|
The Isle of Man , almost equidistant from Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, is one of the most beautiful spots in Britain, a mountainous, cliff-fringed island just thirty-one miles by thirteen, into which are shoehorned austere moorlands and wooded glens, sandy beaches, fine castles, beguiling narrow-gauge railways and scores of standing stones and Celtic crosses. It takes some effort to reach, and the weather is hardly reliable, factors which have seen tourist numbers fall since its Victorian heyday. This means, though, that the Isle of Man has been spared the worst excesses of the British tourist trade: there's peace and quiet in abundance, walks around the unspoilt hundred-mile coast line, picket fences and picnic spots, rural villages, steam trains and cream teas - a yesteryear ensemble if ever there was one. St Patrick is said to have come here in the fifth century bringing Christianity, which struggled for a while when the Vikings established garrisons here in the eleventh century, though they converted while they reigned as Kings of Mann . The Scots under Alexander wrested power from the Norsemen in 1275, the beginning of an ultimately unsuccessful 130-year struggle with the English for control of the island. The distinct identity of the island remained intact, however, and many true Manx inhabitants, who comprise around half of the island's 72,000 population, insist that the Isle of Man is not part of England, nor even of the UK. Indeed, the island has its own government, Tynwald , arguably the world's oldest democratic parliament, which has run continuously since 979 AD. To further complicate matters, the island has its own sterling currency, worth the same as the mainland currency; its own laws, though they generally follow Westminster's; an independent postal service; and a Gaelic-based language which nearly died out but is once again being taught in schools. The island, of course, also produces its own tailless version of the domestic cat, as well as famously good kippers and queenies (scallops). However, much to the locals' chagrin, these thriving marks of identity are still slightly marred by the island's reputation of being a tax haven for greedy Brits and a refuge for the sort of people who think that even Victorian values were a bit on the lax side. It's an image problem which largely stems from the island's archaic human rights legislation. Homosexuality was illegal here until 1992, the death penalty and corporal punishment were only abolished in 1993, and sex discrimination legislation wasn't enforced until 2001. For most of its history, crofting and fishing, interspersed with a good bit of smuggling, have formed the basis of the economy. The first regular steamship service from England commenced in 1819, and tourism began to flourish during the late-Victorian and Edwardian eras with the influx of northwestern factory workers. In recent times the real money-spinner has been the offshore finance industry , exploiting the island's low income tax and absence of capital gains tax and death duties. Given its financial expertise, the Isle of Man is also playing a major role in the development of ebanking and ecommerce . Although the landscapes are wonderful, the island's main tourist draw is the TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle races in the first two weeks in June, a frenzy of speed and burning rubber that's shattered the island's peace annually since 1907. This is only the most famous of a summer-long list of rallies and races on the island's roads, from the Manx Rally (May), International Rally and Manx Classic (both Sept) to the Kart Racing Festival (July), when go-carts buzz through the streets of Peel. If you want to stay on the island at these times, book your accommodation well in advance.
Your Tip for Isle of Man
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Isle of Man - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Isle of Man - visit the main Isle of Man forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Isle of Man webguide section below! Thanks.
|
