Going to the TT by yourself

[Esceptico]

Much as I would like to persuade some friends to go to the TT I don’t think I will manage it any time soon.

Any one gone by themselves? Are there companies that organise trips?

Also, being a lazy, fat, soft southerner not sure I could cope with camping...how far in advance do you have to book to get accommodation?

[anonymous-user]

Ferry bookings for next year are already open.

Try this:
https://www.iomtt.com/travel

Yes, lots to enjoy even on your own and everyone is really friendly so you’ll make friends. Get it booked.

[silobass]

For all the posts about booking for next year, you can go Monday/Tuesday, stay for the rest of the week (see the Senior) and come back Saturday if you wish - ferry tickets available. Hotels might be different of course but I thought about popping over myself

[the_nurse46]

I’ve been 6-7 times with a couple on own and rest with family. Plenty to do on your own and enough like minded people to talk to. Started talking with group of lads last year during racing and still in contact with them.

I couldn’t go this year and gutted but moving over to live in September! Wanted to move for years to bring my son up there. So may be an idea to sort Pistonheads meet next year!

Get ferry place booked now and start looking for accommodation but ferry is important to sort at earliest opportunity.

Edited by the_nurse46 on Sunday 3rd June 12:27

[anonymous-user]

the_nurse46 said:

I couldn’t go this year and gutted but moving over to live in September! Wanted to move for years to bring my son up there.

I’ve been looking to do the same for years and had a job lined up last autumn after I was made redundant. I ended up staying and working in England as I found a better paid role working in London. The contrast is stark! I also have teenage kids which makes it much more difficult. If you can do it, do it. Even after 21 years I still feel sad when I go back to England. I love the Island. Best I can manage is a visit every 6 weeks or so and I’ll be back for TT Classic. Good luck with the move, you’ll love it.

[the_nurse46]

Thanks Wormus. I thought you lived there full time but what a place to go back to all time for you. Wanted to do it since 2011 and offered job three times over the years but wife got cold feet. But this time she is very keen and feels same about bringing up our lad. He is 6 now and obsessed with road biking and mountain biking so should be good for him. Going to be living around St Johns and wife will work in Peel. We have been outside TT and the contrast is stark but i like it quiet.
I’m having to take a demotion at work but lifestyle will hopefully be good for us.

[anonymous-user]

I think you are making a very good decision and it’s a great place to bring up kids from what I’ve seen. They get TT race week off as half term which is really cool. My kids think it’s boring but that’s because they are older and their lives and friends are in England. We own a place in Peel which is my favourite part of the Island. Not too far from Douglas or the circuit and a lovely beach and some good restaurants like the Boat Yard or Filbeys. Our local pub is the Creek which is one of the best IMHO. I’ve just flown home and back to work tomorrow so I’m in a crap mood. I’d be so excited if I were you. It’s a really speacial place, good luck

[meridian]

wormus said:

I think you are making a very good decision and it’s a great place to bring up kids from what I’ve seen. They get TT race week off as half term which is really cool. My kids think it’s boring but that’s because they are older and their lives and friends are in England. We own a place in Peel which is my favourite part of the Island. Not too far from Douglas or the circuit and a lovely beach and some good restaurants like the Boat Yard or Filbeys. Our local pub is the Creek which is one of the best IMHO. I’ve just flown home and back to work tomorrow so I’m in a crap mood. I’d be so excited if I were you. It’s a really speacial place, good luck

Love these comments Wormus. We live in a relatively idyllic part of East Sussex, but love the Island. We could never move there at our time of life due to children, and also parents ! but would love to. Not cash rich enough to buy a 2nd property there, but would love to. Would keep a bike there and fly in and out. Appreciate the contrast between TT/Manx and normal life, but that is what appeals, the quiet life is where it's at for us. Beautiful island, and agree that Peel is one of it's gems l

[meridian]

meridian said:

wormus said:

I think you are making a very good decision and it’s a great place to bring up kids from what I’ve seen. They get TT race week off as half term which is really cool. My kids think it’s boring but that’s because they are older and their lives and friends are in England. We own a place in Peel which is my favourite part of the Island. Not too far from Douglas or the circuit and a lovely beach and some good restaurants like the Boat Yard or Filbeys. Our local pub is the Creek which is one of the best IMHO. I’ve just flown home and back to work tomorrow so I’m in a crap mood. I’d be so excited if I were you. It’s a really speacial place, good luck

Love these comments Wormus. We live in a relatively idyllic part of East Sussex, but love the Island. We could never move there at our time of life due to children, and also parents ! but would love to. Not cash rich enough to buy a 2nd property there, but would if we could. Would keep a bike there and fly in and out. Appreciate the contrast between TT/Manx and normal life, but that is what appeals, the quiet life is where it's at for us. Beautiful island, and agree that Peel is one of it's gems l

[anonymous-user]

meridian said:

Love these comments Wormus. We live in a relatively idyllic part of East Sussex, but love the Island. We could never move there at our time of life due to children, and also parents ! but would love to. Not cash rich enough to buy a 2nd property there, but would love to. Would keep a bike there and fly in and out. Appreciate the contrast between TT/Manx and normal life, but that is what appeals, the quiet life is where it's at for us. Beautiful island, and agree that Peel is one of it's gems l

This is what we've done. Bought a little Toyota to get us around the Island which I keep over there garaged with my bike. This is after (20+) years of making the pilgrimage twice a year up to the ferry with a bike trailer on the back of the car and paying to stay in somebody else's accommodation. So much easier now we can fly. Work is difficult to find but not impossible depending on what you do for a career, for me I just cannot afford to take the salary cut it would require to move over and if I did lose my job, there are fewer to chose from. Better to be a wage slave now so I can build up a pension and cut down my hours longer term. Or that's the plan and in the meantime we still have a bolt hole with all our stuff in it. Property isn't as expensive as UK and you don't pay stamp duty, might not be as expensive as you think.

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 3rd June 18:39

[meridian]

Great stuff. Our ideal would be a holiday home there right now, other factors make it impossible to consider a full relocation. To have a place that we could hop on a plane to, have a few days there, whenever it suits would be fabulous. And agree, a small car ( all you need there) and a permanently resided bike and you 've got it made

[the_nurse46]

wormus said:

I think you are making a very good decision and it’s a great place to bring up kids from what I’ve seen. They get TT race week off as half term which is really cool. My kids think it’s boring but that’s because they are older and their lives and friends are in England. We own a place in Peel which is my favourite part of the Island. Not too far from Douglas or the circuit and a lovely beach and some good restaurants like the Boat Yard or Filbeys. Our local pub is the Creek which is one of the best IMHO. I’ve just flown home and back to work tomorrow so I’m in a crap mood. I’d be so excited if I were you. It’s a really speacial place, good luck

Thank you Wormus, very kind. Hoping it all goes well but sometimes got to take the plunge. Have great time at the classic.

[bigmowley]

We moved here when our 3 boys were 10,8 and 6. It's been a fantastic place to raise a family. They are all in their 20's now. One lives here, one works for Aston Martin at Gaydon and one is a Civil Servant in Whitehall. There is a bit less to do for teenagers / young adults but this is more than offset by the great atmosphere and team ethos that permeates throughout the education system. It is a more caring and supportive society than most other places. Don't forget the kids learn to drive at 16 here which helps their mobility. We do have some drug issues like everywhere but in a society where everybody knows everybody else it's much more manageable. The primary taxation is low here but the cost of living is considerably higher so it about evens out in the long run. Funnily enough my utopia is to live here and have a holiday home in England for weekends and the like.