Cross the footbridge and step back in time 1,000 years.

That’s the vision of Manxman Chris Hall, whose plan to create an authentic Viking settlement in the north of the island is a true labour of love.

He said: ‘This is all about creating long-lasting memories. We're only here for a certain amount of time, and it's those memories that carry us through life, so that's a great driving force in this project.’

Work on the Viking Village project has been delayed by bad weather over the past couple of years but, with a three-year extension to planning consent approved last week, he is hopeful that work can finally begin in April at the site off Jurby Road, Sandygate.

Chris quit his job in government IT last year and now lives off-grid at the site he’s called Kattegat, which roughly translates as Cat’s Gate.

He’s spent the best part of £200,000 on the project so far including the purchase of the land. Chris bought the first four acres in early 2020 and another two acre field in 2021.

His fascination with Norse history began at a very early age - a first picture of him shows him in fancy dress complete with Viking hat.

He is now focusing all his efforts on making his Viking Village project a reality.

Stones mark out where the longhouse will be constructed, measuring 18 metres by 6 metres.

‘The possibilities are endless of what the longhouse can be used for including school trips, corporate team building events and functions such as weddings,’ he said.

Nearby will be a forge where blacksmiths will fashion axe heads, belt buckles and horse fittings. There will be woodworkers, a Viking trading post and cafe.

‘A lot of people want to be involved,’ said Chris. He said of the not-for-profit venture: ‘This is not about making money. I don’t want people getting ripped off.’

In the Folkvangyr field there will be activities such as axe throwing and archery as well as a small Viking farm holding where traditional farming techniques will be taught.

Also planned here is a Viking boat burial where children will be able to uncover history.

In the magical Elves’ wood there will be a Viking stage church and sculptures of the Norse gods fashioned from elm stumps. The clearings will be used for arts and crafts, music and story telling.

Chris has got all the timber he needs as he’s been gifted wood in a plantation up at Cornaa but needs to raise £15,000 for equipment, transportation and processing.

He said: ‘In the last couple of years the weather hasn't been too kind which meant a lot of the groundwork couldn't be done because it was just too wet.

‘We're really hoping to get to the point by next Easter where we can open the site up to the public and say, right, come and build the site with us, because we want everybody involved and literally put their names to the project as a permanent fixture.

‘For us to do that, we need a 4x4 capable of getting up farm tracks with a trailer for transporting the wood from the plantations down to this site.

‘We need an old tractor to tow the logs out of the plantation and we're going to need some tools, safety equipment, and the bandsaw mill to then process some of the timber into things like roofing shingles.’

Manx Viking Project Ltd is a registered charity. Donations can be made to its JustGiving page or by contacting Chris at [email protected] or 324377.