B65 Mountain Roads

These roads, the most famous of which forms the mountain section of the TT course, were built during the Loch Governorship following the 1866 Disafforestation Act - the following istaken from taken form pp309/312 3rd Ed Brown's Popular Guide 1877.

THE MANX HIGHLANDS.

The mountains, which in most instances constitute the Common Lands of the Isle of Man, were until recently almost inaccessible, and totally uncultivated. Small farmers whose homesteads adjoined the mountains, used them principally for sheep grazing. Some years ago, however, her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods, Forests, and Land Revenues laid claim to the Common Lands, and a dispute arose as to whether they were the property of the Crown or of the Commoners. Ultimately the claims of the rival disputants were settled ,by legislative enactment, and a body of Commissioners were appointed who were authorized to sell a portion of the lands in order to raise money to pay the cost of constructing roads through the mountains and Common Land.. By means of these roads the value of the land has not only been largely increased, but a wild tract of some of the most picturesque scenery in Great Britain has been rendered easy of access to the tourist. Land to the extent altogether of 8,573 acres was sold, and a sum of over £25,000 was thus raised to pay the expense of constructing the mountain roads. The remainder of the Common Lands, in all about 17,000 acres, were divided between the Commoners and the Crown, the Crown portion being vested in the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and by them managed for the benefit of the Crown The Commoners' Allotment is vested in a popularly elected body known as the Commons' Trustees. We are indebted to the Surveyor-General of Highways in the Isle of Man for the following particulars relative to the mountain roads of the Island.

The roads former: by the Disafforesting Commissioners in the Isle of Man are comprehended in three divisions-viz., on the Northern, the Midland, and the Southern Commons of the Island-and altogether measure nearly thirty miles. We proceed to describe each of these three divisions.

THE NORTHERN.-The roads in the Northern Commons are the most interesting to the tourist. They consist of one main line, commencing at the Keppel Gate, which is a little over three miles from the Douglas Market-place. The road is formed at an elevation of from 1,000 to 1,400 feet above the sea, and skirts along the range of northern mountains to the northern boundary of the gate of Park. Llewellyn, a distance of twelve and a half miles from Douglas Market-place. The termination of this road is within two miles of the Ballure Bridge, near Ramsey, and within two miles and a half of that town. There are besides four branch roads, three of which lead off the main line above referred to.

The first of these branch lines leads off to the right, about a mile and a half beyond the Keppel Gate, or a little over six miles from Douglas. This is a short branch, intended merely as an outlet from the mountains to Riversdale, Glenroy, and the southern parts of Lonan. The gradients on this line, generally called " Noble's Road", are very steep.

The second branch line leaves the main road to the left at Bein. y-Phot Iron Gate, a distance of seven and a half miles from Douglas. It passes along the north-west side of Bein-y-Phot Mountain, and through the Turbary, to a place near the junction of the road to Druidale, or the Baregarrow Mountain Gate, and leads direct into the parish of Michael. This branch measures about three and a half miles in length- The most picturesque view on this line is at the point where the road overlooks the valley of West Baldwin.

From the end of this branch, at the Baregarrow Mountain, there is another branch line, measuring nearly three miles, leading almost directly across the Commons to Awhallin, in the West Baldwin Valley. This road is intended to connect the highlands in Michael (Druidale included) with Douglas by the West Baldwin Valley.

The third branch line also leads from the main line to the left, the point of divergence being at the southern side of Snaefell, where travellers from Douglas usually commence the ascent of the mountain. This is a little over eight miles from Douglas. This branch road leads down the shoulder of Snaefell Mountain, in Sulby Valley, to Corody Mountain Gate, the commencement of Sulby Glen proper. This road is two miles, and its termination is four miles from the village of Sulby (on the north side of the Island), and about three and a half miles from the Sulby Starch Mills. The drive through this Glen is for picturesque beauty unsurpassed by anything on the Island. The ascent from Douglas to the Keppel Gate is very interesting. It commands a magnificent view of Douglas and of the southern portions of the Island, and on the east of parts of the parish of Lonan; while from the Keppel Gate, as far as the Bein-y-Phot Iron Gate, the view on a fine day is expansive and very enjoyable. The tourist has on his right hand the range of mountain land called the Cairn Gharjohl (1461 feet high), and a part of the Slieu Mullagh Oure; while on the left hand the view is almost boundless. The beautiful valleys of the Baldwin lie immediately beneath the traveller's gaze. Enclosing these valleys, on the opposite side, are the mountains of Bein-y.Phot, Carragban, and Craigwine. In the distance are the Greeba mountains and South Barrule; down the gorges between which the eye sweeps over a great portion of the southern parts of the Island. Indeed, the view for grandeur and extent is unequalled.

