Castletown

Castletown is a village in southern Isle of Man. Ballasalla is a village just to the north, and between them is Ronaldsway Airport.

Hitchhiking out
The A5 Douglas-Port Erin road bypasses Castletown. Most traffic is here.

East towards Douglas
From the village centre, follow the main road east, round the castle, past the harbour and onto the A5. Hitchhike from the petrol station, or stand on the small junctions just before the petrol station. Waiting time 5-20 minutes.

North towards St. John's, Peel, Ramsey
Get to the A5 bypass, and walk until you find the traffic lights. This is the start of the A3 to Ramsey. Head north (towards the mountains) and find a wide enough spot that you like. Don't walk too far, because it is a straight road, there is no official speed limit and cars will go VERY fast.

West towards Port Erin, Port St. Mary
From the village centre, follow the main road wast, away from the castle and get to the junction with the A5 bypass. Hitchhike from this junction with a sign saying whatever you like. Waiting time 0-5 minutes.

By sea towards England, Wales, Ireland
The harbour in Castletown is not very busy, but there are a few small private boats that come and every day. Popular destinations include Barrow-in-Furness, Fleetwood, Liverpool, Llandudno, Holyhead, Dundalk, Bangor and Belfast. Stick around for a while and don't be afraid to ask if anyone needs help...

By air
Ronaldsway Airport is very close. It wouldn't be easy to hitchhike a plane from here, but you never know.

Public Transport
The number 1 bus travels between Douglas and the Calf Sound, and passes through Castletown every 30 minutes in each direction.

There is a steam railway that travels between Douglas and Port Erin. It's slower and more expensive than the bus, but it's a lot more fun.

Places to Visit
Castle Rushen is a very smart and well-restored medieval castle, and was for a long time the main castle on the Isle of Man, while Castletown was the Island's capital city. The inner rooms are decorated to recreate 15th- and 18th-century life. In the 19th century the castle was used as the Island's prison. From the roof of the castle you can see across the whole southern coastline of the Island.

The Southern 100 motorcycle races start on the A5 bypass.

Places to Avoid
Castletown pubs are maybe the roughest places on the Isle of Man at night.

Accommodation and Sleep
The King William's College provides hostel accommodation with prices starting at £14 per night, but you may have to deal with loads of screaming rich kids.