Lynn & I decided on a last minute getaway to the Isle of Man for the August bank holiday.
With regards to the travel restrictions, we had to apply for a Vaccination Exemption from the Isle of Man government website. This is a simple form to complete free of charge online. Authority was granted within 24 hours (although they can take up to 3 days).
Then, within 48 hours of arrival on the island, passengers have to complete a landing form confirming they haven’t had COVID-19 symptoms. Again, free of charge and an email confirmation is sent immediately.
We parked our car at the Liverpool ONE car park (which is a short walk from the ferry terminal) and travelled on foot passengers aboard Isle of Man Steam Packet catamaran “Manannan”. Crossing time is around 2 hours 45 minutes.
We booked ourselves in the 4 star Claremont Hotel which is easily walkable along the promenade from the ferry port in Douglas. The hotel was excellent, with good food and friendly staff.
For getting around the island we would highly recommend purchasing a Go Explorer Pass.
There are different duration passes depending on your length of stay. We bought the 3 day passes which proved great value and much cheaper than separate travel tickets. The passes can be bought from the ferry terminal on arrival.
We travelled extensively – on the Manx Electric Railway, the Snaefell Mountain Railway and the Isle of Man Steam Railway. The explorer pass also covers the bus network too.
Douglas itself has a long promenade, we visited Laxey, home of the Worlds’ largest working water wheel. We reached the summit of Snaefell Mountain. Other towns worth a visit are Port Erin, Ramsey and Castletown. And who knew, the BeeGees were from the Isle of Man!
All in all, the weekend was tiring as we visited so many places – but it was a great experience, and we loved every minute.
