August 2025 – The Isle of Man Revisited

Day 1: Friday – The Adventure Begins

Friday 8 August: twenty-four of us boarded the Manxman at Heysham, ready for round two of our Isle of Man walking adventures. The trip started with a comedy delay — the ramp wouldn’t lower to let vehicles off. Eventually, we set sail, undeterred, and soon filled the ship’s Eatery with our chatter as we plotted (and re-plotted) the weekend’s plans.

Douglas welcomed us back, and we headed to King William’s College in Castletown, our home from home. Dinner in the Barrovian Hall set the tone: generous, tasty, and accommodating every food request you could throw at it. Afterward, some explored the seafront, others gravitated to the common room, but all of us eventually retired, knowing the first walk loomed the next morning.

“Our home base for the trip — not a bad spot to rest tired legs.”

Day 2: Saturday – Castletown, Malew, Rushen Abbey & Silverdale Glen

Fuelled by a proper breakfast, we followed the Silverburn River out of Castletown. Early highlight: spotting a steam train chugging past — like a scene from a postcard.

At Malew Church, coffee revived us before we hit our first true obstacle: a field full of cows, calves, and a bull. Normally fine… except these ones fixed us with a look that screamed, “make our day.” With twenty-four people to shepherd, we decided against playing matador and took a creative detour, slightly off the map but safely cow-free.

Back on track, we wandered into Silverdale Glen, a leafy haven where we lunched by the river. Sunshine made a grand entrance just in time for ice creams at Silverdale Café — the sort of timing you can’t plan but always hope for. Rushen Abbey was a brief stop before we strolled the river back into Castletown, where the split was simple: some collapsed at the college, others collapsed in the pub.

Dinner was another hit, followed by evening options ranging from swimming in the bay, to socialising, to more pub research

Day 3: Sunday – A Free Day

Sunday was “choose your own adventure” day. A few hopped on a bus to Peel for a coastal walk, some drove to Laxey for the mountain railway, and the biggest contingent went full public-transport puzzle: steam train to Douglas, bus to the electric railway, then up to Snaefell. At the summit, the coffee was hot, the views were endless, and we even managed to bump into our car-driving group at Laxey Station.

Meanwhile, the museum-goers in Douglas declared the Manx Museum an unexpected gem, proving that sometimes the best walks are through exhibitions.

Sunday timetables tried their best to sabotage us, but a brisk march along Douglas promenade ensured we caught the last steam train back to Castletown. Another shared meal, another evening of mixed activities — and a few more research trips to the pub.

Day 4: Monday – The Day of Two Walks

Monday split the group in two.

The keenest walkers tackled the rugged coastal path from Port St Mary to Port Erin, via the Sound and with dramatic views across to the Calf of Man. It was a demanding route, but one of the most rewarding of the trip.

The gentler option explored the Langness Peninsula: Madoc’s Memorial, the Herring Tower, Langness Point, Dreswick Point Lighthouse, and a stop at Castletown Golf Club’s “19th hole” for refreshments. From there, the walk looped past Derbyhaven beach and back to college. Both groups reunited for dinner and a final relaxed evening in Castletown.

Day 5: Tuesday – The Calf of Man & Journey Home

Our last day began with packing bags but not wasting time. Some headed for Peel, others visited friends, while twelve of us signed up for one final adventure: a boat trip from Port Erin to the Calf of Man with Shona Boat Trips.

The 40-minute crossing delivered us to a wild, windswept island dotted with disused lighthouses and brimming with wildlife. One intrepid walker circled the entire island; the rest took shorter loops, spotting flowers, birds, and spectacular coastal views before regrouping at the harbour for pickup.

Back on the mainland, we squeezed in a final group meal at The Barbary Coast in Douglas before boarding the Manxman for the crossing home.

And that was that — another successful Isle of Man walking holiday, equal parts adventure, laughter, and ice cream. As always, the biggest question on departure was: “Same time next year?”

You can see all the photos from the weekend in the gallery here