The
"Herring Trail" - for much of the way follows an old pack-horse trail
leading from Castletown to Glen Maye and on to Peel.
The
"Herring Trail" - for much of the way follows an old pack-horse trail
leading from Castletown to Glen Maye and on to Peel.
The first section leaving Castletown is shared with the Millennium Way, following the bank of the Silverburn to Ballasalla and Rushen Abbey. It then continues past the Monks' Bridge and along the Silverburn until a short section of main road.
After about a mile the path departs to the left, initially along a metalled road but shortly climbing along an old stone lined road. Keeping one's direction is easy - just kept aiming toward South Barrule!
A couple of miles along this track will bring you to the edge of the forest plantations - the track will then appear to lead to the east of South Barrule but you actually want to go west of it.
Whether you succumbed to a slight detour along the plantation access road (pleasant if dry) or kept to the path, you will reach the path up to South Barrule (strictly not on the trail but not too far a detour) just before reaching the road junction at the Roundtable. The official path then crosses the road taking you through yet more new (1980's) plantations. However a more interesting diversion is to bear right a 100 yards at the Round Table and then take the path gently deviating from the road - this soon becomes an old track similar to that followed in an earlier section. It leads past a deserted (and now derelict) farmhouse, a little further on can be seen abandoned miners cottages (also ruins) from end of the 19th century when this was a mining area.
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Soon the chimney and mine working of Beckwith Vein (Glen Roy) can be seen a mile or so off the path. Having crossed the stream the ruins of an old chapel can be found before the official path joins from the right. |
The path now leads down to Glen Maye - this metalled section can be the haunt of motorcross fans so be careful. The Waterfall Hotel at Glen Maye provides good food but will be crowded at weekend lunchtime. Here the path joins the coastal path to lead you down Glen Maye with its well known waterfall and onto to the beach before immediately giving you the climb back up to the top of the brooghs for a pleasant cliff walk to Peel. Shortly before Peel the two paths diverge with the Herring trail dropping sharply down to the Neb where it joins the Heritage trail for the last section into Peel. However the coastal path makes the better choice to head towards Corrin's folly with its views before dropping down to Peel Castle on St Patrick's Isle.
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Any comments, errors or omissions
gratefully received The
Editor |
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