Isle of Man
Day 4 - Douglas is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man with a population of 28,939. It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and a sweeping bay of two miles. We happened to be in town for the annual TT (motorcycle) races. We took two vintage railways and traveled through what may well be the Isle of Man's most picturesque areas, including Snaefell Mountain, the island's highest point.
Read More![The Isle of Man (/ˈmæn/; Manx: Ellan Vannin, pronounced [ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn]), otherwise known simply as Mann (Manx: Mannin, IPA: [ˈmanɪn]), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor, but its foreign relations and defense are the responsibility of the British Government. Although the United Kingdom does not usually intervene in the island's domestic matters, its "good government" is ultimately the responsibility of the Crown (that is, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom).](https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Cruise/Isle-of-Man/i-8qQw22W/0/6e6f0337/L/Isle%20of%20Man%20097%20-%20Copy-L.jpg)
The Isle of Man (/ˈmæn/; Manx: Ellan Vannin, pronounced [ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn]), otherwise known simply as Mann (Manx: Mannin, IPA: [ˈmanɪn]), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor, but its foreign relations and defense are the responsibility of the British Government. Although the United Kingdom does not usually intervene in the island's domestic matters, its "good government" is ultimately the responsibility of the Crown (that is, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom).
![The Isle of Man (/ˈmæn/; Manx: Ellan Vannin, pronounced [ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn]), otherwise known simply as Mann (Manx: Mannin, IPA: [ˈmanɪn]), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor, but its foreign relations and defense are the responsibility of the British Government. Although the United Kingdom does not usually intervene in the island's domestic matters, its "good government" is ultimately the responsibility of the Crown (that is, in practice, the Government of the United Kingdom).](https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Cruise/Isle-of-Man/i-8qQw22W/0/6e6f0337/Ti/Isle%20of%20Man%20097%20-%20Copy-Ti.jpg)
![The island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC. As one of the six Celtic nations, Gaelic cultural influence began in the 5th century AD, and the Manx language, a branch of the Gaelic languages, gradually emerged. In 627, Edwin of Northumbria conquered the Isle of Man along with most of Mercia. In the 9th century, the Norse began to settle there. Norse people from Scotland then established the Kingdom of the Isles. The King's title would then carry the suffix, "and the Isles." Magnus III, the King of Norway, was also known as "King of Man and the Isles" as part of the Hebrides civilization between 1099 and 1103.[6] A Norse-Gaelic culture arose and the island came under Norse control. In 1266, the island became part of Scotland, as formalized by the Treaty of Perth. After a period of alternating rule by the kings of Scotland and England, the island came under the feudal lordship of the English Crown in 1399. The lordship revested into the British Crown in 1764, but the island never became part of the kingdom of Great Britain or its successor the United Kingdom, retaining its status as an internally self-governing Crown dependency.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Cruise/Isle-of-Man/i-t3SkCcQ/0/633312c8/Ti/Isle%20of%20Man%20096%20-%20Copy-Ti.jpg)
![There are two domestic animals specifically connected to the Isle of Man, though they are also found elsewhere.<br />
The Manx cat is a breed of cat noted for having a genetic mutation that causes it to have a shortened tail. The length of this tail can range from a few inches, known as a "stumpy", to being completely nonexistent, or "rumpy". Manx cats display a range of colours and usually have somewhat longer hind legs compared to most cats. The cats have been used as a symbol of the Isle of Man on coins and stamps and at one time the Manx government operated a breeding centre to ensure the continuation of the breed.[104]<br />
The Manx Loaghtan sheep is a breed native to the island. It has dark brown wool and four, or sometimes six horns. The meat is considered to be a delicacy. There are several flocks on the island and others have been started in England and Jersey.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Cruise/Isle-of-Man/i-fWG8s7m/0/02e260e8/Ti/Isle%20of%20Man%20085%20-%20Copy-Ti.jpg)
![The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the northern Irish Sea, approximately equidistant from the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The closest land is southern Scotland. It is 52 kilometres (32 mi) long and, at its widest point, 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide. It has an area of around 572 square kilometres (221 sq mi). Besides the island of Mann itself, the political unit of the Isle of Man includes some nearby small islands: the seasonally inhabited Calf of Man,Chicken Rock on which stands an unmanned lighthouse, St Patrick's Isle and St Michael's Isle. Both of the latter are connected to the mainland by permanent roads/causeways.<br />
Hills in the north and south are separated by a central valley. The extreme north is exceptionally flat, consisting mainly of deposits from glacial advances from western Scotland during colder times. There are more recently deposited shingle beaches at the Point of Ayre. The island has one mountain higher than 600 metres (2,000 ft), Snaefell, with a height of 620 metres (2,034 ft).[22] According to an old saying, from the summit one can see six kingdoms: those of the Mann, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Heaven.[24][25][26] Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of the Sea, or Neptune.](https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/2013-Cruise/Isle-of-Man/i-d2jk5nR/0/aa231ca1/Ti/Isle%20of%20Man%20087%20-%20Copy-Ti.jpg)
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