Discussion
I've been alot of times and it's a fantastic place. Yes the TT circuit is great! Not all of it is unlimited though. Going through villages and towns it drops to either 30 or 40 mph. The best drive is from Ramsey to Douglas over the mountain road. It's one of the best roads I've driven on, good sight lines for overtaking and challeging corners.
Take care though as some of the local bikes ride VERY fast, so if you see a bike coming towards to on a overtake it could be doing 120mph plus!
Some of the other roads can be good but others are really rough.
The A3 from Castletown upto Ballacriane is good.
The A24 out of Douglas to Foxdale is good, it's like a B road but it's been re-surfaced, so very smooth.
If you turn off the A3 and head towards Niarbyl, think it's the A36, this has also be resurfaced. It takes you past the old mine where they filmed some of the Top Gear segments.
Niarbyl also has a good cafe!
Marine Drive up Fort Ann Road in Douglas was also used for Top Gear.
The IOM Police have a relaxed attitude to speeding but I have seen one waiting at the bottom of the hill coming back in to Douglas on the Mountain road, just as it turns into a 40mph.
Have Fun!
Take care though as some of the local bikes ride VERY fast, so if you see a bike coming towards to on a overtake it could be doing 120mph plus!
Some of the other roads can be good but others are really rough.
The A3 from Castletown upto Ballacriane is good.
The A24 out of Douglas to Foxdale is good, it's like a B road but it's been re-surfaced, so very smooth.
If you turn off the A3 and head towards Niarbyl, think it's the A36, this has also be resurfaced. It takes you past the old mine where they filmed some of the Top Gear segments.
Niarbyl also has a good cafe!
Marine Drive up Fort Ann Road in Douglas was also used for Top Gear.
The IOM Police have a relaxed attitude to speeding but I have seen one waiting at the bottom of the hill coming back in to Douglas on the Mountain road, just as it turns into a 40mph.
Have Fun!
IOM, yes, epic. You will love it. I went with a group last May and just couldn't believe the mountain. Was touching 165 in places, within the law !
I mainly stuck to the TT circuit which was plenty good enough. The Police are great over there but as they are relaxed about the unregulated roads,, give them credit and respect the 30mph rules in the villages.
Check out on YouTube "Porsche 997and TVR Sagaris at Isle of Man". There was a CLK Black stuck to the chuff of the Porsche
I mainly stuck to the TT circuit which was plenty good enough. The Police are great over there but as they are relaxed about the unregulated roads,, give them credit and respect the 30mph rules in the villages.
Check out on YouTube "Porsche 997and TVR Sagaris at Isle of Man". There was a CLK Black stuck to the chuff of the Porsche
Heading over for a day in a couple of weeks myself.
Fantastic place, big enough to go exploring and find fantastic roads, small enough to never be too far from where you need to be.
The coast road up from Douglas is a good run if you get bored of the TT route. Some nice roads/views down in the South.
I'd take a full tank as fuel is expensive over there.
Fantastic place, big enough to go exploring and find fantastic roads, small enough to never be too far from where you need to be.
The coast road up from Douglas is a good run if you get bored of the TT route. Some nice roads/views down in the South.
I'd take a full tank as fuel is expensive over there.
Thanks for the advice guys. Had a good time, some decent roads although perhaps not somewhere I'd be in a hurry to go back to. Good tip on the cafe at Niarbyl - one of the best roads on the island out there I thought.
The place itself though - Douglas makes Blackpool look like Monaco, I wonder where all the rich "residents" hang out?! Even trying to get a pint that wasn't Carling or some other crap was a struggle...
The place itself though - Douglas makes Blackpool look like Monaco, I wonder where all the rich "residents" hang out?! Even trying to get a pint that wasn't Carling or some other crap was a struggle...
You need to know where to go...
Not being able to find anything other than a pint of Carling suggests you were going to completely the wrong places. The Isle of Man has had a beer purity law (like in Germany) for over a century...
Having said that, it is a bit "blackpool"-y I guess, at least by the seaside on the east coast, due to the Victorians. Actually more like Scarborough tbh.
(Source: I moved here a couple of months ago)
Not being able to find anything other than a pint of Carling suggests you were going to completely the wrong places. The Isle of Man has had a beer purity law (like in Germany) for over a century...
Having said that, it is a bit "blackpool"-y I guess, at least by the seaside on the east coast, due to the Victorians. Actually more like Scarborough tbh.
(Source: I moved here a couple of months ago)
Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Wednesday 16th May 20:55
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