For those who do not know a great deal about the IOM, may I suggest you take a trip with me around the Island, so you can be introduced to a little of our beautiful Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man).

When you think of a summer holiday your first criterion is usually sunshine, so rain can put a serious damper on a vacation abroad. That's when British holiday spots come into their own - raincoats and wellies are as much a part of the fun as buckets and spades. The IOM is fortunate in so much as it is in the Gulf Stream and enjoys sunshine and a warm climate in the Summer. Being surrounded by sea does tend to make the Island a little more breezy, but even that can be refreshing. Still, it can pour down here too, but cloudbursts add to the drama of the wonderful mountain views and coasts. And it's the scenery that has propelled this tiny island, most famous for its tailless cats, motorbike races and financial sector, into a favourite location for film and television producers. It has masqueraded as Ireland in 'Waking Ned', Wonderland in 'Alice Through The Looking Glass', and Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Treasure Island'. Even the 100-year-old Golf Links Hotel, in Derbyhaven could be the ideal setting for an Agatha Christie plot - a warren of corridors and hidden staircases, perched on a peninsula which juts out over the rocky sea. Recently, the Isle of Man has been the setting for the big-screen version of Thomas The Tank Engine -'Thomas And The Magic Railroad', now on general release. The old railways are a great way of getting around the island - many of the prettiest seaside towns, mountains, moors, castles and Celtic crosses are accessible by rail.

Before embarking on your journey, though, it's a good idea to visit the Story of Mann, the museum in the capital, Douglas. Here you'll be able to trace the Island's history as far back as the Stone Age, and it's so well put together that you'll probably find yourself lingering there. The Tourist Board's brochures are good, but the Story of Mann is a far better way to whet your appetite for sightseeing - and it's free to get in! Douglas is where the ferries arrive from Liverpool, Heysham in Lancashire and Ireland, a genteel resort which must have changed little in a century. Electric and horse-drawn trams trundle along the extensive promenade beside the sandy beaches. Throughout the summer, the Isle of Man Steam Railway, which features in the Thomas movie, runs a regular service from the capital to the seaside town of Port Erin, via pretty Port St Mary and the ancient capital of Castletown. Douglas is the seat of Tynwald, the ‘House of Keys’, our Parliament, which has been in existence since the 9th century, boasting the longest running Parliament in the world. Each year Tynwald holds a unique outdoor meeting on the 5th July in the village of St Johns, where the new laws of the land are promulgated to the general public. The Hill at St Johns where the ceremony is held, or Cronk Keeill Eoin, 'Hill of St John's Church' in Manx, is believed to contain earth from each of the ancient seventeen parishes, which is in accordance with the known practice of the Norse settlers in Mann. It is twelve feet high (approx 4m ) and consists of four stages or circular platforms, each three feet high ( approx 1m). The diameter of the base is seventy-six feet (23m). For more than two centuries a protective canopy has been raised over the topmost platform during the annual assembly. The Processional Way from the Church to the "Hill' is three hundred and sixty-six feet long (112m) On old Midsummer's Day the pathway and platforms (and formerly the Chapel aisle also) are covered with rushes - a survival, it is believed of the pagan Celtic custom of offering bundles of green bent-grass at the altar of the sea-god Manannan. The 'Hill' has never been excavated, but it is probably the burial place of a chieftain of the Bronze Age (1700 B.C. - 400B.C.) and later following Celtic custom, it became a centre for tribal gatherings and the proclamation of new rulers and their heirs. It was usual for a chief to be inaugurated at such a place standing on or touching a sanctified stone; and his heir apparent, known as the Tanist, was presented to the people for their acknowledgement at the same time.

Many Manx expatriates returned to their home-land during the year 2000 from all over the world, to celebrate the turn of the century at Tynwald. Tynwald Day is a National holiday with stallholders and societies displaying their wares in a field next to the Sacred grounds of Tynwald Hill, where roaming entertaining artists, dancers and singers mingle with the crowd to add to the festivities.

