Don't miss Isle of Man: Europe's Overlooked Gem!

📌 Laxey, Isle of Man 🇮🇲 Here's exactly why you must consider a trip to the Isle of Man, where British meets Irish influence to form breathtaking scenery and beauty: 🏞️ Unrivalled rolling hills and beauty 🧭 Excellent walks and hikes 🏘️ Beautiful seaside villages and towns 🚢✈️ Easily accessible from many European destinations 🏍️ And of course, the bustling adrenaline of the world-famous TT races Day 1: 🚢 Our 11:15am ferry over from Liverpool, UK took us across the calm Irish Sea at a respectable pace, and allows passengers to stretch their legs out while making their way to the beautiful Isle of Man on foot or with their car in tow. 🚗 After our prompt arrival to the port of Douglas, the island's small capital city, we took the car along the bay to the suburb of Onchan to take in the views across the Douglas promenade (Picture 2). 🏠 Onwards to Laxey, a seaside village on the east side of the island, built around a former mine with houses and small quaint, local shops that span the top and bottom of the cliff. We dropped off the bags at the accommodation and took a walk from the lower part of the village down to the seafront, stopping mid-way to get a lovely view of the village (Picture 1). Day 2: 🏰 The weather was not on our side today but we weren't going to let this stop us. We explored the town of Peel on the west of the island, featuring it's striking 11th century castle, built during the time of the island's Nordic control (Picture 3). 🌊 A walk around the perimeter of the castle offers excellent views across the sea and a chance to look back on Peel town (Picture 4). 📷 Glen Maye Waterfall is not to be missed and is just 10 minutes' drive from Peel. Parking at the top, it's just a 5 minute walk down the steps to view the naturally beautiful waterfall (Picture 5). Keen hikers can take a 30 minute walk down to the beach from there. Day 3: 🚋 The weather cheered up very nicely today and offered some sun, perfect timing for our day of travelling the island's vast rail and tram network. Starting at Laxey, we took a view of the small station and headed up the 2,000ft Snaefell Summit via traditional tram (Picture 6) for impeccable views across the island (Picture 7). On a clear day, it's possible to see Northern Ireland, England and occasionally Wales. 🚂 We then took the electric tramway down to Douglas in order to eventually catch the steam train down to Ballasalla and back (Picture 8). The schedule didn't quite afford us enough time to reach Castletown. Day 4: 🏰 Our final day afforded us enough time to visit Castletown, a delightful southern settlement built around the site of the castle, another relic of Nordic control of the island. A cosy area, you can enjoy lovely strolls around the seafront when the tide is out and also take views of the bay looking towards the castle (Picture 9). 📷 Briefly before our return ferry home, we headed out of Castletown to St. Michael's Island (accessible by car) for views of the south coast and short peaceful walks (Picture 10). Planes can be seen landing and taking off from the island's airport. 🚢 Time to head back to Douglas for the 3.5hr ferry journey over to Heysham. 🇮🇲 All in all, a magical weekend and one I'd love to repeat in the future. It's so massively overlooked and offers great peace when booking at alternative times to the island TT week in May/June. #aprilblooms