DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN

We will be adsorbed by the island’s history, including a rich Celtic and Viking heritage. We start our tour by travelling across the centre of the Island to Tynwald. In the 10th century the Vikings established the Manx parliament, known as Tynwald

The Isle of Man is a green dot in the middle of the Irish Sea, a delightful mixture of holiday towns and handsome villages; plunging cliffs and sandy beaches; rugged glens and wild moors. More than 40% of the island is uninhabited. We will be adsorbed by the island’s history, including a rich Celtic and Viking heritage. We start our tour by travelling across the centre of the Island to Tynwald. In the 10th century the Vikings established the Manx parliament, known as Tynwald. Remarkably, this system of self-government has remained in place for over 1,000 years – the oldest continuous parliament in the world. Tynwald Hill is the focal point of this Manx independence. Legend has it that the hill contains earth from all seventeen of the Island’s parishes, and it has been suggested that in early history it was the site of tribal gatherings and proclamation of new rulers. Each year on the Island’s National Day – July 5th – the ancient ceremony of proclaiming new laws is performed. A short stop is made here for us to walk around the small hill, and to take photographs. We then continue to Peel, on the west coast, which is dominated by the ruins of an ancient Celtic cathedral and the pink sandstone walls of the castle, which dates from the 14th century. The town of Peel has flourished over the centuries partly because it has provided services for the castle and cathedral, and partly because it became, in the 19th century, the main fishing port for the Island. A recent addition to the town has been The House of Manannan, which we visit. The House is a multi-million pound heritage centre, which explores and interprets the long and fascinating history of the Isle of Man. The Island’s great mythological sea god, Manannan, welcomes us to his Kingdom. Manannan’s ability to shroud the Island in his cloak of mist to defend it from its enemies means that today we are able to explore an historic landscape, which is unique in the British Isles. We will see how the Celts and Vikings lived – what they wore, how they farmed, what they made and how they spoke. We stroll through the wattled wall roundhouse and listen to the comforting voice of an ageing Celtic Chieftain as he tells how the old Pagan traditions will be changed with the coming of Christianity. A carpet of mist swirls around Celtic and Viking crosses as the legend is retold on a large video screen. Then we see how the highway of the Irish Sea was the great route of trade and culture. The supreme vessel to transmit these economics was the Viking ship. We view the replica of Odin’s “Raven”, a Viking vessel from Norway with her crew just returned in disarray having escaped from the crushing defeat of the Dublin Vikings at the battle of Clontarf in Ireland in the year 1014. In more recent times, the lifeline of the island across the Irish Sea was the Steam Packet Company. As a conveyor of goods and tourists to and from the Island, the Steam Packet has played a major role in the development of the Island’s economy and maritime infrastructure. Models of two of the old ships are on display. These impressive centrepieces form the display, telling the company’s story and we can, with the help of modern technology, try our hand at ‘docking’ the “Lady of Mann” in Douglas harbour. Following our visit to The House of Manannan, we return across the Island to Douglas. There is optional walking at the photo stop, on a flat pathway – passengers may remain on the coach if they prefer. Our visit to the House of Manannan will last approximately two hours – with walking or standing for this duration. The walk to and from the entrance will be approximately 75 to 100 metres, with stairs inside to the first floor (a small lift may be available for our use).