Having experienced a little of Douglas and it's many historical haunts, travel through the lovely countryside , stopping on the way to take in the villages of Santon and Ballasalla with it's famed Silverdale and Glens, where the children ride on an ancient water-driven carousel, meander around the lake or take a boat and paddle your way around whilst feeding the ducks. A child's paradise and parents retreat, a restaurant offers local wholesome lunches. Ballasalla has a beautifully restored Victorian railway station, which delights visitors and is a favourite camera shot. Continue passed the airport, newly renovated, thrusting it into the 21st century and an airport to be proud of.

Drive on past the imposing sight of King William's College, a leading public school which attracts pupils from all over the world. Facing it is Hango Hill, which as its name suggests was once used for hanging criminals.

Then into Castletown, famous for its medieval fortress. For more than 700 years this massive walled castle has dominated the little town of Castletown, the Island's former capital from 1709 - 1869, when the Island's seat of government, the House of Keys, moved to Douglas. You can see the old House of Keys, which builders receipts show was built for the princely sum of £83.5s.6½d The Queen’s representative, the Lieutenant Governor, is sworn in at Castle Rushen, which also holds High and Low court sessions and plays host to weddings within the courthouse precincts. The late-Norman castle with its four square keep and once the seat of the Kings and Lords of Mann, is a living building with spectacular tableaux and displays to illustrate what castle life was like in the Middle Ages.

Visit the Nautical Museum and enjoy a fascinating treasure-house of Manx sea-faring history where the star attraction is the 18th century armed yacht The Peggy which was discovered in 1935 100 years after the death of her owner, Captain George Quayle. Designed as a swift, elegant racing craft, she successfully completed the Windermere Regatta in 1796 having been sailed to Cumbria and hauled overland by her owner.

Not to be missed is the Old Grammar School with its Victorian period schoolroom, so perfectly preserved you can almost hear the sound of chalk against the blackboard. Originally built around 1200 as the town's first church it played an important part in the development of education on the Island.

But tear yourself away and journey on to Port Erin, a secluded harbour where smugglers slipped in and out with their contraband undetected for centuries. Today the hotels give the village a distinctive air, overlooking the harbour with its pretty, white painted cottages and magnificent sweep of golden sands. Stop awhile and enjoy home-made cakes in the station tea shop where the Victorian Steam Railway has a museum, all funds going towards the restoration of engines once used frequently when the railway was a major feature of travel around the Island. Sadly only one line of the Island's railway network remains open, the Port Erin to Douglas line, a 1 hour journey. After visiting the museum, if you still feel hungry, wander down the hill and sample the delights of freshly caught fish and chips at the old-fashioned beach-side cafe, before strolling along the clean shore.

The Erin Arts Centre in Victoria Square is home of the Manannan International Festival of Music and the Arts in mid-summer, along with a varied year-round programme of recitals and concerts.

On a pleasant day a stiff climb over the Darraghs between Port Erin and Port St. Mary rewards you with spectacular views of both villages. On this route you pass by the Mull Circle, a megalithic chambered burial ground set on the top of a hill. Excavated in 1893, the site has six pairs of stone burial chambers arranged in a circle. Turning to your right you arrive at the famed Cregneash Village Folk Museum, where the life of a Manx crofting and farming community from a century ago has been superbly preserved. The Manx sheep the Loughton is bred here, a sturdy sheep with thick brown wool and four horns. You can step back in time to watch demonstrations of traditional farming skills and crafts, and admire its quaint thatched cottages which saw life as it would have been lived in the early 1700's. It was in this village that 'Waking Ned' was filmed.

Follow the road down to the Sound, the southern-most tip of the Island, where a turbulent stretch of water separates the Island from the Calf of Man. A farming family lived on this island until fairly recently. Today, however, the island is a famous bird sanctuary protected by the Manx National Trust and is a wonderful spot for a quiet picnic, where grey seals and basking sharks may be seen.

