UK ISLANDS
Douglas
A Thundering Tour of the Isle of Man: TT, Tramways & Tradition 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, offering a variety of touring themes, and with the island being only 30 miles long, all are within easy reach of the fascinating capital, Douglas. PACKAGED ITINERARY Day 1 Arrival We take the ferry from Heysham and travel onwards to our hotel. Day 2 Cregneash & Isle of Man Steam Railway 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 have the option of visiting 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 to The Sound, a protected nature reserve with seabird and seal colonies as well as an excellent café 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 3 Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway & Douglas 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. When 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. Attractions include the Manx Museum which charts the island’s fascinating 10,000 year old history and the iconic horse-drawn trams that run along the promenade. Please note, the Snaefell Railway is subject to timetable. Day 4 TT course: Isle of Man Motor Museum & Knockaloe Visitor Centre 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 Columbia Electric and a 1953 Humber Super Snipe tourer used by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip on their Coronation tour of the Commonwealth. See more than 300 motorcycles from Norton, BSA, Velocette, Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki and Honda as well as steam cars from various manufacturers. 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. Please note that Knockaloe only opens until late September. Day 5 Departure After breakfast, we head home on the morning ferry.
This itinerary includes several rail journeys which may not work as planned with your arrival day. Please ask the sales team about changing itinerary days if required.
Please note, ferry crossings to the island are restricted to coaches of 13.5m maximum.
View to Ramsey from the Mountain Road
Isle of Man Motor Museum
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Albatross Approved Rating: ✓ Visited ✓ Inspected ✓ Graded
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