It might be best known for hosting the annual TT motorcycle races each May, but year-round attractions mean a trip to the Isle of Man is fascinating at any time.
Eco-tourism and wellness holidays have become big draws, while biodiversity, wildlife and conservation are important to the island – in 2016 it became the first in the world to be recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve for its sustainable development. 
Add to this a growing food and drink scene and anyone visiting for business would do well to stay an extra day to check out what’s on offer, writes Bristol Business News travel editor Anne Gorringe.
Castle Rushen in Castletown
Island facts: Sitting smack in the middle of the Irish Sea – equidistant between England and Ireland – the Isle of Man holds allegiance to King Charles as a Crown Dependency within the British Isles.
But it is proud to be self-governing. Its parliament, Tynwald, is not only the oldest in the world but was also the first to give women the vote – way back in 1881.
The island has its own language, Manx, said to date back to the fifth century after Irish missionaries settled here. The island – 53km long and 22km wide – was then occupied by seafarers from Scandinavia from the nineth century through to 1266, when it was sold to Scotland.
Not surprisingly, it is strong on folklore and there is no shortage of superstitions – Manx people never use the word ‘rat’, perhaps because sailors had a horror of them getting on board their ships. Instead, these rodents are always referred to as ‘longtails’.
Milner’s Tower, Port Erin
While it regarded as something of a tax haven, locals are keen to dispute this, stressing that the across-the-board 20% tax rate is a fairer system.
Financial companies have long flourished here, but they aren’t alone. One firm that produces a vital component for electric kettles proudly boasts that kitchens worldwide have just a little piece of the island at their very heart.
Getting there: Direct flights from Bristol Airport, taking just 55 minutes, are operated by easyJet up to four times a week from February through to the end of September. Prices start at £26 one way.
Alternatively, Loganair has direct flights all year round from Birmingham International Airport. The flight time is also 55 minutes, with prices from £66 one way.
The Manx Electric Railway
Sustainability is taken seriously on the island and much has been done to improve and update its ferry services, which operate from Liverpool and Heysham, Lancashire, direct to the capital Douglas. Crossing times are around two hours 45 minutes and three hours 45 minutes respectively. Ferry prices (car and two passengers) start at £98 midweek from September. www.steam-packet.com www.easyjet.com www.loganair.co.uk
Getting around: Regular buses link the airport, which is on the south of the island, with the capital Douglas Tickets cost £2.80. The bus network connects to most places, with an £8 day ticket allowing you can hop on and off at different attractions. However, far more interesting are the island’s four working heritage railways, including one running along the seafront at Douglas in summer that is still powered by horses. iombusandrail.im Manx Electric Railway 
Where to stay: Most of the island’s hotels are in Douglas and the Mannin is one of the newest – although the building itself dates back to the 1880s, it was modernised and reopened in 2016. It’s a convenient location for business travellers but also just a one-minute walk from the seafront. Prices in September are around £117 for a double room.
Wild water swimming at Mill House
You’ll find it near the splendid Gaiety Theatre, which was designed as an opera house and theatre in 1899 by Frank Matcham, the acclaimed architect who specialised in theatres and music halls and whose last major building was the Bristol Hippodrome. www.manninhotel.im
Wellness – and cold water dips: Need to recharge and re-motivate post-meeting? A half-day session in the beautiful surroundings of the Mill House retreat means you get to try yoga, fitness and cold water therapy, plus delicious food. Various courses are run by Soul Adventures at this 500-year-old converted mill throughout the year, with a three-hour session offering yoga, plus a chance to cool down in the wild dipping pool before a warming sauna costing £55. www.souladventures.im
Visit the Laxey Wheel: Built in 1854 to pump water out of nearby lead, copper, silver and zinc mines, the spectacular 22m-high Laxey Wheel is said to be the world’s largest surviving original working waterwheel.
Laxey Wheel
An extraordinary feat of Victorian engineering, it is linked to an equally impressive 200m-long viaduct which houses a horizontal ‘lever’ linked to a pumping shaft. Visitors can climb up to a viewing platform at the top. You can reach Laxey on the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas or Ramsey. Opening times are 9.30am to 4.30pm and tickets cost £15. The Great Laxey Wheel
Discover wartime history: The Isle of Man was used to intern foreign nationals during both world wars. During World War 1 the largest was Knockaloe Internment Camp in the village of Patrick, near Peel, where an old school house has been turned into a visitor centre filled with information. One famous World War 1 internee was Joseph Pilates, the German boxer and physical exercise instructor who, while detained here, developed the fitness regime that still bears his name. Knockaloe WW1 Internment Camp
Learn more at the Manx Museum: Find out about the island’s history and heritage from the Vikings to Manx designer and artist Archibald Knox at this museum in Douglas. 
Knox’s stunning art nouveau designs are well known – he was the prime designer for London’s Liberty’s store at the height of its success. The museum also has a TT section for motorbike fans.
The TT display at Manx Museum
It’s a great place to visit in your lunch hour if you’re here on business and short of time. Admission is free and its pen daily from 9.30am to 4.30pm. www.manxnationalheritage.im/our-sites/manx-museum
Go on a distillery tour: Go behind the scenes and try a tasting at the Fynoderee Distillery in Ramsey, a small seaside town in the north of the Island. Learn about the Manx folklore that inspired the Fynoderee name and beautiful artwork – and don’t forget to try a ‘fyn and tonic’ in the bar. Better still, it’s easy to reach by on the Manx Electric Railway from Douglas or Laxey, so there are no worries of having to drive afterwards. www.fynoderee.com
Hit the road: The island is the road racing capital of the world, so here’s a great opportunity to discover what it’s like to ride its hundreds of miles of quieter thoroughfares. 
IOM Trike Tours offer guided tours aboard a motor trike that takes you to places of historical interest and breath-taking scenery. The drivers are very knowledgeable, sharing stories through headsets about the island, its history, people and places. IOM Trike Tours
Try great food: The island is known for great seafood and particularly it’s ‘queenies’ – the name locals give to the queen scallops found here. You can try them at various fish and chip shops on the island, including Port Erin Chippy.
Fynoderee Distillery
Stop for a cocktail: Explore the heritage of the Gaiety Theatre on Douglas seafront, then enjoy the drama of a cocktail in the Frank Matcham’s Restaurant next door. www.matchams.im
Just look up: The Isle of Man has 26 official dark sky sites for stargazing, making it the highest concentration in the British Isles. It is also the world’s first entire nation to be designated a UNESCO Biosphere and boasts 160km of coastline, 32 beaches, 18 scenic glens.
Watch out for the fairies: The island has a big tradition of folk history and folklore. 
It’s said that, when you pass over one of its bridges – the Fairy Bridge – you must remember to wave and say hello to the fairies or you’ll be in for some bad luck.
Top tip: Need to escape a rainy day? Check out the House of Manannan, a museum which uncovers the island’s Norse and Celtric history. You’ll find it in Peel on the island’s west coast, within site of the town’s castle. House of Manannan
An ‘Epilogue’ cocktail at Frank Matcham’s restaurant in Douglas
And another thing: When Bob Geldof’s band The Boomtown Rats played the Isle of Man they had to change their name for the night to The Boomtown Longtails.
Don’t miss these: The World Tin Bath Championships is held each year in Castletown, in the south of the island, and coming up on 7 September. Or sample great dishes at the Isle of Man Food & Drink Festival on 14-15 September. Plus tour the countryside on foot during the Walk the Isle of Man Walking Festival from 22-27September.
More info: For information on the Isle of Man, visit: www.visitisleofman.com
