Actually not part of the United Kingdom (though it does rely on the UK for defence and the Queen is the head of state, her title being “Lord of Mann”) a visit here in the summer of 2012 clocked me up another country.  This small island is slightly past it’s Victorian heyday, but is a nice place to visit if you want something quiet.

When: July 2012 on a 2 week England tour

Where: Douglas (the capital), day trips to Peel and Castletown

Who: with A. & T.

How: We took the 3 hour ferry from Liverpool to Douglas and back. Getting around we took the bus, the steam train and the horse drawn tram.

Weather: UK summer – some days sunny, sometimes rainy

Food: Some good pub grub in Peel and Castletown, though we really struggled to find decent places to eat in Douglas.

Sights: The castles in Peel and Castletown were the highlights for me

Surprises: the island has it’s own currency: Manx pounds exactly 1:1 with the British pound, but the currency cannot be used on the UK mainland and must exchanged!

Tips: Have a go at all the forms of transport