Has anybody been to the Isle of Man? What was it like? I don't know a lot about it, but I have this romantic notion that it would be a great place to drop off the face of the Earth for a week. I have a friend in Northern Ireland right now and he went without an itinerary. He's staying in Portaferry and was saying that he didn't have any plans for Friday through Monday so I looked at the map and realized how close he was. He said he can see it from the shore. I told him to see if he can get a ferry and go explore, and that he must report back. :) Don't know that he will, but it made me think to come to this board and ask around, to see if anybody had been to the Isle of Man.
Posted by
chiefland, Florida, United States
1 posts
hi, j., i lived on the iom for about a year and a half, some 45 years ago. my wife and i have returned for two short visits in the last eight years. we consider it a fine place to do exactly as you describe. it hasn't changed much in half a century, though the locals will tell you otherwise. the changes are technological as has occurred everywhere. if you enjoy the pub scene, as we do, you may enjoy the older pubs. i think every pub in ramsey that was there 45 years ago is still there. if you enjoy hiking, there is a walking trail that circumnavigates the entire island. the towns are beautiful with much of interest. i like peel castle. i lived in ramsey so i have special fondness for that village. if you want peace and quiet, i would avoid the two weeks leading up to the manx tt motorcycle races. this is the only time iom sees many tourests. i believe they are in july. they used to have an amateur version in sept.; i dont know if they still do. an answer for too much peace and quiet are ferries to dublin, belfast and liverpool. for gamblers there is a casino in douglas.
i hope this has been helpful. contact me if you have any specific questions i might be able to answer.
Posted by
OP
Omaha, NE
134 posts
Oh what great info! I can't believe you lived there! I definitely enjoy the pub scene, so I'm glad to hear you recommend it. Do you know which ferry lines operate from which cities? I did a little reading on TripAdvisor and it sounded like the ferry (from Liverpool) was expensive, as was lodging on the island. Perhaps it's not the most economical place to drop off the face of the Earth. :)
Posted by
Genesee, ID
1840 posts
It is not pertinent, but I will share with you the most obscure facts about the Isle of Man. In the mid-1930s a young women from Man enrolled in the University of Idaho and graduated with a Bachelor's degree. After she become successful she established a trust that funded two full ride scholorships to the University of Idaho for Manx women. Today there are Manx women who fill those scholorships and while I worked at the University I had the pleasure of meeting one of them.