The village of Port St Mary, situated on the south coast, is a small fishing village and takes its name from the ancient Chapel of St Mary which used to stand in Chapel Bay, a sheltered crescent with a sandy, safe swimming spot for children. The harbour is full of yachts, fishing vessels and craft of all sizes as the breakwater gives good shelter and deep water berths, a favourite for visiting yachtsmen. The famous 'Queenies', small sweet Manx scallops and ‘Tanroggans’, larger scallops, are landed here and exported all over the world. Harbour pubs and old Manx cottages are clustered around the inner harbour giving the village an old-world atmosphere. If golf is your sport, a nine hole golf course is a popular pass-time in Port St Mary, after which pop in for a coffee or dinner at the excellent Pavilion Restaurant adjacent to the Green.

Head up over the Sloch road where views of four magnificent bays can be seen - Port Erin, Port St Mary, Gansey and Castletown. The airport can also be seen from this vantage point next to Castletown. The purple heather and yellow gorse are a stunning sight on the rolling hillsides, where the sheep meander peacefully.

Passing through the pretty villages of Niarbyl, Glen Maye and Patrick you next arrive at the ancient Viking Town of Peel, where a magnificent castle guards the entrance to the harbour on St Patrick's Isle, which once stood alone but is now joined to the mainland by a causeway. Inside the imposing walls of Peel Castle is the 13th century St Germans Cathedral as well as an 11th century round tower and church. It was in Peel that St Patrick landed and brought Christianity to the Island. Excavations have unearthed skeletons and a Viking princess's necklace, which indicates an even earlier history on this tiny island. Legend has it that a black dog haunts the castle guardroom, and locals still refer to the 'Moddey Dhoo' as a large and ghostly presence. This most Manx of Manx towns was a stronghold of Viking occupation, the ruling seat of the Norse Kingdom of Mann during the 11th century. Each July a Viking Festival is held on the beach with Viking boats taking part in races and mock fights, with much revelry and merrymaking taking place during the week. It's little surprise therefore that Peel is home to the House of

Manannan, an award winning heritage centre which tells the Story of Mann in a series of fascinating interactive presentations, right through from the Island's Celtic and Viking inheritance to the heyday of the smugglers and the steam age. To the pride of the locals, Peel can also boast being called a city as it has two cathedrals - the newer Pro-cathedral is well worth a visit. Explore the little lanes at your leisure. The narrow streets have been almost untouched by the passage of centuries. Then walk to the top of St Patrick's Hill to the west of the Island and find St. Patrick's Well. Legend has it that when St Patrick arrived on the Island, his horse lost a shoe and a spring of water appeared at the spot where it landed. Locals call it the 'Silver Well' and it said to give eternal life. After a busy day relax and enjoy Peel's famed sunset over a glass of local beer and a superb meal of the famous Manx kippers, which are oak-smoked and shipped from Peel, at the cosy Creek Inn on the harbour, which is Egan Ronay recommended.

Much more can be said about Peel, but to see it is a must.

Press on now to the north of the Island passing through Kirk Michael, Sulby and stop awhile at the Wild Life Park. The Curraghs have camping facilities for those who want to spend a night under canvas and explore the area with it's pretty river and pathways. Journey onwards through Sandygate to Jurby, the old RAF airfield where several films have been 'canned'. Famous for 'Stella's Jurby Junk' housed in two large warehouses, it is a popular place to browse for a couple of hours at the weekend. Jurby also holds many sporting events on the old Jurby Airport runways and spacious grass ways. An Air show is held here every year and attracts many aircraft from other countries. The Red Arrows are often seen demonstrating their skills at this show.

