By the Sea – Roy Cottage Self-catering Accommodation Isle of Man | Holiday Cottage Castletown IOM

Motor Sport Availability 2025

Booking opens 1st March 2024.

TT weeks, Southern 100 and Manx GP 2024 weeks fully booked.

With a coastline spanning over 100 miles, ranging from sandy beaches to rocky headlands, the Isle of Man provides the opportunity for a variety of watersports, fishing and a chance to observe our Manx wildlife and more.

Favourite places to visit include the spectacular Calf Sound on the southern most tip of the Island, abundant with wildlife and natural wonders, Niarbyl Bay, a secluded beauty spot on the west coast, and Peel Beach, popular with locals and visitors alike for it’s golden sands and nearby attractions.

One of the best ways to experience the Manx coast is to charter a boat to get the chance to see the birdlife, whales, seals and basking sharks up close. Boat trips are popular for Fishing on the Isle of Man, too. Plenty of species can be caught along the shore from the rocks, breakwaters, harbours and beaches.

The coast offers a myriad of Water Sports on the Isle of Man which can be as relaxing or as adrenaline fuelled as you choose depending on your interests and experience in the sea. Take a dip, dive, cruise or paddle while experiencing first-hand the Island’s stunning coastline, countless caves and coves and abundant wildlife whilst enjoying a fun, liberating adventure.

Few things will make a memorable Manx holiday as much as seeing a live Basking Shark swim past or possibly even getting a photo of a pod of Dolphins just offshore. The Manx Basking Shark Watch and the Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch allow anyone to share their recent sightings of these magnificent sea creatures on their websites, so you can know exactly where the best places to spot them are for your visit and even log your own! Seals are fun to watch and easier to spot, especially if you head down to The Sound.

Lastly, we include a different way to see the coast, through the Camera Obscura, a Victorian novelty that still holds a lot of appeal and is certainly a unique way of viewing our wonderful Manx coast.

The Sound

Calf Sound is a body of water which separates the Calf of Man island from the very southern tip of the mainland of the Isle of Man. It is one of the most scenic places in the British Isles.

The Calf, a Nature Reserve and Bird Observatory, is located on one of western Britain's major migration routes, is an ideal place for bird life, fauna and flora, this area is a hotspot for seals sunbathing on the rocky islet of Kitterland.

The area is also frequented by dolphins and basking sharks and the swirling tidal races are popular with adventurous kayakers. You can book a boat trip around the Calf, walk one of the coastal footpaths or enjoy the uninterrupted floor to ceiling views in the Sound Café.

+44 1624 838123

Niarbyl Bay

Set on the west coast, just south of Dalby Village, Niarbyl is best known for its dramatic sea views which include the Calf of Man and, on clear days, the mountains of Ireland. Niarbyl means "the tail" in Manx Gaelic for the way it extends into the Irish Sea.

It has great geological interest, abundant marine wildlife, and is a spot for coastal walks, fishing, sunsets and stargazing. One of the thatched fishermen's cottages here was used as Ned Devine's cottage in the 1998 film Waking Ned.

An information board and binoculars are also located at Niarbyl to assist with wildlife spotting as well as the Niarbyl Cafe & Visitor Centre.

+44 1624 843300

Peel Beach

Peel Beach, is situated in 'Sunset City' on the Island's west coast and is blessed with stunning, unforgettable sunsets and views of the Mountains of Mourne in the distance. It has a golden, gently sloping, sandy beach set in a beautiful bay. Fronted by a promenade, with a popular ice cream parlour. There is an array of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs nearby.

You can take a stroll around the harbour, the Island's main fishing port, past the kipper factory and museum. The swing bridge, leads to the beautiful sheltered cove called Fenella Beach from which you can circuit the medieval Peel Castle, look for seals, walk along the large breakwater, a popular fishing spot and stop at the kiosk and try the famous crab sandwiches.

Boat Trips Isle of Man

An organised boat trip is a wonderful way to see the Isle of Man’s stunning coastline and marine wildlife in from a different perspective. Whether you choose a pleasure cruise, fishing trip or wildlife tour, a boat trip on Manx waters will be an unforgettable addition to your Isle of Man holiday.

