Going over for a week on Saturday for the TT.
Any recommendations for other things to see/do whilst we’re there?

How are you travelling? Car, motorbike, pushbike?

Where are you staying? Not too relevant really, everywhere is within a relatively short drive, just curious.

We seem to go every 5 years and we
Ride the course (a given)
Watch the races from different places
Go for a TT Tea in Bride
Stock car racing in Douglas
Visit the manx museum in Douglas – they often have TT memorabilia
Get some Manx kippers from Peel
Attend Honda day in Peel
Visit the House of Manannan in Peel
Laxey motorcycle show (we usually stay at Laxey football ground so a short walk to this one for us)
Have fun and enjoy yourself, I wish I was going this year as we got rained on a lot last year. I would recommend always have change on you as a lot of gardens you can sit in for a donation. Churches , halls and schools usually supply tea, cake and sandwiches. Take a little radio so you can hear the races and an OS map to find your way round the road closures.

What PP said + Take some pushbikes!

You can get round the course while the roads are closed. If you drive or ride a mo’bike to a watching spot, you’re pretty much there for the day.

On a mountain bike/crosser/tourer you can make your way around the course, pick a few vantage points and nip around on and off road. south and West of the course are specially good, and there’s an old railway line that follows round not far from the course. Start at quarter bridge, watch the leaders come, though ride up to Union Mills (watch from the inside of the track by the bridge as they come over the bridge and lay rubber blasting up the hill.)

Ride up to Kirkmichael between races, watch from there, up to Ballaugh Bridge, then stop for pints at the Sulby Inn… You can time your stops to watch the leaders come through. You can find a friendly looking Marshall and ask nicely to nip across the road between races, bash through some footpaths in the woods on the inside of the course and pop out at at Greeba bridge… Pack a bag of beer and tape a radio to the handle bars and off you go!

Thanks Mrs Poddy, very useful.

Freddyg- We’re actually going across as for passengers on the Steam Packet, had planned on using public transport as can buy a ticket that covers the whole week. Camping in St John’s, close to Peel I believe.

Good stuff Nedrapier, thanks. Bike hire might well be on the cards for race days.

just be aware that there is a bus drivers strike on over TT so there is a very restricted service . Trams are still running as normal though .Also you will probably have difficulty getting a hire bike over this period . Not trying to put you off honestly 😀

I was about to post something about how good public transport is….. until I saw the comment from Ramsey Neil, above. Can you take bikes with you?

I’ve been every year for the last 5 years and several odd years before that, missing this one unfortunately. We camp up at Kirk Michael and use public transport to get around if beer was involved.

We always do a few laps of the course – and marvel at how fast the competing riders manage to take it!
Head down south for an afternoon with lunch and chilling out at the cafe overlooking the calf.
Laxey photo exhibition.
Museums.
Keep an eye out for meet-ups with the riders on non-race days. We met Guy Martin at Douglas Library.
Tea and cakes any the many open churches.
Fish and chips on the seafront.
Walk around the pit garages – always a hive of activity and very open and welcoming.
Douglas Prom has entertainment on most nights – can be a bit beery/lairy though.
Definately get an OS map.
On race days, try and stay on the outside of the circuit – you won’t get stuck in one place that way.

Have a great time. I’m very jealous.

Bus news is a blow, particularly as there is no mention of this (that I can see) on the visit Isle of Man and Manx public transport web sites I’ve been looking at.

Wow not sure how easy it is to get round on public transport on race days, we have met people who have bought the tickets and done it but not sure how easy or restrictive they found it. Bike hire for a couple of days might be good as you can get to Peel and Kirk Michael relatively easily. You can always borrow OS maps from your local library for the week. As we take the motorbike I can’t really comment on trains and buses.
Bikes it is…

Hhhmm, we hadn’t planned on taking bikes with us, but might have to now. Might mean a re-pack/evaluation of the gear for the week!

Another quick question, please.
Would people recommend taking road bike or mtb for getting around when the races are on? Not precious about taking my road bike on bridleways, railway tracks etc. and my girlfriend will be on her cx, so I’m a bit worried about keeping up with her on 26″ wheels.

Bump for the lunch time crowd.