St Michael's Isle
A tidal islet off Langness with a twelfth-century chapel and a Civil War era fort.
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St Michael's Isle, generally called Fort Island, is a low grassy islet joined to the Langness peninsula by a causeway, and it holds two structures: a roofless chapel of the twelfth century built of local stone, and Derby Fort, a circular gun battery raised in the 1640s during the English Civil War to cover the approaches to Castletown. Both are open ground with no ticketing. Seals haul out on the rocks and the exposure is total.
What you actually see
- The twelfth-century chapel - a roofless stone building on the open islet.
- Derby Fort - the circular gun battery of the 1640s covering the approach.
- The causeway - the link across from the Langness peninsula.
- The seals - the animals hauling out on the rocks around the islet.
When to go
April to October is best for conditions. The causeway is exposed and can be washed over in storms. Winds here are constant.
Honest expectations
The islet is entirely exposed with no shelter of any kind. Both structures are open ruins with minimal interpretation. Access can be cut in bad weather.
Nearby
Langness Peninsula is beside it, and Castletown is northwest.
What to pack for St Michael's Isle
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.