Highlights of the Isle of Man

Discover a unique island nation
A destination apart | Visit the world’s first UNESCO Biosphere nation.
Boutique accommodation | With a perfect location on panoramic Douglas Bay.
Choice of routes | Coastal walking, heritage trails & nature reserves.
Go Explore Heritage card included | Unlimited free travel & entry to heritage sites.
Easy to reach | Via ferry or plane from the UK or Ireland.
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • Go Explore Heritage card
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • Go Explore Heritage card

Holiday information

A walking holiday on the Isle of Man

Say ‘Isle of Man’ and what usually springs to mind? TT racers, tailless cats, and perhaps the Tynwald – the world’s oldest continuous parliament formed over 1,000 years ago during the Viking Age. But there’s much more to this spectacular island nation, set between Great Britain and Ireland in the middle of the Irish Sea.

In fact, there’s so much more that we’re not sure how the island remains a hidden gem. On our self-guided walking holiday – available outside the busy TT season – you’ll discover the best of the Isle of Man. Immerse yourself in its unique combination of rich cultural heritage, far-reaching history, and diverse landscapes – qualities that have led it to be recognised as the world’s first UNESCO Biosphere nation.
From your luxury boutique hotel in the capital, Douglas, exploring is easy – thanks to an excellent public transport network that includes Victorian steam and electric railways, and a horse-drawn tramway. Our arrangements include a Go Explore Heritage card for unlimited free travel across the island, as well as free entry to heritage sites including the Great Laxey Wheel, Manx Museum, and Peel Castle. These visits can be combined with some super walking along the Raad ny Foillan coastal route, past tumbling waterfalls, and through nature reserves that are home to both the expected – from swooping seabirds to sunbathing seals – and the very unexpected, namely wild wallabies!


Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice and are free to add extra nights. There’s no fixed itinerary, so take your pick of our suggested walking and sightseeing options as the mood takes you.
  • An introduction
    There’s so much to see and do on the Isle of Man – you could fill your days with beautiful walking routes or choose to focus instead on the island’s rich heritage: there’s everything from steam railways to medieval castle ruins. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and the excellent public transport links from your base in Douglas mean it couldn’t be easier to access the key towns, walking trails, and scenic spots across the island. This holiday also includes a Go Explore Heritage card, giving you unlimited access to the island’s public transport network and free entry to heritage attractions for the duration of your visit.
  • Choice of walking & sightseeing options
    Why not begin by exploring your coastal base? Set around a sweeping bay and with a two-mile seafront promenade, scenic Douglas is a town steeped in history. Admire its grand Victorian architecture, ride its horse-drawn tram, or call into the Manx Museum to learn more about the island’s rich and diverse heritage. Another town highlight is the Gaiety Theatre – a 19th-century institution that still offers a full programme of events.

    To discover the landscapes that lie beyond Douglas, we recommend the following walk:

    Groudle Glen: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent 155m/descent 230m
    Accessed by bus or tram, this tranquil route leads you first to Garwick Beach – a small bay backed by woodland – before ascending via the ancient ruins of St Adamnan’s Church. Your destination is the atmospheric Groudle Glen, complete with bubbling stream and dappled glades. Return to Douglas by bus or tram, or on foot via the coast road (add 6km).
    Baldrine to Groundle Glen
  • Choice of walking & sightseeing options
    Occupying a lush valley on the Isle of Man’s eastern flank, the village of Laxey is known for its rich mining heritage – and as the home of the Great Laxey Wheel, the world’s largest working waterwheel. A visit here is a must, and we also suggest riding the Snaefell Mountain Railway – an electric, narrow-gauge line – up from the village to the island’s highest summit; on a clear day, views from here extend over England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

    From Laxey, you have the option to continue north by bus or tram towards Ramsey, to enjoy this beautiful and varied walk:

    Along the ‘Way of the Gull:’ 7.5km, 3.5hrs; ascent 195m/descent 200m
    Beginning at a sheltered shingle cove, this route takes you to the rugged, heather-strewn hills of the headland to explore the historic church and churchyard of Maughold – and to savour some superb sea views. From here, pick up the Raad ny Foillan (‘Way of the Gull’) coastal route, either following it all the way into Ramsey (add 2.5km) or completing the journey by bus or tram.
    Dreemskerry to Ramsey
  • Choice of walking & sightseeing options
    Reached by bus from Douglas, Peel is a picturesque town on the island’s west coast. There’s so much to see here – and we combine all Peel’s highlights into a fabulous heritage walk:

    Historic Peel circuit: 8.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 175m
    Dramatic castle ruins, a vibrant working harbour, winding streets of traditional stone cottages… these are just a few of the discoveries you’ll make while treading this historic trail. Panoramic Corrin’s Tower also features on the route, as does Knockaloe – the largest World War I internment camp in the British Isles. At trail’s end, why not treat yourself with a visit to the Peel Fish Bar? The ‘queenies’ (queen scallops caught off local shores) here are particularly delicious.
    Historic Peel Circuit
  • Choice of walking & sightseeing options
    There are few places that wear their heritage as proudly as Castletown. At the heart of this ancient island capital stands Castle Rushen – one of the best-preserved medieval strongholds in Europe – and elsewhere amid its cobbled streets you’ll find a quaint harbour, historic Nautical Museum, and The Old House of Keys – the former home of the Manx parliament. Even the journey here, by steam train from Douglas, evokes a sense of the past.

    Close to Castletown – and easily accessible by public transport – are the following three walking routes:

    Rushen Abbey & Silverdale: 7.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 85m
    Starting and finishing in Ballasalla, where you’ll find the fascinating Rushen Abbey, this gentle riverside stroll leads you through Silverdale Glen and up to the breathtaking landscapes of the Grenaby Estates. From here it’s a gradual descent back to Ballasalla, with far-reaching views towards Castletown to enjoy along the way. Extend the route by completing the journey to Castletown on foot (add 2.5km).

    Castletown & the Langness Peninsula Circuit: 12km, 4hrs; ascent/descent 75m
    Just to the east of Castletown lies Derbyhaven Bay, a sheltered inlet at whose entrance sits tiny St Michael’s Isle. Explore the ancient church and 17th-century fort here before heading south along the Raad ny Foillan coastal route to the Langness Peninsula – a perfect point for both bird-spotting and seal-watching.

    Calf Sound: 8.5km, 3.5hrs; ascent 280m/descent 400m
    Begin this route by stepping back in time in Cregneash village, the oldest open-air folk museum in the British Isles, before embarking on a spectacular coastal walk across the rugged cliff-tops that form the island’s southernmost tip. Pause at Calf Sound – where an inviting café provides excellent refreshments, unforgettable vistas over the Calf of Man, and opportunities for seal-spotting – then loop back north, following the wild, western coast into Port Erin. Framed by striking headlands and with an expansive gold-sand beach, this bustling seaside village is well worth exploring. It’s also the terminus of the steam railway line – making for an easy, and very scenic, return to Douglas.
    Around Rushen Abbey

Accommodation

Douglas makes an ideal base for your time on the Isle of Man – as well as its own attractions, it has excellent public transport links to the rest of the island. Your high-quality hotel here is located on the town’s seafront promenade, within walking distance of the ferry terminal.

We recommend adding extra nights for more time to explore this remarkable island in greater detail.
Hotel Halvard

Bedrooms

Prices & travel options
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  • 4 nights: 01 April 2026 - 31 October 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 30 Apr 2026 from £663
    1 - 24 May 2026 from £783
    25 May - 7 Jun 2026 from not available
    8 Jun - 23 Aug 2026 from £753
    24 Aug - 30 Sep 2026 from £783
    1 - 27 Oct 2026 from £663

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

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FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Yes, absolutely. Over the years, we have arranged a great many holidays in the UK for customers living in the USA, Canada, Australia and beyond.

    If you've never travelled with us before, it's worth reading the web pages which explain how we can cater for customers who live outside the UK. The main thing to bear in mind is that our tour operator's licence doesn't allow us to book flights that originate outside the UK, and nor are we able to book rail travel in the UK, so we can't make travel arrangements for you, other than pre-arranging taxis between the local railway station and the accommodation – see the ‘prices & travel’ section for the options available.

    For practical information about travelling to the UK, see the 'what do I need to know about travelling to England, Scotland and Wales?' question.
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
  • Unfortunately not. The Inntravel team includes many dog owners, but the extra considerations – such as whether taxi firms accept dogs for transfers to the start of walks, whether routes cross private land on which dogs are not allowed, and proximity to a vet’s – would add another layer of complexity to what are already quite complex holidays.
Price from
£663pp | 4 nights
Highlights of the Isle of Man. 4 nights
Price from
£663pp
Last fetch time is : 10/23/2025 8:00:53 AM

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