I fancy a trip to the Manx this year. Any hints or tips? recommended places to stay, ferry route etc...Thanks
Bump!!! Hotel or BnB advise? with reliable safe parking for van or bike? or good (small) camp site with facilities?
Get booking now - we booked our ferry the same day the Steam Packet released their sailing dates for the Manx Classic/GP weeks. It might not get booked as quickly as for TT week but it's not far off. When we looked on booking.com for hotels, the day we booked our ferry, there was very little left, but did find somewhere in Douglas (the Best Western, a bit tired, not brilliant value for what it is, but it has its own car park - for most Douglas hotels it's on street parking. Friends have enjoyed staying in Peel. Some people go for home stay option where the locals let out their spare room for a few days. There is camping (I think it's the rugby club, heading out on the course towards Union Mills, that runs a bikers' campsite) but given the variability of Manx weather, unless you are on a very limited budget, I wouldn't camp. Ferries from England are either from Liverpool (the faster Seacat, 2 3/4 hours) or Heysham (Morecambe/Lancaster, so further up the M6 for you if you're in Birmingham, and the old slower Ben Mychree ferry, taking more like 4 1/4 hours). Last few times we've been over to the Isle of Man, we've gone from Liverpool on a mid morning ferry and stayed over in Liverpool the night before. We were at the 2015 Manx classic and watched from Gooseneck bend - you can approach from the outside of the course (up a narrow lane off the A2 Douglas Ramsey road near Hibernia) so that if you do want to arrive late or leave early, you're not constrained by the road closures. (If you pick a spectator spot on the inside of the circuit, escape options will be more limited). A very pleasant surprise at Gooseneck was the portaloos and snack van (cups of tea, chocolate, grease-inna-bun) there, so if you hadn't brought a picnic and didn't fancy taking a leak behind a gorse bush, you didn't have to. Be prepared for any weather - we had a couple of days of glorious sunshine this time round, almost got burned, but up the mountain if it's wet/windy/foggy it could be seriously bleak! Whenever we go to the island, we enjoy going down to the cafe at the Sound, right down the southern tip overlooking the Calf of Man - nice cafe, good cakes, great views.
Bugger.... out of 53 hotels on booking.com NO rooms left!!!! seems the last rooms were mostly booked within the last 4 days!
Try for practice week instead and stay in Peel it's good fun and you get more chances to ride the course - or get booked in for next year . Or camp and hope you don't get washed away ! Lots of help here TT and Festival of Motorcycling Accommodation | Isle of Man
keep trying - we booked our accommodation a few weeks ago, and there was still camping for practice week. We're staying in Ramsey for Practice week. Any good ideas on things to entertain a toddler?
Cronk Aashen Farm Campsite & Holiday Cottages Hope the link above works. Great bikers camp site also great for families. 100m off the race course (wake up in the morning, turn right at cross roads and your off !!!!! for another lap). 2miles short of Kirk Michael. slight slope to some of the pitches but that means never getting flooded by the Manx rain. Two large barns to park your bike in over night (fantastic bonus). New shower block also a kitchen to make that evening meal. Great mix of old and new visitors from all over the World. 11th year for me this 2016, can`t keep me away from the ManxGp, sorry ClassicTT. Also about 12 miles from Douglas after getting off Ferry. Best part of the track from Ballecrane, Glen Helen, Cronk straight, 11th mile stone area. Places to watch??? Through the campsite farms field 150m`s Top of Barregarrow cross roads (very fast). through the farms field 450m`s bottom of Barregarrow (balls out fast) Kirk Michael on the left (car park) Lawn mower sales shop, free wooden platform to watch from. Very fast and the engine sounds are fantastic in the built up village. ChurchTown, also known as conker fields, righthand side of race track, park in churchhall lane. Watch them come through from Ginger hall way and fast leap past the famous `K` tree (Michael Dunlop air born). Quarry bends approach, park next to the wildlife park on left. Also the bottom of Hillberry coming off the mountain. Walk up hill from the grandstand while roads are open, over the stone wall on outside of track and try and get your head (about three feet) from the bikes while they pass you at flat out speeds. No good trying to take a photo, too fast. Now did you get a Ferry ticket? that might be the hardest bit.
