We start our story of the Isle of Man as we come out of Douglas and visit Old Kirk Braddan Church. Here we will see some fine examples of the Island’s collection of remarkable Viking carved stone crosses and a beautiful Celtic design Wheel Headed cross dating from the 9th or 10th Century. Kirk Braddan is one of our oldest, still standing, churches and the main body dates from around 12th century and so there are layers upon layers of fascinating history on this site to explore.

En route vers le centre de l'île par le célèbre parcours de TT, nous ferons notre premier arrêt à St. Johns pour visiter la colline du Tynwald. On pense que le Tynwald a été fondé par des colons vikings nordiques il y a plus de mille ans, ce qui en fait le plus ancien parlement au monde. La colline est aujourd'hui l'un des monuments les plus emblématiques de l'île, symbolisant l'indépendance de l'île de Man en tant que dépendance autonome de la Couronne. La région regorge de sites historiques à explorer, notamment la chapelle royale, la tombe d'un géant, les pierres néolithiques de Ballaharra et Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, notre école primaire de langue mannoise.

Heading towards the west, we’ll venture to Peel; also known as sunset city, with its stunning backdrop of the ancient Castle, fishing harbour and sandy bay. We can wander through the quaint streets with their tiny fishing cottages or take in the fresh sea air along the promenade with an ice cream or sample some local fish. While wandering around the castle we can keep a look out for the Atlantic grey seals or our resident Bottlenose dolphins, Moonlight and Starlight. There will be an opportunity if desired to call in to the House of Manannan for local gifts and a look at a replica of a Viking ship and longhouse and Bronze Age round house.

Overlooking the Calf of Man, Cregneash was one of the last strongholds of the Manx language and customs which characterised the traditional crofting way of life. As we wander among the traditional thatched Manx cottages and learn about the Manx way of life in times gone by there is a chance to see two of our favourite and somewhat rare Manx animals, a cat with no tail and the brown Loaghtan Sheep.

En nous aventurant vers la pointe sud de l'île, nous découvrirons The Sound qui surplombe l'une des sections d'eau les plus dangereuses s'étendant jusqu'au Calf of Man, aujourd'hui une réserve naturelle avec une faune abondante.

Lastly we will visit Castletown, the Isle of Man’s ancient capital which is wrapped around what is said to be the best-preserved medieval castle in Europe. With its beautiful square, attractive harbour and steeped in history, this is a gem not to be missed. Option to wander around this beautiful town or explore the castle.

Notre visite se terminera par un retour par le Pont des Fées, où, traditionnellement, on salue les « Mooinjer Veggey » ou « Petits Hommes » ! Les horaires de la visite permettent de se déplacer d'un point à l'autre.