Glen Maye

Glen Maye cuts down to the west coast south of Peel, narrow and thickly wooded, with a waterfall partway down where the stream drops through a gorge and a path continuing to a rocky cove at the bottom where the water runs out over the shingle. Bridges and steps carry the path across the stream several times. The coastal footpath passes the top of the glen, and the cliffs south from here run out towards Niarbyl.

Background

In Manx the glen is Glion Muigh or Glion Meay, meaning Luxuriant Glen. Glen and village lie 4 km south of Peel, which is linked to it by bus. The glen covers some 11.5 acres on both banks of the Rushen River, has been owned by Manx National Heritage since 1960 and appears on the official list of Manx National Glens. At its foot stands the Mona Erin wheelcase, the only visible trace of mining carried on here between 1740 and 1870. A pub, The Waterfall Hotel, stands at the entrance near the falls, and a Glen Maye farm house, Raby Mooar, was used in the 1998 film Waking Ned.

Source: Wikipedia, "Glen Maye"

Highlights

• The waterfall - the drop through the gorge partway down the glen.
• The wooded gorge - the narrow steep-sided valley the path follows.
• The shingle cove - the rocky shore where the stream reaches the sea.
• The coastal path - the route along the cliffs passing the glen head.

When to go

April to October gives the best footing. Spring has the strongest waterfall flow and the bluebells. Winter storms close sections of the path.

Before you go

The path is steep with many steps and is slippery when wet. Storm damage has closed the lower section at times. The cove is rock and shingle rather than a beach.

Nearby

Niarbyl is south, and Peel is north.