You’d think living on a small island could be dull. It’s not.
Here’s a small taste of summer on the Isle of Man:
Summer officially kicked off with the Oie Voaldyn Fire Festival. A community celebration with people travelling from as far as Shetland to take part – and see the winter defeated by the summer in a spectacular battle in the shadow of Peel Castle.
Getting the obvious out of the way – there are a lot of motorbike events, headlined by the TT races. Two weeks of the world’s most exciting motorsport around 37 miles of closed public roads, with speeds of 180mph+. More than 40,000 visitors travel over every year to see it and the entire island transforms in to a biking festival.
When the racing isn’t on, visitors can ride the famous course themselves – including a one way section between Douglas and Ramsey with no maximum speed limit. They can park up in the pit lane when they’re done, before and after it’s turned over to the racing machines.
This year, Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, and Eve Hewson were here filming a movie. Using the real TT as a backdrop and hanging out around the park used by the island’s kids to play in for the rest of the year.
Next month we’re looking forward to The Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT. The TT’s lesser-known siblings, run on the same Mountain Course. The Southern 100 sits between these and the TT, a mass start road race, around 4 miles of tight roads with stone walls on each side.
Also on two wheels, there are many cycling events throughout the year. Gran Fondo, End to End, Lighthouses Challenge. People travel here specifically to ride their bikes. The island has, of course, produced some famous cyclists too including Sir Mark Cavendish, Peter Kennaugh and Lizzie Holden.
A few weeks ago, we enjoyed The World Tin Bath Championships. A silly sport where competitors race in decorated tin baths across Castletown harbour. The winner does it in the fastest time, but getting across without sinking is an achievement in itself.
On the same weekend, we had the slightly more serious competitors of The World Downhill Skateboarding Championships. A contest visiting Türkiye, the USA, Brazil, El Salvador and this year right here on the Isle of Man.
The 5th July (or the next Monday afterwards) is Tynwald Day. The world’s oldest continuous parliament meets in the open air at St John’s for the annual proclamation of new laws, with a fair alongside it. This has been happening for over a thousand years. The late Queen visited once to oversee the day. There’s nowhere else in the world doing anything quite like it.
Groudle Glen Railway celebrated the return of their steam locomotive Annie with a parade around the island hauled by Talisman, a traction engine.
Around 400 scooters were buzzing around for The Isle of Man Scooter Rally. We’ve had the annual Parish Walk. An 85-mile walking race around all 17 island parishes, with competitors travelling from all over to attempt it.
In the air we’ve seen Drone shows across Douglas Bay. The Red Arrows and a grand firework display at TT. A Spitfire based here for weeks, doing flights around the island culminating in a display with a Douglas C-47 Dakota and two RAF Hawks over the bay.
Many car meets where anything from supercars to Minis, and everything in between travel over for displays and closed road “no speed limit” drives.
And that’s just a small slice of summer on an island 32 miles long and 14 miles wide – and it’s ignoring everything that is always here:
Six different railways. Steam, electric, horse trams, the mountain tram to Snaefell’s summit, Groudle Glen, Great Laxey Mines, the Orchid Line. More heritage rail per square mile than anywhere I can think of. With most of it actually taking you places rather than just travel for travel’s sake.
A network of scenic footpaths and cycleways across the island. The Raad ny Foillan coastal path circles the entire island. Beaches everywhere. Glens tucked into every valley.
There’s the superlative collection. The world’s oldest continuous parliament. The world’s largest working waterwheel at Laxey. The world’s oldest working trams, smallest production car ever made…
And sometimes it’s just a bit surreal.
A few weeks ago I drove past Tyson Fury’s daughter’s wedding being filmed for Netflix. Last week Noel Edmonds was washing cars at a charity car wash. King Charles was over for the day, visiting the Manx parliament and riding on a horse tram. I spotted him driving past while out on my bike. Keanu Reeves pitched up in somebody’s garden to watch the TT. A “pirate ship” washed up on the beach where it got stuck for several weeks…
Obviously everywhere has things going on. Any big city has a packed calendar.
But here it’s all concentrated. 221 square miles total, with a fair amount of that in the 4.1 square miles of Douglas. Everything is on your doorstep.
“What is there to do there?” I’m still finding new things!