A number of companies offer boat trips throughout the year and can cater for general or specialist requirements - including photography trips or just a simple coastal cruise. During your journey, keep your eyes peeled for the Island’s marine creatures, such as basking sharks, whales, dolphins and seals.

The Calf of Man is a 600 acre Nature Reserve and Bird Observatory at the Island’s very southern tip. The reserve can be reached by boat during the summer months from Port Erin and Port St Mary. Trips depend on the weather and tide times so you’ll need to see the boards in both harbour areas for more information.

Fishing

If you’re heading to the Isle of Man for a fishing trip, make sure to try your hand at sea fishing in the Irish Sea. With the choice to cast-off from shore or by boat there are more than 95 miles of beautiful coastline to take advantage of.

Common species such as Pollack, Bass, Tope, Cuckoo Wrasse, Grey Mullet and Mackerel among plenty of other species can be caught along the shore from rock marks, breakwaters, harbours and beaches.

You’ll find good rock fishing on the southern and eastern coasts at Perwick Bay in Port St Mary, Langness near Castletown and Douglas Head in the east. The rocky northern coasts are also hotspots for tope and bass.

Water sports

The safe wide bay of Port Erin provides a playground for sailing in a yacht or dinghy or you could take to the waves on a powerboat.

You can discover secluded sandy bays and visit marine caves only accessible by sea kayak, sight dolphins, seals, puffins and more whilst enjoying a leisurely paddle or guided tour

Try your hand at paddleboarding or head under water to explore the vast marine life beneath the water’s surface by diving and snorkelling.

Thrill seekers will love exhilarating, adrenaline-charged activities such as Coasteering and gorge scrambling, involving climbing, scrambling, swimming and around cliff faces and rocky bays.

Basking Sharks

It is a privilege to see these gentle creatures in their natural habitat, and it's possible you can. Basking shark sightings are more common on the Southwest and West coast starting from from Castletown and working clockwise around the Island, and northwards up towards Peel.

Summer time, mid May to mid August, is the best time of year to spot them. When the seas are calm and the weather is settled and sunny, the plankton concentrates at the surface of the sea and the basking sharks feed on this plankton close inshore. You can watch them from the shore, most basking shark sightings are reported within 1km of land

The Manx Basking Shark Watch is a good place to find a lot of information about basking sharks and record any sightings.

+44 7624 334203

Whales and Dolphins

Here are some of the best viewing spots and times of year to help you find them. Good luck!
Porpoise: The inshore waters off Kallow Point in Port St Mary are a real hotspot.
Bottlenose dolphins: Large groups off the east coast in the winter months
Common dolphins: Around the island, but usually only seen in the summer months.
Risso's dolphins: On the east and south coast, from Douglas Head in the spring down to the Sound by the summer.
Minke whale: Off the west coast, often a couple of miles offshore, in the summer. The east coast, especially Laxey and Bulgham bays in winter.

+44 1624 844686

Seal spotting

The Island’s waters are home to a sizeable seal population, the vast majority of which are Grey Seals which can be seen in particularly strong numbers at the Calf Sound, where they sunbathe on the rocks at low tide.

If you’re interested in spotting seals you may like to know; Females tend to be paler than the males , which are also much larger. The females come ashore to breed and give birth, and the pups – which initially have a white coat – begin to appear in autumn.

Common Seals are also seen in far smaller numbers in the harbours such as Peel, Douglas and Ramsey. They are smaller than the Greys and distinguished by a rounder head. Their coats also vary greatly in colour, from black or brown to grey or tan.

The Great Union Camera Obscura

The Great Union Camera Obscura shows a fantastic panoramic living picture of the whole of Douglas Bay. This Victorian curiosity has entertained visitors for hundreds of years and remains a popular tourist attraction.
Using a series of mirrors and lenses located in the revolving turret above a darkened room, it offers an amazing view over Douglas and the surrounding headland area, capable of producing a 360-degree view over Douglas harbour, the lighthouse and out to the horizon.

When the flag is flying the attraction is open! The Camera Obscura is operated and maintained by volunteers, hence why it is only open to the public for certain limited periods.

+44 1624 610795

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