Out on the hills and the coast

Walk the
island.

From a gentle stroll along the old railway to the whole coast on the Way of the Gull, these are the island’s best-loved walks, with the buses that get you there and back.

8 walks · Stage-by-stage coast path · Buses and trains at each end

Long-distance paths
Day walks
Short glen walks
Before you go

Photo: Richard Hoare, CC BY-SA 2.0

Long-distance paths

The island’s three long-distance paths. Walk them end to end, or pick off a stage at a time.

The rocky tail of Niarbyl reaching out into a blue sea, with green slopes and the coast stretching north. — Photo: Richard Hoare, CC BY-SA 2.0

Raad ny Foillan

the Way of the Gull

The whole coast of the island in one path: cliffs, castles, glens, beaches and harbours, waymarked all the way round.

Strenuous
about 95–100 miles (153–160km)
4 to 12 days

Start: Douglas (Millennium Bridge)
Finish: Douglas (Millennium Bridge)
Terrain: Everything from promenade and quiet lanes to steep, rough cliff paths and long stretches of beach. The north is flat sand and shingle; the south-west climbs to 437m above Fleshwick.
Waymarks: A blue sign showing a gull in flight.
Getting there: Most stages start and finish on a bus route: 29 to Port Soderick, 8 and 14 to the Sound, 4N to Glen Maye and Niarbyl, 16 to Maughold and 15 to Groudle. The Steam Railway serves the south and the Manx Electric Railway the east. Point of Ayre has no direct bus; the nearest stops are at Bride. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Douglas Head and Marine Drive
Langness lighthouse and Castle Rushen
The Chasms, the Sugarloaf and the Sound
Bradda Head, Niarbyl and Peel Castle
The Ayres and Point of Ayre
Maughold Head and Laxey

The 12 official stages

Stage	Distance	Highest	What to expect
1. Douglas to Derbyhaven	20.5km / 12.5 mi	110m	Douglas Head, Port Soderick, Port Grenaugh and Santon Gorge (muddy and slippy in places).
2. Derbyhaven to Port St Mary	19.5km / 12 mi	20m	Low and fairly flat: St Michael’s Isle, Langness, Castletown and Scarlett.
3. Port St Mary to Port Erin	11km / 7 mi	143m	The Chasms, the Sugarloaf, Spanish Head and the Sound. Take extra care in strong winds.
4. Port Erin to Niarbyl	15km / 9.5 mi	437m	The hardest stage: steep, rough moorland over Bradda and Cronk ny Arrey Laa. Walking poles recommended.
5. Niarbyl to Peel	10km / 6 mi	141m	Glen Maye’s waterfall, Corrin’s Tower and Peel Hill down to Fenella Beach.
6. Peel to Glen Wyllin	11.5km / 7 mi	63m	Along the old Manx Northern Railway line, soggy underfoot in places.
7. Glen Wyllin to Sartfield	11.5km / 7 mi	35m	Mostly beach. Access is restricted at high tide.
8. Sartfield to Point of Ayre	13.5km / 8.5 mi	8m	Sand, shingle and the Ayres heath. Take care at the Lhen Trench near high tide, and give nesting terns a wide berth.
9. Point of Ayre to Ramsey	9km / 5.5 mi	5m	Beach below eroding sand cliffs: keep away from the foot of them. Tide-restricted.
10. Ramsey to Maughold	7km / 4.5 mi	103m	Port-e-Vullen (tide-restricted), the Maughold Brooghs and Maughold Head.
11. Maughold to Laxey	14km / 8.5 mi	210m	Port Mooar, Ballafayle cairn, the Quaker burial ground, Port Cornaa and Dhoon Glen.
12. Laxey to Douglas	15km / 9.5 mi	112m	Garwick Bay, Lonan Old Church, Groudle Glen and Onchan Head home to the promenade.

Stay safe

Stay well back from cliff edges and keep children close.
The north-west and north beaches (stages 7 to 9) and Port-e-Vullen are cut off at high tide: check the tide tables first.
In poor visibility, take the inland route past Eary Cushlin on the Port Erin to Niarbyl stage.

Dogs and access: Walkers only: not suitable for cycling or horse riding. Dogs must be kept under close control, are not allowed between the Sound and Port Erin, and must be on a lead from April to July between the Purt and Ramsey.

Raad ny Foillan guide (Visit Isle of Man, PDF) ↗Raad ny Foillan sections (Visit Isle of Man) ↗Raad ny Foillan (gov.im) ↗

A white trig pillar on the heather-covered top of Slieau Ruy, with the central hills rolling away under cloud. — Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Millennium Way

The old Royal Way of the Kings of Mann, from Ramsey over the shoulder of Snaefell to Castletown. It was re-established in 1979 for the thousandth anniversary of Tynwald.

