Romance Wanderlust: The Isle of Man

Forgive me a rather indulgent post, but I visited the Isle of Man and it wasn’t until I’d posted about 10 or 12 pictures to Instagram that Carrie said, “You should write about it for Romance Wanderlust.” So thank you for turning your feature over to me this month, Carrie!

I traveled to the Isle of Man in July right before the Romantic Novelists’ Convention in Lancaster, which was right before RWA in San Diego. As a result, for most of July I didn’t know what time it was. On the Isle of Man, however, this wasn’t a problem because most of the time, it was daytime. The sun came up around 4am or so, and the sky didn’t get fully dark until well after midnight. I couldn’t have told you the time accurately if my life depended on it.

The Isle of Man is an island in the Irish Sea between England and Northern Ireland, and has at various times in history been part of Scotland and Norway.  It’s currently a crown dependency, and is not part of the EU. Historically speaking, it has had immense value as a strategic location for all sorts of military purposes (more on that in a moment) and it’s been inhabited since before 6500BC – you can see tools used to farm and fish from the Neolithic age and the Bronze age in the Manx Museum.

Man is fascinating and unique, and easily explorable, and I could go on for pages about what I learned there, but I will limit myself to a few things I recommend on the Isle of Man.

Tynwald Day is Really Very Cool

Tynwald Day is held on 5 July, and is a festival celebrating the Isle of Man itself. The Manx parliament meets at Tynwald Hill – there’s a ceremonial sword involved, which you know I thought was the best part, and it’s one of the oldest recorded legislative assemblies in the world, dating back to the 1400s.

There was also a fair and historical re-enactments from the Viking age going on at the same time. The ceremonial procession is pretty fascinating, especially once the formal parts begin with elements in English and in Manx.

But if you don’t want to listen to the entire process of recording laws and maybe seeing people petition the government about their grievances, you can go shopping among local vendors and eat lunch outside with most of the people on the island.

I recommend finding the tent with the free cupcakes, and having a pie, potato mash, and mushy peas from the Betty Pie Company food truck. Then go find the vikings, and watch the blacksmith make a knife for a few hours.

Peel Castle

Honestly, Peel Castle might end up being the whole of this entry. It’s on St. Patrick’s Isle, right alongside Peel on the western side of the Isle of Man. It’s been occupied and used for thousands of years. If you’re curious about medieval castles that were actively inhabited up through the Napoleonic Wars, OR you’d like to use a modern WC that’s been built into a medieval castle turret, you should visit Peel Castle.

The castle will photobomb every picture you try to take of Peel Beach, too. It’s impossible to miss. It’s HUGE.

So you end up taking pictures of it all the time because it is pretty impressive.

I’m always fascinated by what’s considered “old” in different places. The castle is one of the oldest things I’ve ever wandered around in. Or on.

And things on Man, they are OLD. For example, according to the Peel Heritage Trust,

One of Peel’s claims to fame is that the earliest known British Isles human flea was found during the excavation of a granary dating from between 700 and 450 BC.

Things in Peel are so old, even the FLEAS are old.

(I imagine Manx people take flea treatment pretty seriously, since just about everyone I saw had a dog. You could bring dogs on the bus or into shops and restaurants, and very chill, happy dogs were everywhere.)

Anyway. Parts of Peel Castle date back to the 11th century, when the original structures were constructed by a Viking king named Magnus the Barefoot. (I question Magnus’ decisions on footwear – it’s chilly, even in July). Other parts were added on based on how the land was being used at the time.

There are the remnants of battlements, pieces of various churches and places of worship, and the remains of kitchens, officers’ quarters, and shops inside the castle. Once you’re inside, you can explore every part of it.

Just about all of it contains some remains of someone, either marked with a stone or in a mound with no marker. The grave of the Pagan Lady, a woman interred inside the castle grounds around 950AD, was one of the most important finds on the whole island, because her grave contained several markers of her status, including a necklace, now on display in the Manx Museum in Douglas. The necklace itself is fascinating – some of the beads on it were already several hundred years old when the Pagan Lady herself wore it.

Fun trivia! Guess what series of children’s books and a subsequent television series was inspired by the Isle of Man’s steam railway?

If you guessed Thomas the Tank Engine, you’re right. The Isle of Man is part of the diocese of Sodor and Man, and several carvings regarding the diocese are inside various ruins in Peel Castle. Rev. W. Awdry noted there was an Isle of Man, but no Isle of Sodor, and that served as part of the inspiration for Thomas. (I saw no sign of any persons named Topham Hat.)

As a bonus, make sure to visit the House of Manannan, the museum in Peel Harbour, which hosts several exhibits about the history of Man and Peel specifically, and several artifacts from the castle. For example:

That’s historical graffiti recovered from Peel Castle, likely dating back to the 11th century. On the reverse are three dancing figures; one the front: an etching of a woman without her top on.

But what about the romance part? This is Romance Wanderlust, after all.

Well, the Isle of Man is just flipping beautiful. I mean, it sits around all the time looking like THIS:

I had a really difficult time walking anywhere because I’d stop every three feet and take a picture.

I mean, just look at this ridiculousness. I understand why so many people on the island are so fond of walking.

When you walk everywhere-  as I did, because the cars AND the steering wheels are on the wrong side for my brain – you have to slow down. Slowing down is good.

I suggest doing so in Peel:

It’s plenty romantic, judging by the number of couples I saw wandering everywhere.

Thanks for indulging me with a few pictures of Peel, and of the Isle of Man. If you’re thinking of going, please feel free to email me for suggestions.

But without a doubt, find the tent with the free cupcakes.

Nothing is more romantic than free cupcakes.