Onchan

At the junction with the track that led towards the mountains (Avondale Road) a few more cottages appeared in the early 19th century.

The area features period lamp standards, and since 2001 has been home to the newly developed Village Green which links Church Road with the Onchan Wetlands to the north west.

There is also a vehicle garage, a highways department depot, a barber shop and several residential dwellings in the area which leads to St Peter's Church via the one-way road.

In the early 20th century the Port Jack area was being developed in connection with the Douglas Bay Estate Company's promotion of land sales on the Howstrake Farm.

[6] During the Victorian and Edwardian tourism boom Onchan made a bid to become the island's second resort, encouraging the building of hotels and guest houses.

The Manx Electric Railway was constructed in 1893, but never achieved its goal of connecting with the heart of Douglas for commuter journeys.

[4] After World War II development gradually continued, and in the 1960s the village commissioners built local authority housing.

[8] Onchan Head railway station was the first official stop on the line and served the former White City pleasure grounds.

There are a number of hotels and guest houses in the village and the Glen Dhoo and Lower Ballacottier campsites.

DHSOB FC operate a campsite each year during the annual Isle of Man TT motorcycle racing.

[10] The area has a number of residential housing estates including a large collection of local authority housing at Nursery Avenue, an estate at Ballachrink which also houses more local authority dwellings, Lakeside Gardens to the north east side of the village, Birch Hill, which can be found above the core village area and a number of older residences in the centre, notably Royal Avenue, Port Jack and Alberta Drive all of which were developed in the earliest years of the twentieth century.

There is also bowling, tennis and kart racing at the park as well as the Onchan Squash and Social Club.

Onchan Village Commissioners purchased farmland after World War II to build new homes and a recreation area with a large park containing a stadium with the first ever banked cycle track which was opened by Reg Harris, World Champion Sprint Cyclist and Britain's Sportsman of the Year, on 19 June 1951.

At the far end of the glen the Clypse and Kerrowdhoo reservoirs now have a series of footpaths and ancient tracks for walkers.

The Raad ny Foillan (Way of the Gull) long distance coastal footpath opened in 1986, and runs along the coast in the village.

It starts at Port Jack where it connects with Douglas, and runs as far as Howstrake Head before continuing into the neighbouring parish of Lonan.

The site was donated to the Manx Wildlife Trust in 1988 and is open to the public for viewing and has a footpath which is suitable for wheelchair users.

Some of the plants and trees that grow in the wetlands are silver birch, ash, holly, rowan, marsh marigold, yellow flag, reed canary grass, hemlock water-dropwort, woody nightshade and cuckoo flower.

Birds recorded on the site are the grey wagtail, heron, mallard, goldcrest, woodcock, chiffchaff and hen harrier (rare) along with invertebrates and bats.

Molly Carooin's Cottage
Onchan Head from the sea
Onchan Head Station
St Peter's Church
Private Dwelling In Onchan
Little Isabella
Marsh marigold