Langness Peninsula

Langness runs out from the south coast as a low finger of rock and grass, with a golf links along its length, a lighthouse of 1880 at the tip and the Herring Tower, a stone daymark of 1811, standing on the highest ground. Seals use the rocks around the point in numbers, and the coast here is one of the better places on the island to see them. Much of the peninsula is common land crossed by footpaths.

History

Langness means "long promontory" in Old Norse, and its old Manx name, Oaie Ny Baatyn Marroo, means "graveyard of the lost ships": before the lighthouse was built on Dreswick Point in 1880, wrecks on the peninsula were common (Wikipedia, Langness Peninsula).

What's there

• The lighthouse - the 1880 light at the southern tip of the peninsula.
• The Herring Tower - the 1811 stone daymark on the high ground.
• The seals - the colonies hauled out on the rocks around the point.
• The links - the golf course running the length of the peninsula.

When to go

April to October is best for walking and seals. Winds are constant and severe in winter. Seal numbers peak in the autumn.

What to expect

Access rights across the peninsula have been disputed and signage is confusing in places. Golf is played across the paths and care is needed. There is no shelter anywhere on it.

Nearby

St Michael's Isle is at the neck, and Castletown is northwest.

Key facts