ManxGP

[Steve_M]

Chatting to my good lady about the TT and I mentioned that I’m not fussed about going to see it but I rather like the idea of going to see the ManxGP. Mostly because I suspect it has less cachet so will be cheaper yet I’m sure the racing will be equally as interesting. I can’t go this year because it’s on the week before we set out on our annual tour. So next year it is. It gives me a year to save, to research and to do all the travel and accommodation bookings.

 

Now for the $64,000 question. Any advice on best places to view from, handy for accommodation, and any places to go with my good lady in the evening… yes, she’s interested in going, too?

Edited June 8, 2023 by Steve_M

[manxie49]

I've attached the TT page, but accommodation is the same, MGP page also below. Where to view from is subjective, so many good places.  I always aim for somewhere on the outside of the course, that way if I want to move on somewhere else it's pretty straight forward.  Go on the inside and you're stuck.  I personally like viewing from the Creg-Ny-Baa,  great place to watch the bikes plus a good pub.  If you want to see full on speed, then Cronk-Y-Voddy is good, the bikes are doing 200mph along that straight! In field parking, and you can spectate from the outer fields, again, not getting stuck inside the circuit.  Evening entertainment for MGP seems to have been scaled back a lot compared to TT, and there are a lot of calls for something more to be done, there may be a little bit more put on this year though which will hopefully continue.  Most of the Evening entertainment that is on though is mostly around the Douglas and Ramsey areas.  Occasionally with bands at the Villa.  Links below that may help, if you get stuck, or indeed need any help when you're over, give us a shout.  Really helpful, group of local riders here.  I love the TT but I prefer the MGP,  the roads aren't as manic, a bit easier to get around, and I love the classic bikes that the Grand Prix always attracts.  Hope this helps 

https://www.iomttraces.com/visit/page/where-to-stay/

https://www.manxgrandprix.co.uk

[Yorky]

As I've said before, +1 for the Creg

[Steve_M]

1 hour ago, manxie49 said:

I've attached the TT page, but accommodation is the same, MGP page also below. Where to view from is subjective, so many good places.  I always aim for somewhere on the outside of the course, that way if I want to move on somewhere else it's pretty straight forward.  Go on the inside and you're stuck.  I personally like viewing from the Creg-Ny-Baa,  great place to watch the bikes plus a good pub.  If you want to see full on speed, then Cronk-Y-Voddy is good, the bikes are doing 200mph along that straight! In field parking, and you can spectate from the outer fields, again, not getting stuck inside the circuit.  Evening entertainment for MGP seems to have been scaled back a lot compared to TT, and there are a lot of calls for something more to be done, there may be a little bit more put on this year though which will hopefully continue.  Most of the Evening entertainment that is on though is mostly around the Douglas and Ramsey areas.  Occasionally with bands at the Villa.  Links below that may help, if you get stuck, or indeed need any help when you're over, give us a shout.  Really helpful, group of local riders here.  I love the TT but I prefer the MGP,  the roads aren't as manic, a bit easier to get around, and I love the classic bikes that the Grand Prix always attracts.  Hope this helps 

https://www.iomttraces.com/visit/page/where-to-stay/

https://www.manxgrandprix.co.uk

All good and useful information. Many thanks.

 

Evening entertainment for us is a glass or three of red wine and a good book, so that’s not an issue. 

[John splendid]

A bit of a belated response but I only recently joined the forum. I lived and worked in the iom for 13 years so I thought I'd offer a couple of additional suggestions to supplement the good ones made so far. I really like watching from the farmer's field sitting on the hedge at Gorse Lea. It's a really fast bend a few miles before Ballacraine and the hedge is on the apex of the curve so the bikes are really close. Another possibility is Barregaroo. There's a farmer's  field where people watch and they also do good cakes and tea. The Gooseneck is also a good spot, accessible via a back lane when roads are closed. It's worth buying a decent road map of the island because there are handy back lanes that give access to various places even on closed roads. If you ride off road, there are various tracks that also take you to different parts of the course. For example, there is a rough track leading from Glen Roy, above Laxey, to Windy Corner. It's not a difficult track - even I've done it and I'm a rubbish off road rider. If you want to avoid riding at some point, Governor's Bridge and  Quarterbridge are both decent spots in Douglas, though sadly the Quarterbridge pub is still currently  closed. Alternatively, you could take the electric tram up Snaefel from Laxey to the Bungalow. The tram obviously stops without crossing the Course but there is a footbridge to cross over. I hope those might be useful suggestions. This year's Manx Grand Prix is the centenary event so there will probably be a few extras laid on. The organisers - the Manx Motor Cycle Club -  do an excellent job despite the woeful lack of promotion of the event by the Manx government.

[manxie49]

14 hours ago, John splendid said:

A bit of a belated response but I only recently joined the forum. I lived and worked in the iom for 13 years so I thought I'd offer a couple of additional suggestions to supplement the good ones made so far. I really like watching from the farmer's field sitting on the hedge at Gorse Lea. It's a really fast bend a few miles before Ballacraine and the hedge is on the apex of the curve so the bikes are really close. Another possibility is Barregaroo. There's a farmer's  field where people watch and they also do good cakes and tea. The Gooseneck is also a good spot, accessible via a back lane when roads are closed. It's worth buying a decent road map of the island because there are handy back lanes that give access to various places even on closed roads. If you ride off road, there are various tracks that also take you to different parts of the course. For example, there is a rough track leading from Glen Roy, above Laxey, to Windy Corner. It's not a difficult track - even I've done it and I'm a rubbish off road rider. If you want to avoid riding at some point, Governor's Bridge and  Quarterbridge are both decent spots in Douglas, though sadly the Quarterbridge pub is still currently  closed. Alternatively, you could take the electric tram up Snaefel from Laxey to the Bungalow. The tram obviously stops without crossing the Course but there is a footbridge to cross over. I hope those might be useful suggestions. This year's Manx Grand Prix is the centenary event so there will probably be a few extras laid on. The organisers - the Manx Motor Cycle Club -  do an excellent job despite the woeful lack of promotion of the event by the Manx government.

Some good advice ..... Sadly, everything about the Manx Government is woeful at the minute