TT accommodation recommendations

[FartKong]

We're looking at going to the TT for the first time next year instead of our usual Le Mans pilgrimage. Do you chaps who've been before have anywhere good to recommend staying or where to avoid?
Are the campsites doable or are they sh***y messy places to avoid?

Cheers m'dears.

[Alex@POD]

I'm looking at camping myself so would love to see the replies to this. I must get round to booking it.

[happyWanderer]

In some other TT topic someone recommended staying around Douglas as thats where the night action seems to be happening.
I've looked at campsites, those two seem to be the closets ones:
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revi...
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revi...

Anyone been the either? Which one to book/avoid?

[Alex@POD]

That first one is the one I was looking at.

[Nyarlathotep]

The second campsite (Glenlough) is really popular and if I recall they put on regular busses to Douglas during TT if you want a few beers. I live in the Isle of Man, but if I were visiting for TT, I'd be looking at home stay or hotel if there are any left. It is more likely to rain than not during some of your stay, and that's not much fun camping...

[davidn]

Don't know how much you're looking to spend but 6 of us stayed here in 2012,

http://www.ballureholidayhomes.com/

Worked out really cheap, about £120 each for 5 nights, owner was great, place was spot on and only just off the start of the Mountain Mile. Ramsey is only a 10 minute walk away with some great pubs in the evening fantastic fish and chip restaurant in Parliament Square and nice cafe for breakfast in the shopping square. We bused it to Douglas a couple of nights and cabbed it back for about £20 for 6 of us.

Funniest thing was we had a meal in the local Indian one night and the owner drove us all home after, result.

[FartKong]

Cheers for the suggestions so far. Everything I've tried bar camping has been fully booked out.

[FartKong]

Is it worth going over for the week before the main races or is there not much on?

[happyWanderer]

FartKong said:

Is it worth going over for the week before the main races or is there not much on?

It's supposed to be a lot quieter during practice week than race week, but still quite a lot going on.

I think I'll book the second campsite - Glenlough.
Seems to have quite good reviews, bus stop outside to Douglas, during the race week they put up bands and stuff in a big tent.
Should be fun.
The other one seems to be on the quiet side, going for the first time to the TT I want to experience all the madness going on

[Nyarlathotep]

FartKong said:

Is it worth going over for the week before the main races or is there not much on?

Depends on how much of your TT visit is about the atmosphere really. Busiest time over the last couple of years has been (and this is just my impression, I've no way of checking figures!) the Monday to Thursday of race week. If you want to make sure you see an actual race (not just practice), I'd look to arrive for, or before, the first Saturday superbike race and stay at least until the Wednesday evening of race week. If you're just staying for say the Saturday and Monday races, you don't know what Delays/cancellations the weather will bring.
My favourite day for atmosphere is not usually a race day, it's the Tuesday of race week, Ramsey sprint day. If the weather is good, most of the bikers visiting the Island congregate in that one place.

If you want to properly enjoy riding the roads on the Island however, come outside of TT.