ALSO AVAILABLE BY AIR
A Wheely Great (Rail)way to See the Isle of Man
UPDATED TOUR ALSO AVAILABLE BY AIR
With its long Celtic heritage, gorgeous scenery, old towns and vintage attractions, the Isle of Man has plenty for everyone who loves history and natural beauty. This comprehensive tour focuses on the island’s rich traditions, with journeys on its famous Steam Railway and Snaefell Mountain Railway, and visits to Cregneash Folk Park, Ballacosnahan Farm and the moving Knockaloe Visitor Centre.
PACKAGED ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrival We take the ferry from Heysham and travel onwards to our hotel. Day 2 Steam & Smoke
PACKAGED ITINERARY
After breakfast we embark on a one-way trip aboard the Isle of Man Steam Railway to the resort of Port Erin where we enjoy a visit to the local railway museum . We then make the short journey to the protected nature reserve of The Sound. This stunning coastal location is a haven for seabird and seal colonies, and boasts an excellent café with fabulous views to the Calf of Man. We have time at leisure for lunch here before continuing by coach to Peel, the hub of the Isle of Man fishing industry. We have time free in the town to browse the shops, explore Peel Castle (not included) and visit Devereau’s, the only remaining smoked kipper factory on the island. Day 3 Rails & ‘Pie in the Sky’ After a leisurely breakfast, we ride the Manx Electric Railway , a classic electric tramway which runs along the island’s east coast, to Laxey. Here, we board the Snaefell Mountain Railway for a climb to the summit of Snaefell Mountain, where we can admire spectacular island views. After returning by train to The Bungalow station, we head for the nearby Victory Café, a quirky canteen-style pitstop set in an ex-Cold War ‘rotor’ Radar Station overlooking the 31st Milestone of the iconic Isle of Man TT Racecourse. (As there is a 150-metre uphill walk to the Victory Café, we recommend the driver meeting passengers at the tram stop also drive them to the café). We tuck into the café’s popular ‘Pie in the Sky’ before driving back to Laxey. Here we can visit The Great Laxey Wheel - nicknamed the ‘Lady Isabella’ - the world’s largest working waterwheel, before returning to our hotel. Please note: we have not included admission to the Laxey Wheel as reaching it requires a steep 5–10-minute walk from the coach parks, and admission is free for National Trust and English Heritage members. Day 4 Taste of the TT & Douglas Today we follow the Isle of Man’s iconic TT racecourse. We head clockwise on the circuit from Douglas via Kirk Michael and Ballaugh towards ‘Royal Ramsey’, where we visit the Fynoderee Distillery . After a refreshing ‘Fyn & Tonic’, we embark on a distillery tour. Next, we follow the mountain road to a racecourse landmark: The Famous Creg-Ny-Baa pub-restaurant, where we have afternoon tea before returning to Douglas. With the remainder of the day at leisure, we may want to visit the Manx Museum to chart the island’s history or ride the horse-drawn tram along the promenade. Day 5 Departure After breakfast, we head home on the morning ferry. INCLUSIONS • Return ferry crossing Heysham-Douglas • One-way journey on Isle of Man Steam Railway (Douglas-Port Erin) • Entry to Railway Museum • One-way journey Manx Electric Railway (Douglas-Laxey) • Return journey on Snaefell Mountain Railway (Laxey-Summit-Bungalow) • ‘Pie in the Sky’ at Victory Café • Distillery tour at Fynoderee Distillery • Afternoon tea at Creg-Ny-Baa
Day 1 Arrival We take the ferry from Heysham and travel onwards to our hotel. Day 2 Cregneash & Isle of Man Steam Railway
Today we explore the Isle of Man’s south coast, remembering to greet the fairies who promise good luck as we cross the famous Fairy Bridge! We have the option to visit Castletown, the island’s ancient capital before exploring Cregneash Folk Park. Costumed guides show us around the cottages of this restored 19th-century crofting village. Next, we visit The Sound nature reserve, home to seabird and seal colonies and an excellent café with views to the Calf of Man. After continuing to Port Erin where we visit the railway museum, we take a one-way trip aboard the Isle of Man Steam Railway to Douglas. The rest of the day is at leisure in Douglas, where we can experience attractions like the Manx Museum and the town’s iconic horse-drawn tramway, which trundles along the promenade. Day 3 Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway & Laxey After a leisurely breakfast we take a journey on the Manx Electric Railway , a classic electric tramway that traces the island’s east coast to Laxey. Here, we board the Snaefell Mountain Railway for the scenic 5-mile climb to the summit of Snaefell Mountain. This Victorian railway began operating in 1895 and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. We have time for a spot of lunch (not included) at the summit before taking the train down and driving back to Laxey. There is time here to visit The Great Laxey Wheel, the world’s largest working waterwheel, before returning to our hotel. Please note: we have not included admission to the Laxey Wheel as reaching We begin our day with a visit to Knockaloe Visitor Centre, the incredible WWI internment camp, home to 30,000 internees from Turkey, Germany, Italy and Austria. We then make a short journey to Ballacosnahan Farm . The farm is home to the rare Manx Loaghtan, which are said to be the sheep the Vikings left behind. Here we will see these unique sheep whilst having a talk on the history and survival. We enjoy a few salami samples before having time to visit the wool & charcuterie shops. We finish our time here with a BBQ , to allow you to experience more of the Manx Loaghtan products! Day 5 Departure After breakfast, we head home on the morning ferry. it requires a steep 5–10-minute walk from the coach parks. Day 4 Knockaloe Visitor Centre & Ballacosnahan Farm
INCLUSIONS • Return ferry crossing Heysham-Douglas • Entry to Cregneash Folk Park • One-way journey on Isle of Man Steam Railway (Port Erin-Douglas) • One-way journey on Manx Electric Railway (Douglas-Laxey) • Return journey on Snaefell Mountain Railway (Laxey-Summit) • Entrance to Knockaloe Visitor Centre • Visit to Ballacosnahan Farm including BBQ
Albatross Approved Rating: ✓ Visited ✓ Inspected ✓ Graded
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