From the Bein-y-Phot Iron Gate, which is the summit level of e mountain route, to the northern end of the new mountain road (at park Llewellyn Mountain Gate), about two and a half miles from Ramsey, the traveller has on his right hand the northern portion of the Slieu Mullagh Oure and the ridge called Slieu Choar (1,809 feet high), and North Barrule (1,842 feet high). At a portion of the road, about eight and a half miles from Douglas, the tourist has a magnificent view down the Laxey Valley, and the Big Wheel can he plainly seen in the distance.

On the left hand again, from the Bein-y-Phot Iron Gate, the tourist first meets the Sulby branch, forming a direct route to the centre of the northern parishes. After passing the junction, the tourist comes to Little Snaefell and Big Snaefell Mountains; and father on, at a point ten miles and three furlongs from Douglas, he can descend by the road to Glen Auldyn, Narradale, and Ginger Hall or by the road leading over Sky Hill, which commands a lovely view of the northern portion of the Island.

Immediately after passing Narradale and Ginger Hall, the tourist finds the beautiful Glen Auldyn beneath him, and he has an unimpeded view of Ramsey and the north of the Island. When he arrives at the end of the new mountain road he can descend into Ramsey hy the Albert Tower, or into Kirk Maughold by the. mountain road leading down by the Hibernian Inn, and then by the main road into Ramsey or (turning to the right) pass on to Laxey, and thence to Douglas.

THE MIDLAND.-The mountain roads on the Midland Commons are in the parishes of Marown and Patrick, with small length in the parish of Malew. In all there are five roads, but they are so short that their total length is only about four miles and a half. The most important of these short reads is that leading from the reservoir at the Foxdale Mines to the Ballanicholas-road. Its importance consists in the fact that it forms a portion of the road from Foxdale to Castletown via St. Mark's, and commands some splendid views of the Island.

THE SOUTHERN.-The roads through the Southern Commons generally converge at the high land close to the South Barrule Mountain, called the " Round Table," the summit of the line from Ballasalla, Castletown, and Arbory to Glen Meay. The first of these is a branch leading from the Round Table towards Port Erin. It is commonly called the Port Erin Mountain Road. It measures a little over five miles, and is chiefly intended as a local convenience, it commands a very fine view of Castletown Bay and of the south of the island. From this line, at a distance of a mile and a quarter from the Round Table, there is a branch road, about a mile long leading into the summit of South Dalby, near Carran's Hill, which is 984 feet high. South of this is the Cronk-na-Irey Lhaa Mountain, which, from a height of 1,445 feet, plunges into the sea. The Dalby district is one of the most romantic in the Island. The scenery is picturesque in the extreme. At Balelby, near Dalby, is a tumulus. From excavations made into it, and the weapons discovered, it appears to be of the iron age, the latest of the modes of burial in tumuli. Cumming thinks that it is of Scandinavian origin.

Dalby is provided with a school-house, which serves as a chapel. of-ease to the parish of Patrick. At the Niarbyl Point, south of Dalby, are some interesting caves. In the Lagg-ny-Keeihlly Glen, at the foot of Cronk-na-Irey Llma, is an old ruinous Treen chapel, ten feet long by six feet wide, said to be the burial-place of the old Kings of Man.

There is also a mountain road leading from the Cross Vein Mine towards Glen Needle; another leads from the above line to the Mountain Gate in Glen Meay ; and a third from the Round Table towards Foxdale. The total length of the new road's in the southern mountains is nearly seven miles.

HOW TO ASCEND SNAEFELL.

It is a popular "outing" to ascend to the top of the "Monarch of Manx Mountains," and, indeed, a visit to the Isle of Man is by no means complete unless this journey be made. There are various routes to the mountain-top. We propose here to give brief directions as to the principal routes:-

NO. 1.-By KEPPLE GATE.-Proceed by Buck's-road, Glencrutchery, Cronk-ny-Mona, and Kepple Gate, to the Mountain Road. Follow the Mountain Road to the refreshment hut. Leave your carriage here, and ascend the mountain from a spot about a hundred yards past the hut. Distance from Douglas to Snaefell : About eight miles. The return to Douglas may be made via Sulby Glen. This is a magnificent drive.

No. 2.--By LAXEY.-Proceed up the glen from near the Big Wheel, and through Agnaish. From here the glen opens out, with Snaefell at the head. At the foot of the mountain will be found the Snaefell mine, and from here to the mountain-top is a good climb. Distance from Laxey : Under four niiles.-(This route may be varied by taking the first road to the left after passing the Commercial Hotel, Laxey, and crossing over the Slien Mullagh Oure to the refreshment but at the foot of Snaefell.)

OTHER ROUTES.-The ascent may also be made from Sulby Glen (as described in our "Excursions from Ramsey"), or from Douglas via Baldwin and Injebreck.