A18 road (Isle of Man)

The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road ["'Isle of Man Examiner" pp33 dated 8th July 2008] or Mountain Road is a 15 miles long in the Isle of Man and is a primary road which connects Douglas with Ramsey. The A18 Mountain Road is part of Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course ["Isle of Man Centenary TT - ACU/MMCC Official Race Guide" pp67 Isle of Man Department of Tourism and Leisure (2007) Mannin Media Group Ltd] is a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix Races held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald (the parliament of the Isle of Man). It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use. The highest point of the course is on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road between the Bungalow and Hailwood's Height at spot height 422 meters (1,384 feet) above sea level.

Route

The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road runs from the A2 Governor's Road at Governor's Bridge north to Ramsey and includes the A18 Bemahague Road from Governor's Bridge to Signpost Corner. As the road is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course it passes, Cronk-ny-Mona, Hillberry and the junction with the Little Mill Road, Brandish Corner,Creg-ny-Baa, Kate's Cottage, Keppel Gate, Windy Corner and the B10 Sartfield Road road junction at Brandywell. Continuing north, the A18 Mountain Road passes over the Snaefell Mountain Railway tramway crossing at the Bungalow and the A14 Sulby Glen Road, Bungalow Bridge, Verandah, Stonebreakers Hut, Mountain Hut, East Mountain Gate, Guthrie's Memorial, 26th Milestone, Gooseneck, Waterworks Corner, Ramsey Hairpin and Whitegates to arrive in the town of Ramsey.

Origins and History

The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road was developed in the mid-nineteenth century from a number of pre-existing tracks and bridle paths. ["Isle of Man Examiner" pp5 dated 5th June 1969] This included the building of a number of sheep-gates including the East Mountain Gate, the Beinn-y-Phott sheep-gate at Brandywell and Keppel Gate. The primary A18 Mountain Road section from Keppel Gate to North Barrule (Park Lewellyn) is a product of the Disaforesting Commission of 1860 ["Manx Milestones" by Stuart Slack pp58 (1st Edition)(2003)The Manx Experience ISBN 1 873 120 58 3] As this section of the A18 Mountain Road is purpose built, it reflects typical nineteenth highway and railway construction practices with many small scale cuttings, embankments, revetments and follows land contours with purpose built graded-sections intersected by right-angle bends, road junctions and sheep-gates.

ources

External links

* [http://www.gov.im/tourism/webcam/webcam.aspx?webcam=9 Isle of Man Government Webcam Station]
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide/Competitors/BungalowBridge-ThirtyThirdMilestone.aspx Bungalow Bridge to Thirty Third Milestone] with Steve Hislop, 11 times TT winner
* [https://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide/Spectators/The%20Bungalow%20to%20Kates%20Cottage.aspx TT Spectator Guide Section The Bungalow to Kate's Cottage]
* [http://www.iomtt.com/TT-2009/Circuit-Guide.aspx Map of course]