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
Today we explore the Isle of Man’s south coast, remembering to greet the fairies who promise good luck as we cross the famous Fairy Bridge! We have the option to visit Castletown, the island’s ancient capital before exploring Cregneash Folk Park. Costumed guides show us around the cottages of this restored 19th-century crofting village. Next, we visit The Sound nature reserve, home to seabird and seal colonies and an excellent café with views to the Calf of Man. After continuing to Port Erin where we visit the railway museum, we take a one-way trip aboard the Isle of Man Steam Railway to Douglas. The rest of the day is at leisure in Douglas, where we can experience attractions like the Manx Museum and the town’s iconic horse-drawn tramway, which trundles along the promenade.
Day 3 Manx Electric Railway, Snaefell Mountain Railway & Laxey
After a leisurely breakfast we take a journey on the Manx Electric Railway, a classic electric tramway that traces the island’s east coast to Laxey. Here, we board the Snaefell Mountain Railway for the scenic 5-mile climb to the summit of Snaefell Mountain. This Victorian railway began operating in 1895 and is the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles. We have time for a spot of lunch (not included) at the summit before taking the train down and driving back to Laxey. There is time here to visit The Great Laxey Wheel, the world’s largest working waterwheel, before returning to our hotel. Please note: we have not included admission to the Laxey Wheel as reaching it requires a steep 5–10- minute walk from the coach parks.
Day 4 Knockaloe Visitor Centre & Ballacosnahan Farm
We begin our day with a visit to Knockaloe Visitor Centre, the incredible WWI internment camp, home to 30,000 internees from Turkey, Germany, Italy and Austria. We then make a short journey to Ballacosnahan Farm. The farm is home to the rare Manx Loaghtan, which are said to be the sheep the Vikings left behind. Here we will see these unique sheep whilst having a talk on the history and survival. We enjoy a few salami samples before having time to visit the wool & charcuterie shops. We finish our time here with a BBQ, to allow you to experience more of the Manx Loaghtan products!
Day 5 Departure
After breakfast, we head home on the morning ferry.