Basing your opinion of the Isle of Man upon what you've seen of it from the infamous Fast Show sketches would quite probably be the worst thing you could do. Not only are the sketches utterly unfunny and devoid of humour of any kind, they are an insult to the Manx people and have a basis built on sand. Manx sand, at that.

I jest. The sketches featuring the middle-aged husband and wife from the Isle of Man, holidaying abroad (see: a very wet field in Yorkshire) and loving every moment of it, are at the very least a little wide of the mark. In general, the principle behind the sketches has some basis - the people of the island can come across as somewhat insular and self-reliant. But in many other ways, this small island is one of the hidden gems of the British Isles that many, in the sweeping popularity of package holidays to Spain and Greece, now ignore.

Let me make it clear: the Isle of Man is most definitely not for everyone. The vast majority of the island is very similar to quaint English countryside villages you might stumble across in the Lake District. Poorly-lit tea rooms, dusty corner shops and cockles on the beach (Windermere has a beach too, y'know). So before you even think of boarding the ferry, you have to ask yourself if that's the kind of holiday you want. Aside from Douglas, the capital, little of the island is geared towards tourisism in the sense most of think of it today. If you do go, you'd better be prepared to seek out the entertainment if you feel like taking the challenge.

With the perhaps overly-pessimistic warning over, I'll elaborate on some of the many finer points of the Isle of Man. Its main selling point, to tourists at least, is its unique history and culture. While still part of the United Kingdom, it is semi-autonomous and has it's own parliament which in turn means it has its own laws, number plates and so on. History buffs will have a field day on the island, which has innumerabl
e sites of interest scattered across its seventy mile length. Most are ancient Viking sites, but there are several particularly impressive castles in towns such as Peel and Castletown.

Stepping off the ferry in particular, you feel as if you have just entered a time warp. The ferry terminal has a distinctly 70s feel to it, while the immediate area of Douglas is a curious fusion of 50s buildings and ultra-modern architecture. One moment you can be walking down a narrow lane of shops, the next you're in one of the modern shopping centres. It's a strange experience but the town's character benefits from it. Unlike a lot of English towns, there appears to have been an active decision to maintain at least some of their past, and this is very clear as you walk around.

Entertainment-wise, the island is largely stuck in the past. The areas aimed at tourists are populated by antiquated hotels with crumbling walls and musty smells, while the attempts at sea-front entertainment fell behind Blackpool's equivalent a hundred years ago. That said, I do not wish to be too critical. If you want Blackpool, go to Blackpool. Douglas is a much different experience and you should not be going there with false expectations. It has much to offer in its own right.

The rest of the island consists of a series of medium-sized towns linked by long, winding roads cutting through the very impressive scenery. Castletown is well worth a look for it's castle and harbour, which hosts the annual tin-bath boat race, which is always worth a look for the men diving twenty feet down into the sea. Port Erin and Port St. Mary lie to the very South of the island and are also nice little villages. If you are travelling to the South for a day out, you can enjoy the novelty of the steam train which is relatively inexpensive but great fun for kids (little and big) in particular. A ticket from Douglas to the end of the line - around a twenty mile journey, taking the
best part of an hour - costs a little over £10 return for an adult.

To the West (so I am reliably informed by libertybell) lies Peel, a strange town with a curious atmosphere, but which has a sprawling castle and a superb new museum and exhibition centre telling the story of the Vikings. In particular, the life-size boat which sits half-in and hlaf-out of the building is an awesome site and worth the entry fee (small change) alone.

The North of the island is often neglected, but is not to be missed - in my opinion, it has the most beautiful scenery to be found anywhere not only on the island, but in this country. Whatever time of year you go, it is home to some beautiful... trees, and things. Laxey is a gorgeous little town which you can get to by electric rail from Douglas. From there you can simply enjoy exploring the town, go down to the beach or as I would recommend on a good day, take the tram up to Snaefell, the highest point on the island. It's a very impressive sight. Just further up sits Ramsey, a good town for shopping buffs and where the electric train from Douglas terminates.

The obligatory mention must go to the world-famous TT racing festival. The first time I went to a race, I had no particular feelings toward the sport. By the time the twenty-nine (if I recall correctly) laps were up, I was beginning to see the attraction it holds for so many people. In particular, the opportunity to get so close to the action around the island is breathtaking. You can get right to the edge of a barrier and see sidecars zoom past literally inches from you, at over 100mph. It's an amazing experience and can't be missed if you do visit.

Prices on the island are largely comparable to the mainland, with many items in fact being cheaper - beer, for example, which is a boon for alcoholoics like myself. Things like tea-bags and bread, for some reason, are expensive though. If you want to splash out, a loaf from the Ramsey bake
ries is well worth it, and a good taste of the island to take back home.

While definitely not for everyone, the Isle of Man is a great location for a short break away. It is very accessible by ferry and air (from Heysham, Liverpool and Manchester most regularly) and even during peak season, it's not all too expensive. I would not stay for longer than a week, as I suspect you would find yourself running short of places to visit and things to do, but for a five-day break, the Isle of Man is a hidden gem that you would be foolish to miss out on.