Glen Maye - Glion Maie

Glen Maye (Glion Maie) covers 11 1/2 acres. It is three miles south of Peel (Purt ny h-Inshey) and it has a spectacular bridged gorge and waterfall (Spooyt Vooar). One of the features of this glen is the wheel case of "Mona Erin", a water wheel that once provided power for the lead mine. Access to the glen is by bus or car and a large car park is available for patrons of both the Glen and the Waterfall Public House. Glen Maye can also be reached by the coastal footpath Raad ny Foillan (Road of the Gull) from Peel (Manx:Purt ny h-Inshey) or Port Erin (Manx: Purt Çhiarn). At the base of the glen is a pebbled beach reached by a path bordered on its northern side by cliffs noted as a home to a variety of birdlife. Monterey pine, ash, sycamore and elm are trees that can be seen in the glen, which also has a number of plants which are not found anywhere else on the Island.

Our Visit

Visiting in Autumn, we started from the car park next to The Waterfall Hotel, the pub at the top of the glen. The path down took us to the bridge across the gorge at the 'Spooyt Vooar' which is Manx for 'Big Waterfall'. 

The Spooyt Vooar in Glen Maye is the site of the story of 'The Buggane of Glen Maey Waterfall' from Sophia Morrison's book 'Manx Fairy Tales' (1911). It tells the story of a lazy wife who having broken all the rules, baked bread after sunset. As punishment she was captured by the mythical Manx shape shifting creature called the 'Buggane'. She managed to escape as he took her toward the Spooyt Vooar and the Buggane plunged down over the waterfall.

There were no Bugganes to be seen on our walk down the glen that leads to the cove at its base. As you near the cove you will see signs for the paths of Bayr ny Skeddan (The Herring Road) and Raad ny Foillan (Road of the Gull) . If you take these paths north you can walk along the coast to the town of Peel (Manx: Purt ny h-Inshey). A visit to the glen is highly recommended and we finished our walk with a call into the Waterfall Hotel.