Isle of Man Travel Guide

The The Isle of Man is not part of the UK, has no Queen (Elizabeth II is "Lord of Mann") and is not subject to the laws of the British parliament or British taxation.

The Island is a unique self-governing country which belongs to neither the UK nor the European Union. It has the world's oldest continuously democratic parliament (The Tynwald since 976AD) which reflects its Norsemen/Viking heritage.  The Isle of Man is also not part of the European Union but is attached by virtue of Protocol III.   Elizabeth II is "Lord of Mann" and not Queen and is represented by a Lieutenant Governor.  The island is dependent on the crown (but not Westminster) for its foreign representation and for defence.

The Isle of Man, situated in the sea almost half way between Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, is one of the most beautiful spots in the British Isles.

It is a mountainous, cliff-fringed island just thirty one miles by thirteen with austere moorlands, wooded glens, sandy beaches, lonely castles and scores of standing stones and Celtic crosses and sites dating up to 5'000 back.  The island is a popular shoot location for the film industry and indeed encourages filming both financially and with facilities. Over 100 films have been made on the Isle of Man over the past 10 years, most recently Stormbreaker and Miss Potter. Isle of Man Film are well represented at the Cannes Film Festival and the film Chromophobia was chosen to close the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.

During the winter months, it takes some effort to reach by sea, as the weather is not always reliable -  a factor which have seen tourist numbers fall since its Victorian heyday, when the island developed as rapidly as the other northwestern coastal resorts.
This means, though, that the Isle of Man has been spared the worst excesses of the British tourist trade and there exist peace and quiet in abundance,  flora and fauna no longer to be found elsewhere in the British Isles, walks around the unspoilt hundred-mile coastline, picket fences and picnic spots, rural villages straight out of a 1950s' picture-book, steam trains and cream teas - a yesteryear ensemble only slightly marred by the island's reputation of being a tax haven and a refuge for  people who think that even Victorian values were a bit on the lax side.

The mostly Victorian capital, Douglas is atypical of an island which prides itself on its Celtic and Norse heritage, and it's vestiges of the distant past to be found in Peel - the only city and seat of the Bishop of Sodor and Mann.  Castletown impresses with its castle and quaint streets and indeed was the island capital and seat of Tynwald (meaning literally "Thing Field" in old Norse/Icelandic) until 1866.  Port Erin has one of the island's best beaches, while to the northeast Laxey is an attractive proposition for its huge waterwheel, the Lady Isabella, the largest of its kind in the world and the starting point for the meandering tram ride to the barren summit of Snaefell , the island's highest peak. From its summit you get an idea of the range of the Manx scenery and, on good weather days, views of Scotland, Northern Ireland, North West England and even Eire and North Wales.  A local saying declares views of 7 kingdoms (including the Manx Kingdom and the Kingdom of Heaven)

The island is world famous for the Isle of Man TT every May/June where the closed regular roads of the island are used for extremely fast motorbike racing. This year, 2007, is the Centenary of the races, first competed for in 1907. The first Sunday during this racing period is referred to as "Mad Sunday" where non-competitors tear round open roads and entertain beer drinking bikers for two weeks on Douglas promenade.