Laxey
Laxey is a small and very touristy village on the Isle of Man - its Great Wheel is an icon of the island. Laksaa in Manx means salmon, like the modern Scandinavian and German words, and the river descending steeply from Snaefell has a run of salmon. From the 18th century Laxey was a metal-mining village, as it was possible to drill horizontally into the mountainside - such "adits" are technically easier than vertical "shafts", and much easier to drain. The Great Wheel is the best known of several large waterwheels installed to pump out the mines.
Laxey is also the start of the mountain railway up Snaefell. In 2021 the village population was 1656.
Get in
For flights to Ronaldsway and ferries to Douglas see Isle of Man#Get in. Laxey is 7 miles northeast of Douglas along A2.
Bus 3 runs from Douglas, taking 30 min via St Ninians, Onchan and Baldrine, and continues north to Glen Mona and Ramsey. They're every 30 min M-Sa and every two hours on Sunday.
1 Laxey railway station has electric trams hourly from Douglas Derby Castle mid-March through October, taking 30 min and continuing to Ramsey.
The station is also the start point of Snaefell Mountain Railway, which connects with the trams and takes 30 min to ascend Snaefell.
Throughout the TT fortnight in June, the mountain section A18 is one-way southbound from Ramsey to Creg-ny-Baa approaching Douglas, and cyclists are prohibited. This is apart from the complete closures during races and practice. A2 through Laxey village remains open.
Get around
The village is small enough to walk around.
See
- 1 King Orry's Grave is a chambered burial tomb 4000-5000 years old. It's within the garden of a private cottage on Ballaragh Road, but there's free access. King Orry himself is mythical, but is based on the 11th century Godred Crovan, a Norse-Gaelic warrior. He was on the losing side at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, fled to Mann, and somehow attained its kingship. At its zenith his rule stretched around the Irish Sea and Hebrides, but he was ousted from Dublin and died on Islay in 1095. He's probably buried on Iona where the many medieval royal burial plots can no longer be identified.
- 2 Laxey Wheel (Queeyl Vooar Laksey), Mines Road IM4 7NL, ☏ +44 1624 648000. Apr-Oct daily 09:30-16:30. Laxey and the surrounding hills have ores of lead, zinc, copper and traces of silver. These were mined in a small way from the 13th century but the process ramped up in the 19th, and deeper mines required incessant pumping to prevent flooding. By then steam power was replacing watermills on mainland Britain, but the Isle of Man lacked coal. This huge waterwheel (also known as "Lady Isabella") was built in 1854: at 72 ft 6 in (22.1 m) diameter it's the world's largest still in use. Water from higher up the hill is siphoned to the top of the tower and falls onto the wheel buckets in a "backshot" design. It rotates 3 times a minute and the motion is conveyed by a 200 m rod to a rocker that drives the pumps. Visitors also explore an old mine adit. Adult £13, child free.
- Snaefell Wheel or Lady Evelyn Wheel above the railway station is the survivor of a pair of 50 ft (15.24 m) pumping wheels installed in 1865. They fell into disuse in 1910 and this one worked for a time in Cornwall, but was returned and restored in 2006.
- Great Laxey Mine Railway (Raad Yiarn Meain Mooar Laksaa), Douglas Rd IM4 7NH (Above railway station), ☏ +44 1624 862007. Apr-Sept Sa 11:00-16:30. This is a reconstruction of the 19 inch (483 mm) gauge railway that from 1823 brought ore from deep in the mountain. It was initially hand-hauled, then by pit pony, then by steam locomotives from 1877. The mine closed in 1929 and everything above ground was scrapped, but one train was left below and has been restored. Replica locos now shunt visitors up and down the site but don't go into the mine - no point, since the visitors yield more silver than was ever extracted from the depths.
- 3 Snaefell is the Isle of Man's highest peak and the only one you'd call a mountain, at 2037 feet / 621 m. As the name indicates, it's the only point where snow is likely to lie in this mild maritime climate. Take a look at the cloud cover before deciding to go up. Most visitors ride the mountain railway to the summit station, where the cafe is open daily. See below for hiking routes.
- 4 Cashtal yn Ard ("Castle of the Heights") is a large chambered burial tomb 4000 years old, on the hill above Glen Mona. It's about 130 ft / 40 m long, oriented east-west, giving its unknown occupants a view of the farmlands below. Its bones of a young man have not been dated, but the pottery shards were typically Neolithic. Some of the stone has been recycled into nearby buildings. The site is free to explore 24 hours.
Do
- Laxey beach is below the river outlet and little harbour. It's sandy.
- Snaefell on foot is usually ascended from The Bungalow on A18 - at 1360 ft this is the highest point on the TT race circuit, and the penultimate stop on the mountain railway. Head straight north up the clear grassy trail, and reckon 30 min to the summit. A 7 km trail ascends from Laxey Wheel and there are several others.
- Dhoon Glen is accessed by a footpath starting off A2 two miles north of Laxey. It winds down to a sandy beach.
- Raad ny Foillan coastal path courses from Douglas to Laxey then inland to Dhoon and Glen Mona, with a zigzag to take in Port Cornaa and Cashtal yn Ard.
Buy
- Coop Food is by the station, open M-Sa 08:00-19:00, Su 09:00-17:00.
- Laxey Woollen Mills sell knitware Tu-Sa 10:00-17:00.
Eat
- Laxey Beach Cafe is open daily 09:00-17:00.
- La Mona Lisa, 10 Glen Road IM4 7AB (across bridge from Shore Hotel), ☏ +44 1624 862488. Daily 17:30-22:00. Friendly place for Italian food.
- The Laxey Glen, New Rd IM4 7BE (by railway station), ☏ +44 1624 863613. Th-Sa 12:00-22:00, Su 12:00-17:00. Smart bistro and events venue.
- Ballacregga Corn Mill Tearoom, Mines Rd IM4 7NJ (at Laxey Wheel), ☏ +44 1624 860840. Daily 09:30-16:30. Inexpensive lunches and light bites.
Drink
- Mines Tavern next to the railway station is open daily 12:00-23:00.
- Queen's Hotel on New Rd midway up the village is open Su-Th 12:00-23:00, F Sa 12:00-00:00.
Sleep
- 1 Laxey Campsite, Quarry Road IM4 7DU, ☏ +44 7624 264804. Open April-Sept, this is a clean, well-run central campsite. Adult £12 ppn, car £2, campervan £5.
- 2 Shore Hotel, Old Laxey Hill IM4 7DA, ☏ +44 1624 861509. Built in 1837 but re-furbished in 2022, this is now a smart modern pub and hotel with six rooms en suite. B&B double £170.
- The Bridge Inn, 6 New Rd, Laxey IM4 7BE (by railway station), ☏ +44 1624 862414. This is still in business as a pub but is not offering rooms in 2023.
- Seascape B&B remains closed in 2023.
Connect
Laxey and its approach roads have 4G from Sure and Manx. As of April 2023, 5G has not rolled out on the Isle of Man.
Go next
- Douglas the capital has the most accommodation and visitor amenities.
- Ramsey to the north is a resort town.