Isle of Man Ferries

ABOVE: Peel, on the Isle of Man's west coast, is nicknamed "the sunset city" for its spectacular sunsets over the sea.

Island Ferries: Isle of Man

In Part 1 of this "Island Ferries" series, I provided brief descriptions and Web links for the Aran Islands (Ireland), Arran (Scotland), Orkney, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, and the Shetlands. 

Part 2 dealt with the Channel Islands. 

In this third short article, we'll discuss the Isle of Man: an outpost of Celtic culture that lies equidistant from Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales in the Irish Sea.

The world's oldest parliament

The Isle of Man claims the world's oldest parliament, the Tynwald ("Tinvall" in Manx Gaelic) which operated continuously for more than 1,000 years. As a British Crown Dependency, the island relies on the U.K. for defense and diplomacy, but it passes its own domestic laws and is a tax haven for wealthy expatriates and international companies.

Scenery, castles, and Victorian railroads 

Although the island measures only 33 by 13 miles (53 x 22 km), it has a varied landscape with mountains, moorlands, flatlands, forests, and beaches. Attractions range from Peel Castle and Rushen Abbey to motorcycle racing and a steam railway. There's even a Home of Rest for Old Horses, a retirement farm for tram horses and other equine elders.

Tourists looking for active vacations  can find climbing centres, charter fishing, scuba diving, kayak rentals, horseback riding, and other sports activities around the island.

For more information:

Steam Packet Company
Travel by high-speed catamaran from Heysham, England to the Manx port of Douglas. Other boats depart from Liverpool, Belfast, Dublin, and Fleetwood.

Most recent cruise reviews:

• Costa Magica (Costa Cruises)

• MSC Poesia (MSC Cruises)

• Rotterdam (Holland America Line)

• Renaissance (European Waterways) 

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