Union Mills

Union Mills is not a village built around hotels, but its location three miles from Douglas along the A1 makes it a practical and characterful base for exploring the Isle of Man, whether you are here for the TT races or simply after somewhere quieter than the capital to come back to each evening. Staying nearby puts you directly on the Mountain Course and beside the River Dhoo, with the option of a short hop into Douglas for its wider choice of hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs along the promenade and in the town centre, or onward along the A1 to the harbour town of Peel.

Because formal hotel accommodation in the village itself is limited, most visitors booking a hotel stay choose from the fuller range available in Douglas, only a ten to fifteen minute drive or bus ride away, and use Union Mills as a day-trip destination for its river walks, pub and TT-watching spots. Self-catering cottages and guesthouses in and around the village offer an alternative for those who want to wake up on the course itself. Whichever you choose, book well ahead if your visit coincides with TT or the Manx Grand Prix, when accommodation across the island fills quickly.

Union Mills is a small village, but its position on the TT course, beside the River Dhoo and within easy reach of Douglas gives visitors plenty to fill a stay.

• Watch the racing at Union Mills — during TT and the Manx Grand Prix, the village becomes one of the best-loved viewing points on the Mountain Course, with a fast, technical left-right sequence that separates the confident from the cautious.
• River Dhoo fishing and footpaths — the river running through the village holds brown trout, sea trout and salmon, and a public footpath along the old Heritage Trail follows the water for well over a mile down towards Braddan Bridge.
• Union Mills railway station site — the former Isle of Man Railway station here opened in 1873 on the Douglas to Peel line; although passenger services on that branch ended in the 1960s, the trackbed is now part of a popular walking and cycling route.
• The Railway Inn — the village pub, with a garden that becomes a prime TT vantage point in race season and a proper local the rest of the year.
• Quarterbridge — a short walk or drive towards Douglas, this road junction marks the start of the TT course proper and is a good spot to see racers pick up speed heading out of town.
• National Sports Centre, Douglas — the island's main stadium and leisure complex is only a couple of miles away, useful for a swim or a look at Manx sporting life.
• Manx Heritage Trail to Peel — a glen beside the village gives onto this waymarked walking route, which follows the old railway line all the way from Douglas to Peel on the west coast.
• Douglas town and promenade — the island's capital, with its Victorian seafront, horse tramway and Manx Museum, is a short drive or bus ride away.

The Railway Inn is the village's own pub, a traditional Manx local with a garden that comes into its own during TT week. There is also a village shop and petrol station for essentials. For a wider choice of restaurants, cafes and bars, Douglas is only a few minutes away by car or bus, with everything from harbourside seafood to casual promenade cafes, while the market town of Peel at the other end of the A1 is known for its kipper houses and fresh seafood, including the long-established Moore's Traditional Curers.

Union Mills sits directly on the River Dhoo, with wooded glens rising on either side of the village, making it a pleasant, low-key spot to pitch a tent or book into a glamping stay on the Isle of Man rather than the more familiar camping counties of England, Wales or Scotland. Glenlough Campsite, a family-run site with around 250 pitches, sits right on the TT course only three miles from Douglas, while Saba's Glen Yurt Eco Campsite offers wooden yurts with outdoor hot tubs in a conservation area beside the river, a good option for anyone who wants the setting without the tent-pitching. During TT fortnight in late May and June, additional temporary campsites open in and around the village, including pitches at the local football club, to cope with the huge seasonal influx of race fans, so this is by far the busiest and most sought-after time to camp here.

Outside race weeks, camping in Union Mills is a quieter affair, with the river, the old railway trackbed and the walking route through to Peel giving campers plenty to explore on foot. Wild camping is broadly tolerated across much of the Isle of Man on a leave-no-trace basis, but there is no automatic legal right to camp on private land as there is in Scotland, so anyone considering pitching up outside a recognised site should always seek the landowner's permission first, and be aware that certain locations, such as the Ayres nature reserve and the Sulby Claddagh, require a permit. Sticking to Union Mills' established campsites avoids any doubt. Late spring through to early autumn is the best season, with long daylight hours either side of the TT making a stay here feel like camping inside the race itself, while damp, breezy winters are better suited to the yurt than the tent.