Still continuing north we pass through Andreas, where famous comedian Sir Norman Wisdom has his home, then on down the pretty country lanes to Bride, after which we reach the northern most point of the Island, the Point of Ayre and it’s lighthouse. This is the closest we get to England, which on a good day can be seen clearly approximately 20 miles away.( approx 32km)

Turn back south and head down the East coast and you come to (Royal) Ramsey. Queen Victoria’s royal yacht docked here and the Queen promptly dispatched Prince Albert to climb up Llergy Frissel hill and admire the wonderful view on her behalf. King Orry, the Norse warrior landed here too, eight centuries earlier, on his way to defeat the Manx at the Battle of Sky Hill. In 1313 the Scottish King Robert the Bruce passed through Ramsey en route to besiege Castle Rushen in Castletown. To enjoy today's more tranquil times visit Ramsey's Mooragh Park, a beautiful lake which is the heart of Ramsey, where you can hire a boat, learn to canoe or windsurf, play tennis, bowls or golf, enjoy an ice-cream at the lake-side café while the children play in the safe play-area.

The park is linked to the old town with a handsome swing bridge over a working harbour. Stroll through the Market Square where there is a lively outdoor market during the summer months. Or visit the Grove Rural Life Museum, once the summer retreat of a rich Liverpool merchant, where time has miraculously stood still since early Victorian days.

As you leave Ramsey and head towards Laxey a mention should go to the Venture Centre at Maughold where families and individuals can try their hand at archery, grass skiing, canoeing, climbing and sailing, or tackle the fearsome assault course.

A journey on the Manx Electric Railway, which was built in 1893 is a must. The tracks curve around the hills and passengers have an advantage over car drivers as the coastal views are breathtaking.

Whether you drive or go by train, disembark at Laxey for a trip up to the top of Snaefell mountain on the rattling old mountain railway. On a clear day, it's said that you can see seven Kingdoms from the top - Mann, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Heaven and Earth - at 2036 ft ( approx 620m) weather permitting!

Down in the valley is the huge red Laxey Wheel, an amazing feat of Victorian engineering, once used to pump water from the nearby lead mine and restored in the Seventies to perfect working order. It is named the Lady Isabella after the Lieutenant Governor's wife at the time it was completed. There are many lovely walks around the dales and vales surrounding the Wheel. Call into the Laxey Woollen Mills and purchase a length of one of our Manx tartans, made of

fine Loughton wool, one is the Tynwald tartan which is shaded the colours of the Island - mainly purple, (of the heather), blue (of the skies), yellow (of the gorse), green (of the hills) and white (of the fluffy clouds), truly a beautiful combination of colours. Perhaps you would like to call in at the Meerschaum Pipe factory on the harbour. A fine example of workmanship is presented here under licence from the famous Meerschaum Ppipe company. Or just "set-a-whel (sit-a-while)" on the harbour wall and enjoy the rolling tide. Laxey is a very hilly village and a major stop for the Manx Electric Trams to carry you on to Onchan and back to Douglas.

Once back in Douglas hop off the Electric Tram and onto the Horse Tram, or ‘toast rack’ as they are affectionately known locally, and take the 3 ½ mile leisurely ride along Douglas Promenade, hopping off if you wish to call in at the Casino, the Cinema, the beautiful Villa Marina Gardens or take in a theatre show at the magnificent Victorian Gaiety Theatre or simply stop for Dinner at the many first class Hotels and Restaurants where every palate is catered for. Of course if you just want to shop,! then Strand Street is the place to go where all the major stores are open for business 7 days a week in the summer returning to normal shop hours in the winter.

If you don’t like shopping then stroll through the Sunken Gardens on the sea-side of the Promenade. Sheltered from any winds, they are a pleasant way to pass away an hour or just sit and read a paper. There are children’s playing areas also in some sections of these gardens so parents need not worry about entertaining the family.

Most people's idea of the perfect summer holiday is to follow the sun, but the Isle of Man has soul. A suntan's gone in a couple of weeks, children in particular deserve at least one memory of a good, old-fashioned summer holiday like this. A 2 ½ hr boat trip from Liverpool or 1hr flight from London and you could be staying in a place that is friendly, safe, familiar and beautiful and best of all, little aggravation to get there with children. So give yourself a treat "Go Mann"! We’d love to see you. I hope you have enjoyed this whirlwind trip it has been my pleasure to ‘show’ you round.