The Isle of Man is situated in the middle of the Irish Sea and it’s climate is favourably affected by the Gulf Stream. The island has many nautical connections, Captain Bligh of ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ fame married there, Fletcher Christian’s family had strong Manxman connections and Miles Standish, a native, crewed aboard Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory and later the Mayflower.
Whilst a resident, Sir William Hillary founded Britain’s famous Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1826 and was also responsible for the erection of the historic Tower of Refuge on Conister Rock in Douglas Bay to warn ships approaching the harbour entrance. In 1863, the island’s shipbuilding industry built the famous Star of India, a sailing ship which now enjoys pride of place in the San Diego Museum.
Anyone with an interest in history cannot help but be fascinated by Ellan Vannin – the viking name for the island. Stone circles and tumuli, monuments with ogham inscriptions, fortresses and castles, the Tynwald, the Legs of Man … legends and folklore, the Little Folk, the Bugane, the wizard Manannan McLir … all hint at a past which is different to the familiar history of the rest of the British Isles. Within this compact island – less than the size of Greater London – there is a breathtaking variety of scenery. Within half an hour of watching the cloud shadows on the high moors, passengers can be in a haunted glen loud with the sound of rushing water or gazing at the rugged beauty of the coast or a tranquil beach.
From prehistoric remains to Tynwald, the world’s oldest continuous parliament, from extraordinary castles to wonders of Victorian engineering such as the Manx Electric Railway, the Isle of Man is shaped by its heritage. A visit to the Manx Museum in Douglas might show why the Manx emblem has three legs, Manx sheep four horns and Manx cats no tails! There are any number of friendly pubs and restaurants, visitors can browse in shops and craft centres for all sorts of Manx produce from home-grown woollen cloth to white Manx spirit. The Isle of Man also boasts nine golf courses with wonderful uncrowded greens, including the famous Castletown Links, possibly one of the finest championship courses in the world. Whatever you are looking for on the Isle of Man, be it activity or relaxation, here you can find it and you will get a warm welcome.
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