Strenuous
about 23–28 miles, depending on the source (gov.im gives 26)
A long day for an experienced walker, or two or three sections

Start: Sky Hill, Ramsey
Finish: Castle Rushen, Castletown
Terrain: Steep climbs and open heather moorland on the slopes of Snaefell, reaching about 1,500ft, then lanes, field paths and the Silverburn river. The Castletown to Crosby section is the easiest.
Getting there: Ramsey: buses 3, 3A and 3B and the Manx Electric Railway. Castletown: the Steam Railway and buses 1, 2, 11 and 12. Crosby is on the Douglas to Peel buses, so the route splits neatly in two. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Sky Hill above Ramsey
Moorland on the slopes of Snaefell
Crosby
The Silverburn through Ballasalla
Castle Rushen

Stay safe

The moorland section is exposed, with no shelter: turn back if the cloud comes down.
Keep dogs on a lead near sheep, especially at lambing time in April and May.

Millennium Way (Visit Isle of Man) ↗Public Rights of Way (gov.im) ↗Route on OS Maps ↗

Open brown heather moorland on the hills of the south-west, rising towards the rounded summit of South Barrule. — Photo: Colin Park, CC BY-SA 2.0

Bayr ny Skeddan

the Herring Road

The route Manx fishermen once walked between Castletown and Peel, across the hills from one coast to the other.

Strenuous
22km / 14 miles
A full day

Start: Castletown harbour
Finish: Peel Castle
Terrain: Hills and rough country through Cringle, Lhargey and Arrasey plantations. Walking boots are essential.
Getting there: Castletown: the Steam Railway and buses 1, 2, 11 and 12. Peel: buses 4, 5 and 6 to Douglas, and 8 to Castletown and Port Erin. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

The Silverburn and Silverdale Glen
The Round Table at the foot of South Barrule
Glen Maye waterfall
The cliffs past Corrin’s Tower
Peel Castle on St Patrick’s Isle

Stay safe

It shares about three miles with the Millennium Way and finishes on the Raad ny Foillan cliffs, so take the same care on the coast.
Plantations can close for tree felling: follow any diversion signs.

Bayr ny Skeddan (Visit Isle of Man) ↗Route map (Department of Infrastructure, PDF) ↗Public Rights of Way (gov.im) ↗

Day walks

Full or half-day walks with a bus or train at each end, so there’s no need to go back for the car.

The stepped, grass-covered mound of Tynwald Hill at St John's with a flagpole at the top and trees behind. — Photo: Stephen Darlington, CC BY-SA 2.0

The Heritage Trail

The old Douglas to Peel railway line, now a level, hard-surfaced path through the central valley. Good for families, bikes and horses.

Easy
17km / 10.5 miles (Douglas to Peel)
Half a day on foot, about an hour each way by bike

Start: Quarterbridge, Douglas
Finish: Peel quayside
Terrain: Level hard-packed surface the whole way.
Getting there: Buses 4, 5 and 6 run along the same valley, so you can walk one way and ride back. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Union Mills
Crosby
Greeba
St John’s and Tynwald Hill
Peel harbour

Stay safe

The Douglas end is used as an access road during the TT and Manx Grand Prix.
Take care crossing the main A1 road near St John’s: it is a fast stretch.

Dogs and access: Shared with cyclists and horse riders: keep left and give way to horses.

Heritage Trail (Visit Isle of Man) ↗Isle of Man Walking Guide (PDF) ↗

The green hump of the Calf of Man across the bright blue water of Calf Sound, with Kitterland's rocks in between. — Photo: John Willo, CC BY-SA 2.0

Port St Mary to Port Erin by the Chasms

Often called one of the best coastal walks in the British Isles: sea cliffs, seabirds, the Calf of Man and, if you are lucky, seals or dolphins in the Sound.

Moderate
11km / 7 miles
Three to four hours

Start: Alfred Pier, Port St Mary
Finish: Port Erin bay
Terrain: An undulating cliff path, highest point 143m.
Getting there: Steam Railway and buses 1, 2, 11 and 12 at both ends, so you can leave the car at one end. Buses 8, 8S and 14 run to the Sound. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Kallow Point and Perwick Bay
The Chasms, deep splits in the clifftop
The Sugarloaf stack and its seabirds
Spanish Head and the Sound, facing the Calf
An optional detour to Cregneash village

Stay safe

At the Chasms keep well away from the cliff edge and the deep cracks in the rock.
Take extra care in strong winds.

