Cooill y Ree Park

1128 Reviews

Star Travel Rating

3/5

Review type

Things to do

Location

Date of travel

August, 2019

Product name

Product country

Product city

Travelled with

On your own

Reasons for trip

I’d seen the large sign on the unclassified road opposite Tynwald Hill in st John’s and went to investigate…

Cooil y Ree translates as ‘Nook of the King’ and was opened in 2001. According to one of the websites I found it is a “parkland area which was developed with the history of the Isle of Man in mind, from its culture through to its future. The walk through the park includes art, features and plantings all linked to the island’s changing culture.”

Apparently “The park will be further developed with the placement of art, features and plantings to represent the changing culture over time”, but I think they have forgotten about this…

The small viewing area by the sign is supposed to represent the first Millennium because if you turn round, you can see Tynwald and St John’s Church. Actually most people may not do this and assume the viewpoint is looking down at the vegetation in an overgrown glen.

A wheelchair friendly path drops down to the bottom of the glen where there is a large open area with grass and what is referred to as the ‘Avenue of Time’ (a long tree lined avenue). This is supposed to form an extension to the line of poles linking Tynwald and St John’s Church.

The vegetation on either side of this is supposed to represent the thickets which were gradually cleared during the Celtic and Viking era. They have now reverted to natural scrubland…

At the end of the Avenue of time is Millennium Point and the Circle of Infinity. I’m not sure what this is and didn’t manage to find it, although I must admit I didn’t try very hard.

There is a large ‘story chair’ massive viking sword and carved wooden plank near the bottom of the steps from the A1, apart from that, the only other ‘Art bit’ seems to be the splendid Wallaby which is part of the ‘Wallabies gone Wild Trail’ designed to raise awareness and funds for the Isle of Man hospice.

I passed a Walking for Health group as I dropped down the ramped trail who were very amused when I asked how long the walk would take as there was no information on the display board. I was told 5 minutes. They weren’t far out either!

Forget about the culture bit and just enjoy this as a very short walk. It is popular with local families with young children who come to find the wallaby and scamper among the trees.

Access is either by the ramped access opposite Tynwald or from steps by the bus stop opposite the inn. The western entrance is a couple of hundred yards down the A1. There is on road parking near by. The nearest post code is IM4 3NA and the grid reference is SC 277 819.

ESW

Join the club

Become a member to receive exclusive benefits

Our community is the heart of Silver Travel Advisor, we love nothing more than sharing ideas, inspiration, hints and tips between us.

Come feel the love on a Princess cruise. You’ll enjoy the MedallionClass experience others simply can’t, and it’s exclusively for everyone. Visit incredible destinations and be involved in the best experiences around each one of them.

Experience more with Princess and connect effortlessly with the world around you, spend time away with loved ones, take a moment for yourself, and fall in love with your holiday of a lifetime, every time.

With over 20 years of experience, Wendy Wu Tours has mastered the art of creating exceptional, fully inclusive tours which showcase the very best of each destination.

Each tour is led by a world-class guide, who will highlight the very best of their homeland, and includes authentic cultural experiences so you are not just seeing the sights, but truly immersing yourself in local life.

Say hello to ease at sea. Ambassador’s purpose is simple: they want to inspire every guest to experience authentic cruising, effortlessly and sustainably. Passionate about protecting our oceans and destinations, their ships comply with the highest industry emission standards and there is no single-use plastic on board.

On your voyage, you will receive the warmest of welcomes from the Ambassador community as you sail upon the friendliest ships afloat.

This is a global co-operative co-owned by local partners using real local experts and guides, which supports local communities, environments and wildlife. It offers travellers quirky places to stay, activity holidays and learning experiences. Not In The Guidebooks gets travellers off the beaten track into local culture with day experiences and longer, immersive adventures.

From wild wellness breaks in Wales to painting in Portugal, sustainable adventures in Mauritius to food safaris in Brazil, this is immersive, exciting travel.

Seabourn’s five intimate ships carry guests to the heart of great cities, exclusive yacht harbours and secluded coves around the world, while two new purpose-built expedition ships will combine exhilarating adventures in remote destinations with the sophisticated amenities of the world’s finest resorts at sea.

From the luxury of all suite accommodations to complimentary fine wines and spirits, and a no tipping policy, Seabourn exemplifies the definition of travelling well.