Trusts unite to promote heritage and bus route

The number 8 bus service was reinstated last year 

Two of heritage trusts are joining forces to promote their offerings and one of the Island's most scenic bus routes. 

Peel and Rushen heritage trusts have arranged for members to take the number 8 bus, which links the west to the south, as part of two grand days out.

Angela Little, who is a member of both trusts, said the idea to collaborate more had been one the charities were keen to explore for some time. 

She said that having lived in Port St Mary and now living in Peel she was 'thrilled' that the bus service was reinstated, saying it's a 'wonderful way of travelling from Peel to Port St Mary and Port St Mary to Peel and even further afield'. 

Angela added: "More importantly, the bus goes all the way up to Cregneash and all the way down to the Sound.

"We're very aware of the old adage that if you don't use it, you will lose it. So we thought that in order to bring our trusts together, rather than using cars, which we have done in the past, that we would go on the bus instead."

To mark the first 'Grand Day Out', members of Peel Heritage Trust will this morning board the 11.05am bus from the Town Hall and journey south to take in Cregneash, have lunch at the Sound Cafe and go on to Port Erin to visit Rushen Heritage Trust's Exhibition Centre before getting the 5.03pm bus back west.

Next Wednesday (22 July) will then see RHT members head west on the 10am bus from the railway station for a guided walk round 'Old Peel' and a visit to the Leece Museum to meet their sunset city counterparts.

Angela said the days out will show what is available to do along the route and that 'it would be lovely to think that the bus could be used to introduce many more people to the wonderful sites and heritage of the Isle of Man'.

You can listen to the interview here: