Port Soderick Beach

This beach of Port Soderick lies at the foot of a wooded glen, where the River Crogga runs into the sea, about three miles from Douglas.  The little valley here is known for its attractive bluebell displays in late spring. 

The small beach is mainly composed of shingle and sand, backed by a concrete sea wall along which runs a paved promenade.  The beach is flanked by rocks, and there are views along the cliffs of this stretch of the Manx coastline.

On the south side of the beach there are three large caves, once thought to be the haunt of smugglers.  Manx legend tells of an enchanted submerged island in the bay. 

The beach had its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and there was once a hotel, a walkway across the rocks, an arcade and a funicular taking day trippers up the cliffs.  Today the remains of some of these structures tell of a bygone age.  There are plans to redevelop the site as a tourist destination.