Three great ways to explore the Isle of Man's wild side
Whether you fancy a bucolic bathe in its forests or an epic wildlife encounter you won’t forget in a hurry, here’s how you can embrace the great outdoors in the Isle of Man…
The Isle of Man? Isle of Nature, more like. Some 40% of this Irish Sea haven is wild and uninhabited.
The first entire nation to be recognised as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the island is refreshed by salty air, edged by dunes, beaches and precipitous cliffs, riven with glens, peppered with woods and wildflower meadows, and topped by dramatic moors. It’s a diverse, pristine and accessible parcel of nature that can be experienced however you choose.
1. Outdoor wellness
And breathe… Removed from the mainland’s hurly-burly, with a more relaxed pace of life and a distinct attitude and identity, the Isle of Man is the perfect place to switch off, slow down, focus on your wellbeing and soak up the benefits of immersing yourself in nature in new ways.
Sea swimming
Being near blue space has been proven to boost wellbeing. Fortunately, on the compact Isle of Man, the sea is always close by, so it’s easy to get a fix of ‘blue therapy’. There’s an array of beaches here, from wide sandy horseshoes to pebbly coves; all provide excellent launch pads for wild swims. You could dive into Port Erin’s waters, sheltered by the dramatic cliffs of Bradda Head. You could ease off gently sloping Gansey Beach, a good choice for families. Or you could swim from secluded Derbyhaven, where the sand curves around a shallow, protected bay and dolphins might be seen.
Forest bathing
It’s not just blue therapy you’ll find on the Isle of Man. You can get a good dose of green wellness too by taking a mindful walk into one of the island’s pockets of woodland. Laxey Glen is a popular choice, where mature exotic trees planted in the 19th century mix with native species that took over from the 1950s. Archallagan Forest is riddled with trails that wend around its moors, ponds, hares, songbirds and dragonflies. Or try Conrhenny, near Onchan, a growing community project where children have planted more than 5,000 native trees, providing both arboreal education and walks in nature.
Glen dipping
The greatest way to combine the health benefits of both blue and green must be exploring the island’s National Glens. There are 18 of these lush, magical, steep-sided river valleys, where waterfalls tumble, pools burble and nature runs rampant. Walking through them, amid the springy moss and swaying ferns, you can virtually feel yourself being restored. Prime picks include: rugged Dhoon Glen, where the waterfall of Inneen Vooar (‘Big Girl’) drops over 40 metres; the narrow, overgrown trails through wild-feeling Colby Glen; and gorgeous Glen Maye, where bridges span the narrow ravine and the trail emerges at a quiet rocky beach.
Isle of Man: Home of Pilates
Born in Germany to a gymnast father and naturopath mother, Joseph Pilates grew up fascinated by the benefits of exercise. Living in Britain at the start of the First World War, he was considered an ‘enemy alien’ and sent to the Isle of Man’s Knockaloe Internment Camp. Here, he developed ‘Contrology’, a mind-body regime that became the basis of Pilates. It’s believed Joseph’s methods helped inmates survive the 1918 outbreak of TB. Learn more at Knockaloe’s Visitor Centre.
2. Adventures on foot
The Isle of Man might be best known for its TT road race, but a far more immersive way to explore is offroad, via the extensive network of walking trails. Footpaths lead along the coast, through the glens, across the moors and up the peaks, opening up the Isle of Man’s most interesting corners.
Raad ny Foillan coastal footpath
Manx Gaelic for the ‘Way of the Gull’, the 160km Raad ny Foillan trail wraps right around the Isle of Man coast, visiting every beach, bay and cliff-top. It passes impressive castles, pretty seaside towns, nature reserves and far-reaching lookouts where you might spot whirling seabirds or frolicking seals. Simply, it’s an epic adventure that exposes the beating heart of this island nation. You could walk it over one trip, in anything from four to 12 days, or sample a section or two, using the island’s helpful buses and vintage trams and trains to access different parts of the route.
Three key sections of the Raad ny Foillan to walk
Port Erin to Niarbyl
Gird your loins! This is the Raad ny Foillan at its most strenuous but maybe most spectacular. From the golden sands of Port Erin, the trail heads north to Bradda Head before winding up-down-up-down over heather-bright moor. It tops out at Cronk ny Arrey Laa, the ‘Hill of the Day Watch’, where islanders once looked out for Viking raids. At 437m, this is the coast path’s highest point, providing huge views along the craggy shore.
Ramsey to Maughold
You can reach this wonderful 7km walk via the Manx Electric Railway, which has been clattering to Ramsey since 1899. The route starts at Ramsey’s lively harbour and heads for Port Lewaigue and beyond, with big views back across the bay. It’s delightful coast walking, via bluebells, gorse bushes and sweeping sands. It ends at Maughold Church, one of the island’s oldest, and home to a huge collection of carved Celtic crosses, some dating to the sixth century.
Laxey to Douglas
Walk into the island’s capital from the heritage-packed village of Laxey, home to the world’s largest waterwheel. Leaving lovely Laxey Beach, the 15km trail leads to Baldrine and remote woodland-backed Garwick Bay before passing Ballanette country park, brilliant for birding. Ahead lies Lonan Church (don’t miss the 10th-century cross, still in its original location), before entering Groudle Glen and arriving in Douglas, where you can celebrate with a Manx Hoolie rum in a prom-side bar.