Sorry just one thing to add. I carry no luggage over with me for the two weeks. You can post it all over all boxed up. About £20 each way uK (two pairs of pants, two T shirts and two pairs of socks) Ha Ha. Then when you get home phone Parcelforce and they collect direct from the campsite. I leave my tent there (in the barn) during the year which they will let you do for TT and ManxGP. Also if you can`t get there for the Classic TT race, Practice week is great. have a lap or two during the day, site see all the islands land marks and then watch practice from different spots each evening. (still flat out speeds)
I live in Port Erin,any help needed or advice inc sending out clothing before and after give us a shout
Manx999 many thanks for the accommodation offer , myself and thirty mates are taking you up on your offer of free digs , food and beer. Big thumbs up.
Try the firm that advertises "Vip executive camping" - it's nothing like the camping I remember! Worth a go
Bother, I've done all the trains (nb apart from the Horse trams which may not exist any more) without the excuse of offspring And the castle (in fact pretty much all the manx heritage stuff - it's free if you are a national trust member) TVM for the pointers though. I wonder if anyone will mind if I take him marshalling?
Homestay is now my preference for TT & MGP, but I would say that, as I found a good one a few years ago and keep going back there (5mins walk from the top of Bray Hill). +1 for the idea of posting a box of clothes etc. I finally gave up on loading the bike and carrying a huge rucksack about 5 years ago. Try FCX Couriers based by Ronaldsway airport on the IOM for a quote for your boxes. Yes I do have friends who work there, but I have had no bad reports from anyone I have advised to use them, which is more than I can say for Parcel Farce. Port Erin is certainly one of the nicest places on the Island, and Manx999 is a very nice guy too, I remember talking to him one windy day in P.Erin. Mr R is right about the chippy as well. Have spoken to several people who have stayed at Cronk Aashen Farm and they spoke very highly of it. Assuming I make it to the TT this year, the 2016 MGP will be my 27th TT/MGP visit to the Island too. I have also been over for some more relaxing social visits to stay with friends, and five not so relaxing E2E mountain bike event weekends. It's a great place, but I can't imagine ever going without a bike - it would be like going camping without a tent!
some great comments here,to address a few you would be surprised how many friends i get around the end of may and august Port Erin in the winter is no picnic,the winds a bugger on the way to and from the Falcon Remember speaking to the guy and his wife who said he met me,great guy very patient withmy new to the brand questions offer still stands ref parcels etc,can even drop off and pick them up,I work 2 mins from fcx office
We originally were going to go to the Manx/classic but then we left it and left it. Then out of the blue I spoke to a client who works on the island and she invited us to stay with her in Douglas so just booked the ferries! Going 27/8 at stupid o'clock and coming back am on 1/9. Excited!
@Ozz I'm on the 03:30 Liverpool to Douglas ferry on the 27th August, if that's the one you're on I'll see you in the queue! Staying in a Homestay in Onchan. Just got to decide whether to take the Mutley or my 1979 Suzuki GS1000S. Trouble is you are pretty much guaranteed rain at some point (I'll be riding up from Kent) especially in the Island and I would be heartbroken if my precious and spotless classic got filthy. I went last year and caught the same ferry out - it's not as bad as you think. I didn't leave home until about 8:00 on Friday evening so saved a day off work. A quick kip on the ferry, straight off and into "The Caff" in Douglas for breakfast, a couple of laps before most people wake up then settle down for some racing. No rocking required to get to sleep Saturday night! If you haven't been before it's mega, make sure you do the Jurby festival on Sunday and the Ramsey Sprint on Tuesday as well.
