Isle of Man, Ferries and Ferry Crossings

Welcome to the Isle of Man (Crown Dependency) section of FerryCrossings.org, the site for information about major UK, dependency and continental ports and the ferries between them. Our site includes an introduction to a number of ports and feature pages about the various crossing ways, lanes and routes and companies operating between them to help you plan your journey and discover interesting travel destinations along the way. You can even compare prices and save money on your ferry tickets with ads from major booking sites and selected ferry lines.

Isle of Man & Island Ports

The Isle of Man The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin), like the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, is a Crown Dependency and in the possession of the British Crown. The British Monarch holds the Manx title of Lord of Mann. Although it is self-governing, and not a part of the UK, for nationality issues, islanders are UK citizens. The island's government rests in the hands of the Tynwald, which claims to be one of the world's oldest parliaments in unbroken existence and dates back to 979. The Isle of Man issues its own coins and banknotes (which have parity with English and Scottish currency) and postage stamps. The island, which is about 32 miles at its longest and between 8 and 15 miles wide, is in the Irish Sea, and geographically, closest to the Scottish mainland. It's highest peak is Snaefell. The island's population is around 80,000 and its capital town, Douglas is home to almost one third of that total. Other notable towns and villages include Onchan, Ramsey, Port St Mary, Castletown, Peel and Port Erin. The Calf of Man is a tiny island off the southern tip of Isle of Man and is a bird sanctuary. Although English is the first language of most of the inhabitants the old Manx/Gaelic language is kept alive in classrooms, on road and civic signs, and on official documents. The distinctive 3 legged emblem on the Manx flag was first used officially in the early 14th century on the Manx Sword of State. One of the best known creatures from the island is the Manx cat, which has no tail. There is also an indigenous 4-horned sheep, known as a Loaghtan sheep. Off shore, in summer, visitors can often see the giant basking sharks, often up to 35 feet in length but harmless to man.

The cultural heritage of the Isle of Man is strongly rooted in its Celtic and Norse history with its ancient parliament and many place names showing Norse influence. However, there is archaeological evidence that suggests that hunter/gatherer people lived on the Isle of Man many thousands of years ago. The island has numerous ancient monuments of note including stone circles. The man-made Tynwald Hill is thought to have been, originally, an ancient burial mound but was taken by the Vikings as a place of assembly for law-making. By the start of the second millennium the Isle of Man had already suffered many Viking raids and was subject to Norwegian rule until the middle of the 13th century. For a very short period of time, following Norwegian rule, it enjoyed an autonomous existence with its own king. However, during the 14th to 16th centuries, ownership pf the island was passed, backwards and forwards like a parcel, between Scotland and England and finally to England in the early 19th century.

Many of the islanders lived as simple crofters or fishermen in single-storey thatched, stone cottages. Many examples now have their place in the cultural heritage of the island and are maintained by the Manx National Heritage Trust. The island has not just one, but two, defensive stone castles, one of which is in Peel and the other in Castletown. Peel Castle was built, of sandstone, in the late 14th century. Castle Rushen, in Castletown is even older, dating back to the 13th century and the Norse King Magnus. Much of this castle is intact and has been used as a seat of government, a prison, for civil weddings and court proceedings. For such a small island there is a real wealth of exciting and interesting places and events to see and experience. One of the more famous is the Laxey Wheel and mines where the largest water wheel in the world, The Lady Isabella, pumped water from the deep mines from which zinc ore was taken. A distinctive feature of the island is the number of Celtic stone crosses to be seen. The oldest date from the 5th century and they were erected as memorials and gravestones. Over 200 survive and many are still in their original places in churchyards, whilst a few have protective shelters built over them. Churchyards where the earlier Celtic crosses can be seen include Maughold, Lonan, Braddan and Onchan. Those of a later date and with Viking influence can be found mainly in the churchyards of Andreas, Maughold, Jurby, Michael and Braddan.

It's difficult to think of the Isle of Man without also thinking of the famous TT races that are hosted there, for two weeks, each year. It's just over 100 years since the first race was held in 1907, organised by the Auto Cycle Club. The first races were over a course just short of 16 miles but, 4 years later, was extended to almost 38 miles, becoming the challenging and arduous 'Mountain Course' which, with minor changes, remains to this day. For two weeks each year the roads will be filled with practice sessions and the races themselves so, depending on what you want from your visit to the Isle of Man, check the dates for the TT Races for that year. In 2009 they are from the end of May through the first 2 weeks of June. A plus factor of visiting the island during this period is that there are all sorts of extra events and entertainments being staged around the island so there's a real festival atmosphere.

For many a trip to the Isle of Man won't be complete without seeing the famous basking sharks. The waters around the Isle of Man are the best place, anywhere in the world, to see these enormous, but harmless, creatures. The best times are between mid May and mid August. They can be seen from the shore with the naked eye or, if you want to get closer, then take a sea trip to see them. Also in these waters are seals, dolphins, porpoises and minke whales, with many sea birds nesting on shore. The island offers many opportunities for scuba diving, sea-kayaking, trips and expeditions both on and under water.