Snaefell
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Snaefell (Template:Langx) – (Template:Langx)<ref>Place Names of The Isle of Man – Da Ny Manninee Dooie Volume Three. Sheading of Ayre (Kirk Andreas, Kirk Bride and Kirk Christ Lezayre) page 464 Kirk Christ Lezayre by George Broderick – Tübingen; Niemeyer NE:HST (1997) Manx Place-Name Survey, Max Niemeyer Verlag Türbingen Template:ISBN (Gesamtwerk) 3-484-40131-1 (Band 3) Druck: Weihert-Druck GmbH Darmstadt Einband: Siegfried Geiger, Ammerbuch. "A mountain summit ct. SC38NE SC39788811"</ref> is the highest mountain and the only summit above Template:Convert on the Isle of Man, at Template:Convert above sea level.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The summit is crowned by a railway station, cafe, several communications masts and can be reached by narrow gauge railway.
ViewsEdit
It is a well-known saying in the Isle of Man that on a clear day six kingdoms can be seen from the top: the Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Heaven.<ref>Isle of Man guide website</ref> Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of Manannán (or the sea).<ref>Manx Notebook website</ref>
The summit plaque indicates the directions of five points from Snaefell as well as their distances:
- Template:Convert to the Mull of Galloway (Scotland)
- Template:Convert to Scafell (England)
- Template:Convert to the Mountains of Mourne (Northern Ireland)
- Template:Convert to Liverpool (England)
- Template:Convert to Dublin (Republic of Ireland)
(For some reason, Wales is absent from the plaque).
While highly dependent on weather conditions and visibility, all of the four countries of the United Kingdom can be seen from the summit of Snaefell. This includes much of the southern coast of Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, the Lake District in England, the northern coast of Anglesey in Wales, and the Mountains of Mourne in Northern Ireland. Points in the Republic of Ireland in County Louth can also be seen.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Climbing SnaefellEdit
The Snaefell Mountain Railway has a seasonal electric tram service, typically from April to October, which climbs the Template:Convert from Laxey to the summit.Template:Citation needed
The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road passes over the slopes of Snaefell, and is the highest section of the Snaefell Mountain Course over which the Isle of Man TT races are held. Walkers often use the car park on this road near the Bungalow railway station (last railway stop before the summit) from which there is a rough path to the peak. The trail has sections of gravel, slate stones, grass and rock. While the angle of ascent steepens significantly closer to the summit, special climbing equipment is not required. However, caution is required in steep areas as the grass, earth and rocks are often slippery. Average climb time on foot on a dry footpath is about 45 minutes.Template:Citation needed
A geodetic marker embedded in the small, concrete obelisk indicates the true mountain summit. The rock cairn standing nearby has an information plaque on top.Template:Citation needed
WeatherEdit
In 1970, the automated weather station at the Snaefell summit recorded a gust of Template:Convert which was one of the highest wind speeds ever recorded in the British Isles.<ref>Birmingham Daily Post page 35 Wednesday 4 November 1970</ref> During hurricane storm-force winds, the Template:Convert Civil Aviation Authority radio mast at the Snaefell summit was damaged and blown down on 2 December 1966.<ref>Birmingham Daily Post page 27 Saturday 3 December 1966</ref>
GalleryEdit
- Snaefell Mountain Walking Trail - Isle of Man - kingsley - 24-JUN-09.jpg
Footpath entry near Bungalow railway station typically used to climb Snaefell
- Snaefell with Snaefell Mountain Railway.jpg
The Snaefell Mountain Railway on the ascent of Snaefell
- Summit Hotel - Snaefell Mountain - kingsley - 24-APR-09.jpg
Defunct hotel (now cafe) near the summit
- Snaefell Mountain Summit - Isle of Man - kingsley - 24-APR-09.jpg
Top of Snaefell with geodetic marker and nearby cairn with plaque
- Plaque atop Snaefell Mountain - Isle of Man - kingsley - 24-JUN-09.jpg
Plaque pointing out the directions of landmarks and their distances from the summit
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Computer generated summit panoramas North South Index
- Snaefell Mountain Railway
- Cold War RADAR Site
- Snaefell Fell Race
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