The Isle of Man’s rich history is no secret with plenty of evidence of life under the Celts and Viking, as well as neolithic times.

Reporter James Campbell decided to visit some of the bigger ancient monuments dotted around the island.

Having returned to the island to live after more than 20 years, I have spent much of my time reacquainting myself with the landscape.

After stumbling across Cronk Karran at the Chasms, I was struck by, not just the sense of history, but the beauty of the location.

I decided I would make a concerted effort to have a look at more of the island’s ancient monuments, many overseen or owned by Manx National Heritage, and we are blessed by many.

I will make a disclaimer here - it isn’t an exhaustive list as we are spoilt for choice. I give honourable mentions to Hango Hill and Cass ny Hawin.

There are a number of keeils, Celtic crosses, smaller burial mounds, old wells and eerily abandoned tholtans that can also be explored.

Here is a list of a few I have visited in recent months. Most do not require much walking to reach, depending on where you park, but the majority do not have good accessibility for those with mobility issues.

Cashtal yn Ard

I will start with my favourite and the monument I have been to the most.

For me Cashtal yn Ard, meaning ‘Castle of the Height’ in Manx, is the most interesting andyou can really visualise what it may have looked like.

Like many of these sites, there is no dedicated parking but there is a bit if a layby close to the path leading up to it. The entrance is on the lane between Cornaa and Ballaglass.

It is in a prominent setting with lovely views over Dhoon Glen, Maughold and towards the coast.

It is probably one of the bestpreserved sites and consists of a neolithic chambered tomb. The stone cairn has been stripped away over the centuries but the largest stones have survived.

Scientific investigations in the early 1930s proved the site to be an example of a neolithic long cairn dating to around 3000 BC.

It is a truly atmospheric site and sparks a sense of wonder. I visited it recently during the winter solstice and inadvertently got there when it was pretty dark which added a Gothic feel. Magical.

Cronk Karran

The site that sparked my desire to visit more ancient monuments is Cronk Karran, perched on the fissured cliffs at the Chasms.

There is a car park just above the Chasms which you access through Cregneash. This is quite a small site but a delight to stumble across as I clambered along the rocky clifftops.

It is almost a perfect circle which inspired thoughts of folklore with fairies or druids. It is another neolithic site which may have been a burial or a hut.

As I found with many of these sites, it is not just the monument itself that is worth visiting but, as they are usual placed in a prominent and strategic location, the scenery surrounding them is stunning. Views from Cronk Karran are up there with the best.

Derby Fort

Staying south, there is a more complete structure although you cannot enter it these days. I seem to remember walking round Derby Fort on St Michael’s Isle when I was a kid but now you can only peek through the windows to see inside.

Also on the island, part of the Langness peninsular, is St Michael’s Chapel. St Michael’s Isle, also known as Fort Island, was first mentioned in ‘The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles’ as the site of a battle in 1250.

The chapel is one of the best preserved of early Manx Christianity while the fort was built on the orders of King Henry VIII, to repel French or Spanish invaders. In the 1640s it was refurbished and modernised during the English Civil War.

In desolate but beautiful surroundings, the fort has plenty of fire power with cannons peering through many of the windows.

Meayll Hill

I’ve been meaning to revisit Meayll Hill as the day I went was atrocious but, sadly, I haven’t got round to it yet.

This site is just up from Cregneash on the side of a hill. This is like Cronk Karran on steroids.

It is another neolithic site which consists of six burial chambers ranged in a circle with evidence it was used up until Medieval times.

What truly adds to this site normally, are the stunning views over Port Erin and Bradda Head in the distance. However, the day I went you could barely see your hand in front of your face and it was blowing a hooley. I thought the mist rolling in may have added to the atmosphere but no.

Balladoole

This was another of my favourites. It is a large site just off the Pooil Vaish Road past Castletown.

It has everything – Mesolithic remains, a Bronze Age cist, an Iron Age hill fort, a Christian keeill, a Christian burial ground and a Viking Age boat burial.

It is quite a large site and it has incredible views towards Port St Mary and Spanish Head. I was strangely moved by the Bronze-age grave. It looked so small and I could not help wonder if it was for a child.

The Braaid

I feel ashamed not to have visited The Braaid site before considering it is only a few minutes outside of Douglas.

That said, it is not that easy to get to as you have to park in a layby and walk up the busy Cooil Road for a few hundred yards with no walkway.

But it was worth the risk as this is an impressive site. Two different periods meet with an Iron Age roundhouse and two Norse long houses. The layout is so distinct you could picture the settlements and let your imagination take you back several centuries.

Cronk ny Merriu

This site has been in the news recently after some idiots decided an ancient monument was a good place to party and have a barbecue.

Translated as Hill of the Dead, this site lies just above Port Grenaugh and provides panoramic views of the beach and beyond.

Cronk ny Merriu was previously considered to be a prehistoric burial place due to its large grass-covered bank. Later, a rectangular Norse building stood here, used as a coastal lookout post. Archeologists now believe that this site dates back to the Celtic Iron Age.

King Orry’s Grave

For years I passed the sign for King Orry’s Grave as I headed through Laxey on the coast road. I envisioned having to travel miles along a narrow lane and then walk more miles to get there.

When I finally decided to go, it was a about 50 yards up Ballaragh Road and effectively in someone’s back garden! It was partially destroyed during the construction of the neighbouring house during the 1800s.

The remains of burnt animal bones, Neolithic (Stone Age) tool fragments and pottery have been found in the area. There is a second grave just across the road.

King Orry’s Grave was probably built about 6,000 years ago, despite the name , there is little evidence to link these sites with the legendary king.

Killabane

In West Baldwin lies the island’s highest church St Luke’s which is worth a visit in itself.

But just further up is the site of what is believed to have been the first Tynwald site. Little is known about the area, but it is believed to have been last used as the site of the ancient parliament in 1428.

There is now a lovely stone circle known as Killabane but it is no neolithic site and serves only as a memorial. It was only created a 100 years ago with a bronze plaque from the Trustees of the Manx Museum installed in 1928.

Close ny Chollagh

I have been to this grassy mound many times as I love walking round Scarlett but I never knew what it was.

Close ny Chollagh means 'The Enclosure of the Stallion' but why it was named as such remains a mystery.

The site was dug by archaeologists in the 1950s and they unearthed a massive stone rampart. In the centre of the site was found a small group of roundhouses and a system of drains. It is dated at around 500 BC but could be even older.

Broogh Fort

I have to say, this is the most disappointing site I went to. I wish I had a drone as an aerial shot would be the only way to truly appreciate the site which was overgrown with ferns.

Broogh Fort on Moaney Road, off the New Castletown Road, is also quite low with little in the way of views to enjoy. That said, it was still fascinating with what feels like a moat surrounding a mound.

Surprisingly, no thorough archaeological investigation of the Broogh Fort has taken place which means its true purpose remains unclear.

It is likely that the mound is a Medieval on which a small castle or defensive structure would have stood. It could also have been a Bronze Age burial site or an Iron Age ringfort.