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Manx Waterfalls

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About Manx Waterfalls

The Manx glens, the valleys carved out by the timeless flow of streams or rivers, are a prominent feature of the Island landscape and many contain beautiful waterfalls of differing sizes and shapes.

Early tourists in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries praised their picturesque and romantic beauty. Glen Maye in particular was singled out for its ‘very romantic and beautiful cascade, which leaps down the neighbouring mountains, till it approaches a steep perpendicular rock; from whence, with much rapidity, it throws itself into the vale below. The fall is from a considerable height; and its picturesque beauty, and wild melody, receive an additional effect from the solitude of the surrounding scenery’.

The ‘quiet rural beauty’ of Laxey Glen was also singled out as charming by these early tourists, though it was the clear rivulet pouring over jutting rocks and large boulder stones below the main road, the Laxey Quarry Falls, that caught their admiration, not the national glen above the main road visited today.

The opening of the Manx Electric Railway in the late Victorian period allowed visitors to 'Manxland' to easily reach the glens along the east coast. Here Ballaglass is perhaps the archetypal example of a Manx glen. Its rocky stream bed descends through wooded hillside, the river now gushing, now slowing in pools. The waterfalls are relatively low and gentle; paths follow and cross the stream on the descent. It is said to be the locals' favourite glen, with some justification.

Dhoon Glen, also on the east coast, is much more challenging, being steep and deep, but the magnificent waterfall, the Inneen Vooar (the Big Girl) is reward enough. One of the highest falls on the Island at over 40 metres (130 feet), it splits in two over the rock face and falls in ribbons to a large pool in a cavern-like glade of ferns and moss. The path and stream continue down to the shingle shore guarded by impressive jutting rocks. Victorian visitors came in by boat in their thousands to see the waterfall.

In a more secluded inland location on the west coast is dramatic Spooyt Vane (White Spout), the highest waterfall on the Island, at around 50 metres (164 feet), a torrent of water falling through a narrow gap in the rock walls in several drops, the lower drop spreading across the rock face before plunging into a deep pool from which the beautifully clear water flows gently out, curving round a pebble shore when the season is dry. The semi-circle of rock walls enfolding Spooyt Vane are green with spurge and many different kinds of fern. Access is by kind permission of the landowner.

In the Victorian visitor boom, many of the glens were 'improved' to provide refreshments and entertainments, as well as the experience of exploring natural beauty. Dhoon was one and Glen Helen, in the centre of the Island, was another. Extensive tree and ornamental shrub planting was carried out and it was converted to public pleasure grounds with swings, croquet and skittles, with an entrance fee of 4 old pence (2p in today’s money). Fishing was one shilling (5p) extra. Here visitors could also enjoy the spectacle of the long narrow ribbon of the Rhenass waterfall from both above on a long-gone bridge and below before repairing via winding paths and rustic bridges to a picturesque Swiss chalet to take sustenance.

Nowadays the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture is responsible for managing the Island’s 18 National Glens. Its proud association with these popular venues extends back more than 70 years. The Department continues with a rolling programme of maintenance and access improvements.

The seclusion of many of the glens provides some of the most enchanting woodland walking you will find anywhere, with the reward of one of the most mesmerising sights of nature, a waterfall in full flow.