Herring Road

Known as 'Bayr ny Skeddan' in Manx, this path will take you from the coast at Castletown by way of South Barrule and Glen Maye to Peel. It was the route once taken by Manx fishermen as they journeyed between the two ports. It uses old public roads and public footpaths and rises to 1000ft at the Round Table.

Peel to Castletown

Thursday 3 May 2012 - 14 Miles

ID03052012#25

I was determined to do one last trail before having to skeddadle back home on Saturday, and this was a good choice because I could complete it in one shot, and it also gave me a brief taster of the Coast Path (Raad ny Foillan - Way Of the Gull) and a section shared with the Millenium Way, both to be persued on another visit.  It was a rather hot day when we arrived in Peel from Douglas on the Bus from Banks Plain.  After a dose of brekky in a cafe, I left my Dad to Sightsee, and started the walk by initially retracing my steps on the Steam Heritage Trail, then branching off at Glenfaba Watermill to head to the coast, joining the Raad Ny Foillan for a couple of miles to head inland to Glen Maye, and continue across the island to follow forest tracks and climb up through Creg Na Crock Plantation, before soon reaching the A27 Peel road and following along the road (reasonably slow traffic) to reach Round Table after a mile (Junction with the A36), the highest point on the walk, with glorious views over the south of the island and South Barrule (483 Metres), which I passed by after a lunch break at a handy bench.  Then gradually descending towards the coast, through farmland and easy tracks, to join the Millenium Way at the A3 Junction, and walking for over a mile on this dodgy bit, which has lots of fast moving traffic and no pavement.  Thankfully you soon branch off to pass through the attractive Silverdale Glen, following by the Burn, and passing by Monks Bridge, an amazing stone structure built in 1350!  After passing by Rushen Abbey, and the edge of Ballasalla, then along by the Silverburn again with the Isle Of Man Steam Railway on the other side, to pass by the end of the runway for Ronaldsway Airport, and soon to reach Castletown.  Here I met back up with my father, and stain was waiting in the trusty Focus.  We then headed down to the restaurant overlooking the Calf Of Man and had a fantastic slap up Fish and Chips.  This is one of the best walks I have ever done, with an amazing variety of terrain and features, and I cannot wait to return to the Island and carry on with more walking adventures

Famous Kippers from Peel, with Power Station on Left

Shortly after 'Peeling' off from the Steam Heritage Trail, heading to the coast at Corrins Hill

Joining the Raad Ny Foillan

Leaving Raad Ny Foillan, following Glen Maye

Glen Maye - the Village has same name

Sign for the Postman's Path, only very briefly encountered

Forest tracks at Glen Moarr

Creg Ny Crock Plantation, after a climb

Joining the A27, towards Round Table

At Round Table, the highest part of the walk, looking towards South Barrule (483 Metres)

Chowing down on my Manx Pastie

A slow gradual descent towards the coast - here passing Cringle Plantation

Old Moaney...

More road walking shenanigans, this time on the A3.  Now coincident with the Millennium Way

Lovely old Milepost - Ramsey 22 1/2, Castletown 3, Peel 8 and some fraction I couldn't read clearly

Pretty Silverdale Glen - another of the Manx National Glens

The elderly but amazing Monks Bridge

Unfortunately no time to visit Rushen Abbey

Walking by the Silverburn, between Ballasalla (I love the way that trips off the tongue) and Castletown

Now adjacent to the Steam Railway - Signal Post bit of a give away

Runway approach markers for Ronaldsway Airport, a very pleasant place to be when I was picking up my Dad

Arriving in Castletown

Castletown Harbour - Job done