Dogs and access: Dogs are not allowed between the Sound and Port Erin.

Raad ny Foillan guide (Visit Isle of Man, PDF) ↗

The white trig pillar on the rocky summit of Snaefell, with views across the island's hills under a blue sky. — Photo: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0

Laxey to Ramsey over Snaefell

Up the island’s only mountain from Laxey, then down the Millennium Way to Ramsey, with the electric tramway to bring you home.

Strenuous
12.5 miles
A full day

Start: Laxey station (Manx Electric Railway)
Finish: Ramsey station (Manx Electric Railway)
Terrain: Steep and rocky in places, up to the summit at 2,036ft, then moorland tracks past the Block Eary shielings to Sky Hill.
Getting there: The Manx Electric Railway links Laxey and Ramsey, as do buses 3, 3A and 3B. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Agneash and the Laxey valley
Snaefell summit, with the café and toilets when open
The Bungalow
Block Eary shielings
Sky Hill down into Ramsey

Stay safe

The Mountain Road is a fast road: cross it with care, and never when it is closed for racing.
Snaefell is often in cloud. Check the forecast and turn back if visibility drops.

Railway Ramble: Laxey, Snaefell, Ramsey (Visit Isle of Man) ↗Manx summit walks (Visit Isle of Man) ↗

Short glen walks

Two of the 18 national glens: waterfalls and woodland in under an hour.

Green fields and grassy cliffs leading down to a small rocky bay under a soft, bright sky. — Photo: Alexey Komarov, CC BY-SA 4.0

Glen Maye

Glen Mea: the luxuriant glen

A wooded national glen with a fine waterfall, an old mine wheelcase and a path down to a pebbly beach under the cliffs.

Easy
A short circuit (the glen is about 11.5 acres)
Under an hour

Start: Glen Maye village, south of Peel
Finish: Glen Maye village
Terrain: Glen paths and steps, which can be slippery when wet.
Getting there: Bus 4N (Douglas to Niarbyl) stops in Glen Maye village, and the Raad ny Foillan passes through from Peel or Niarbyl. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

The waterfall
The Mona-Erin wheelcase, from mining between 1740 and 1870
The beach, where fulmars nest on the cliffs

Stay safe

Paths and rocks by the water are slippery: keep children close near the falls.

Glen Maye (gov.im national glens) ↗

Dhoon Glen

One of the steepest glens on the island, dropping half a mile to the shore past Inneen Vooar, a waterfall of over 40 metres.

Moderate
About 2 miles there and back
About an hour

Start: Dhoon Glen halt (Manx Electric Railway)
Finish: Dhoon Glen halt
Terrain: Short but strenuous: about 190 steps and steep paths.
Getting there: Dhoon Glen halt on the Manx Electric Railway, or bus 3, which stops at the Dhoon Glen café. Plan a bus journey →

Highlights

Inneen Vooar (“the big girl”) waterfall, in two drops
The rocky shore at the foot of the glen
The café at the top

Stay safe

Part of the path has been closed because of decaying trees: follow the diversion signs.
The climb back up is steep. Allow time and take water.

Dhoon Glen (gov.im national glens) ↗Isle of Man Walking Guide (PDF) ↗

Before you go

In an emergency

In an emergency on the coast or the hills, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

On the coast

Tell someone your route and when you will be back. Check the tides, as some beaches are cut off at high water. Keep 100m from nesting birds and 50m from seals. Tides and sea conditions →

On the hills

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture’s 19,000 acres of hill land are open to walkers. Avoid disturbing lambing sheep and nesting birds, especially in April and May. Check the forecast →

Rights of way

The island has 316km of public rights of way. You have the right to walk the path itself only: many cross private land, and straying from the path loses that right. No bikes or horses on public footpaths.

Dogs

Dogs are welcome on almost all paths but must be under close control. Keep them on a lead near sheep: a dog can do serious harm to ewes and lambs, and the owner can be prosecuted.

Closures and maps

Path closures and diversions are shown on the One.Network map; plantations can also close for tree felling or motorsport events. The Department of Infrastructure’s Outdoor Leisure Map (1:25,000) shows every footpath and the hill land open to walkers.

Distances are as given by the official guides; for the Raad ny Foillan and the Millennium Way official sources differ, so we give the range. Paths change and close from time to time, so check the links above before setting out. Prefer two wheels? See the mountain biking guide. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.