This is a popular walk and features as one of the Isle of Man “Railway Walks.”:http://www.visitisleofman.com/things-to-do/railway-ramble-castletown-scarlett-pooil-vaaish-p1299491 It is an easy walk with a lot of interest, particuklarly for anyone interested in geology.
Scarlet Point is signposted from the centre of Castletown, along Queen Street before picking up Raad ny Foillan, the coastal footpath.
The rocks around Castletown are carboniferous limestone and their flat strata can be seen really well along the beach. Limestone was quarried here until the C19th, providing building stone for Castle Rushen and most of Castletown. The flooded disused quarry can be seen from the path.
Limestone also fed the bank of three limekilns above the shore which produced lime for agricultural use. The small isolated building nearby was the gunpowder store. The bright orange tower was radar station during World War Two and the remains of the barracks are nearby. It became a coastguard lookout tower until the 1970s. It is now used by radio hams.
The small mining office at Scarlett Point is now the “Manx wildlife Visitor Centre”:http://www.manxwt.org.uk/reserves/scarlett-visitor-centre-and-nature-trail and has maps and information about the area including a nature trail. It is only open end of May untilk the end of September in the afternoons and has unfortunately always been closed when I’ve been here.
Beyond Scarlett point, the coast line becomes a lot more rugged with basaltic intrusions including one called The Stack, which is a popular perching point for Cormorants, shags, auks and gulls.
The volcanic activity which caused the volcanic intrusions also metamorphosed the limestone, forming the black Pooil Vaaish marbles which have been quarried since the C18th. The stone polishes to a hard black surface which is popular for cladding, steps (St Paul’s Cathedral) and monumental structures.
Beyond Scarlet Point, the track follows the coast with views across the Bay ny Carrickey to Port St Mary to “Chapel Hill”:https://www.silvertraveladvisor.com/review/attraction/199724-review-chapel-hill which is possibly the most significant archaeological site on the Isle of Man before rejoining the A5, the main road between Castletown and Port St Mary.
On a sunny day this makes a very attractive walk. The first section from Castletown to the Visitor Centre is always busy particularly with dog walkers. Beyond Scarlet Point and particularly towards Chapel Hill, it is much quieter.