Manx Summit Walks
On an island, it’s natural to be drawn to the coast. But the Isle of Man’s new set of Summit Walks showcase more unexpected, lesser-visited areas, giving walkers a very different perspective. Across the eight different routes you have the opportunity to tick off 25 summits that are over 1,000ft. These varied hikes will take you via open moorland, panoramic ridges, wild hilltops, wildflower-strewn meadows, lush glens and dense plantations. You’ll get glimpses of old castles, Celtic heritage and even the hair-raising bends of the legendary TT course. And you’ll get the rush of endorphins from completing a truly satisfying challenge.
Three walks for epic vistas
Port St Mary to Port Erin
Not only is this one of the best sections of the Raad ny Foillan, it’s arguably one of the most scenic coast walks in the British Isles. Starting from Port St Mary, this 11km route skirts plunging cliffs and rounds the island’s far south-west tip, where you can sit in the Sound cafe with views over the Calf of Man. Be sure to detour to Cregneash, one of the last strongholds of Manx customs, now a fascinating heritage village.
Niarbyl to Peel
Remote Niarbyl, on the west coast, is a special spot. Here, the billions-years-old rocks of ancient continents meet and seals and seabirds are often seen offshore. The 10km trail to Peel passes the mouth of enchanting Glen Maye (well worth dipping into to visit the waterfall at its end) before continuing along the cliffs to Peel Hill. Every footstep from here brings views of Peel Castle, built by the Vikings in the 11th century – a grand finale.
Ramsey to Snaefell
The North East Summits Five Peaks Challenge route does exactly what its name suggests: it masters five of the island’s biggest hills, including pointy North Barrule (565m) and bulky Snaefell (621m), the highest point of all. The 11km route follows a high ridge that, on a clear day, provides enormous views in all directions, stretching to Ireland, England and Wales. From Snaefell you can descend via the Mountain Railway, which has been running up the peak since 1895.
3. Diverse nature and wildlife
With nearly half of the Isle of Man uninhabited, nature and wildlife have been able to flourish here. But also, with the entire island designated a UNESCO Biosphere – that is, places recognised for balancing the needs of people and conservation – there isn’t an inch of the Isle of Man that isn’t connected to nature in some way.
There are 28 nature reserves across the nation, run by the Manx Wildlife Trust and protecting a diverse range of environments, from restored plantations and reservoirs to a newly created temperate rainforest, from sand dunes to heather moors, from peat bogs to orchid-rife meadows. Many of these sites feature marked nature trails, which you can follow to immerse yourself in these special landscapes. There are also six official viewing sites around the island’s coastline – including on Marine Drive in Douglas and Bradda Glen in Port Erin –where you can learn more about sea life too.
Five key wildlife experiences
1. Spot whales and dolphins
Many species of cetaceans frequent the Irish Sea, with harbour porpoise, risso dolphin, minke whale, bottlenose dolphin and common dolphin all seen around the Isle of Man. Pop into Peel’s Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch Visitor Centre to learn more, and take a boat trip out from Port St Mary or Port Erin for close encounters. Between May and August basking sharks visit too; they might be spotted from the shore, especially along the south-west coast.
2. Grab your binoculars for myriad migrating birds
The Isle of Man has some super birding sites. At Ayres National Nature Reserve you might spot little, Arctic and common terns, while around Castletown’s Scarlett Nature Discovery Centre, seabirds are joined by wheatears, stonechats and swallows. Black guillemots like to nest in the wall at Peel harbour, and there’s even a small colony of puffins around Peel Hill. Meanwhile, rare choughs and diving gannets can be seen all along the coast. Pack binoculars wherever you go.
3. Seek out the island's wallabies
That’s right, the Isle of Man has wild marsupials. In the 1960s a mob of red-necked wallabies escaped from Curraghs Wildlife Park. Now, according to a 2023 survey, there are believed to be over 500 of them hopping about the Ballaugh Curragh Area of Special Scientific Interest, in the north of the island. Follow the footpath through this area of bog pools, willow swamp and wet meadows and keep a look out for the Australian critters.
4. See seals at the Sound
Both Atlantic grey and common seals like to hang-out off the Isle of Man all year round. They might pop up anywhere – keep an eye out whenever you’re walking the coast, especially in spots such as easterly Maughold Head and the Point of Ayre, in the north. However, the best place to see them is at the Sound: they like to haul up on the islets between the mainland and the Calf of Man.
5. Spy puffins on the Calf of Man
Half a mile off the main island’s southern tip, the Calf of Man is a special place. Looked after by Manx National Heritage, it is 600 acres of bird-watching heaven. Around 30 seabird species breed here, including Manx shearwater and shag. A project is also underway to bring back puffins – in 2021 the birds returned here for the first time in 30 years. Book a boat trip to explore the islet with expert guides.
See the Isle of Man... after dark
Being out in the Irish Sea, with no big-city lights to mar the darkness of the night sky, the Isle of Man is out of this world for star-gazing. There are 26 official Dark Sky Discovery Sites scattered around the island, the highest concentration in the British Isles. These are places where the Milky Way and myriad planets and constellations can be seen without a telescope. You might even be lucky enough to catch shooting stars or even the northern lights, especially as 2024 is a solar maximum, the period of peak activity within the 11-year solar cycle.
Port Soderick is only a few miles from capital Douglas, and offers excellent, easily accessible astronomy – the car park here offers a good view point, and has interpretation boards too. Or head to Fort Island, to gaze across wide, rural horizons, or Sulby, below Snaefell, to see stars reflected in the reservoir.
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