Sophia Morrison (1859 - 1917) was a Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author. Through her own work and through her role in encouraging and enthusing others, she is considered to be one of the key figures of the Manx cultural revival. 'Manx Fairy Tales' was first published in 1911. "There is at least one spot in the world where Fairies are still believed in, and where, if you look in the right places, they may still be found, and that is the little island from which these stories come - Ellan Vannin, the Isle of Mann. But I have used a word which should not be mentioned here -they are never called Fairies by the Manx, but Themselves, or the Little People, or the Little Fellows, or the Little Ones, or some times even the Lil' Boys. These Little People are not the tiny creatures with wings who flutter about in many English Fairy tales, but they are small persons from two to three feet in height, otherwise very like mortals. They wear red caps and green jackets and axe very fond of hunting indeed they are most often seen on horseback followed by packs of little hounds of all the colours of the rainbow. They are rather inclined to be mischievous and spiteful, and that is why they are called by such good names, in case they should be listening!" "Besides these red-capped Little Fellows there are other more alarming folk. There is the Fynoderee, who is large, ugly, hairy and enormously strong, but not so bad as he looks, for often he helps on the farm during the night by thrashing corn. He does not like to be seen, so if a farmer wants work done by him, he must take care to keep out of the Fynoderee's way. Then, far uglier than Fynoderee, are the Bugganes, who are horrible and cruel creatures. They can appear in any shape they please - as ogres with huge heads and great fiery eyes, or without any heads at all; as small dogs who grow larger and larger as you watch them until they are larger than elephants, when perhaps they turn into the shape of men or disappear into nothing; as homed monsters or anything they choose. Each Buggane has his own particular dwelling place-a dark sea-cave, a lonely hill, or a ruined Keeill, or Church. There are many others too, but these are the chief."

Raad ny Foillan (The Way of the Gull) is a 98 mile footpath around the Isle of Man. The route description is set out as a circuit and split into stages, with the longest walk being 15.5 miles and the shortest being 7 miles. Any fast walkers may wish to complete two stages per day, while those progressing at a more leisurely pace may decide to amble along and take in the splendid attractions along the way. Two further walks described in this guidebook, the 23 mile Millennium Way, which follows the ancient route of the kings, from Ramsey to Castletown, and the 14 mile Herring Way, which takes a more traditional route from Peel to Castletown. Both these routes cross the hills of the island's interior and can be combined to make an interesting longer walk.

England & Wales Island Bagging by Lisa Drewe is a stunning and informative guide to the islands of England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. It is ideal for swimmers, kayakers, adventure travellers, wildlife spotters and ice cream connoisseurs. Go on an inspirational and fascinating coastline journey – familiar islands are visited, such as Lundy and the Isle of Wight; others are less well known, such as Gewni in Pembrokeshire and Coquet Island in Northumberland . Almost 300 islands are included, from larger, populated islands to remote, uninhabited islets – some can be reached by foot at low tide, others have ferry services, and some you will need your own transport, or be content to view them from the mainland. Once you've found your island this book introduces you to the best sites on the island to appreciate: hidden beaches and coves, the tastiest local food and the wildlife that can be seen in the locality. Watch the Cemlyn Bay terns on Anglesey, go paddleboarding around Mersea Island in Essex, walk in the footsteps of pilgrims on Lindisfarne in Northumberland, or enjoy ice cream from one of the smallest dairy herds in the country on St Agnes in the Isles of Scilly ... it's all there to be enjoyed in England & Wales Island Bagging.

Reprint of the original, first published in 1874.

Discover the long and fascinating history of this tiny self-governing island in the Irish Sea. Many people don’t know that the tiny Isle of Man, midway between the coasts of Lancashire and Northern Ireland, is one of the richest historic landscapes in Europe. Packed into its 225 square miles are dramatic stories of Bronze Age conflict, Viking warriors, medieval kings, smugglers, maritime and railway history, wartime airfields, and even a pirate radio station. Add to that the island's unique motorsport heritage (on two, three and four wheels), and you have a combination unrivaled anywhere in the British Isles. Whatever your passion, or whichever historical period appeals to you, the Isle of Man will have something fascinating to offer. Packed with illustrations, and using first-hand accounts to enhance the narrative, this book takes you on a chronological journey through the island’s history, before offering a series of guided tours which pick up the highlights of each district. From Bronze Age hill forts to medieval castles, from heritage railways to historic quaysides, from award-winning museums to country mansions, the Isle of Man has it all. Let this book be your guide to historic Britain's best-kept secret, as you explore a place untouched by the hectic pace of twenty-first-century life. Includes photos

The “riveting…truly shocking” (The New York Times Book Review) story of a Jewish orphan who fled Nazi Germany for London, only to be arrested and sent to a British internment camp for suspected foreign agents on the Isle of Man, alongside a renowned group of refugee musicians, intellectuals, artists, and—possibly—genuine spies. Following the events of Kristallnacht in 1938, Peter Fleischmann evaded the Gestapo’s roundups in Berlin by way of a perilous journey to England on a Kindertransport rescue, an effort sanctioned by the UK government to evacuate minors from Nazi-controlled areas.train. But he could not escape the British police, who came for him in the early hours and shipped him off to Hutchinson Camp on the Isle of Man, under suspicion of being a spy for the very regime he had fled. During Hitler’s rise to power in the 1930s, tens of thousands of German and Austrian Jews like Peter escaped and found refuge in Britain. After war broke out and paranoia gripped the nation, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered that these innocent asylum seekers—so-called “enemy aliens”—be interned. When Peter arrived at Hutchinson Camp, he found one of history’s most astounding prison populations: renowned professors, composers, journalists, and artists. Together, they created a thriving cultural community, complete with art exhibitions, lectures, musical performances, and poetry readings. The artists welcomed Peter as their pupil and forever changed the course of his life. Meanwhile, suspicions grew that a real spy was hiding among them—one connected to a vivacious heiress from Peter’s past. Drawing from unpublished first-person accounts and newly declassified government documents, award-winning journalist Simon Parkin reveals an “extraordinary yet previously untold true story” (Daily Express) that serves as a “testimony to human fortitude despite callous, hypocritical injustice” (The New Yorker) and “an example of how individuals can find joy and meaning in the absurd and mundane” (The Spectator).

Run over the everyday roads of the Isle of Man for over 100 years, the world-famous Tourist Trophy races have gripped the imaginations of successive generations of motorcyclists. From the earliest days of single-speed, belt-driven machines delivering 5 bhp, to the highly developed projectiles of today offering a fearsome 200 bhp, race fans have thronged the roadside banks and watched in awe as the best racing motorcyclists in the world rode the fastest machines of their day around the twists, turns and climbs of the 374 mile Mountain Course, all in pursuit of a coveted Tourist Trophy. This new updated edition covering the 2007 - 2012 races, reveals the event's colourful history through the high-speed activities of great riders such as the Collier brothers, Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Steve Hislop, Joey Dunlop, John McGuinness and many others. It also looks at the machines and mechanical developments and race organisation, plus the financial rewards and commercial interests; setting them all in the context of the triumphs and tragedies of a great sporting event that has seen average lap speeds rise from 40 mph to over 130 mph. Written in an easy style, this book reveals the Manx TT's colourful history through its great riders, machines, mechanical developments and race organisation and is superbly illustrated with over 250 colour photographs.