The Isle of Man is an excellent venue for a cycling trip and is blessed with, largely, quiet roads and some great hills. Away from the TT circuit, which is both the main road from Ramsey to Douglas and Peel and popular with "wannabe" racers, traffic is light. The roads keep their hard earned height (almost all routes starting from sea level) and, after crossing the various ridges and watersheds at the 'cols', often remain remarkably level whilst rising and falling slightly to a spot height peak. Cols split into two 'sets', 901-907 and 908-918, and claims should be for one col per visit to a set.

These notes are from an early July holiday, based at a self-catering cottage just north of Ramsey. A week was just enough time to explore all the col permutations in both directions and, coupled with other rides, we found most day trips came to 60 or 70 miles.

The notes below are for each of the main climbs or ridges, using the col numbers shown on my plan.

Port Erin to Roundtable (903). A steep and sustained climb from the outskirts of Port Erin, via the minor sea cliff col of Sloc (901), before a further climb to a 341m col (902) and ridge road to Roundtable (903). Great descent.

Colby to Roundtable (903). Well graded, but consistently climbing all the way to Roundtable. Good descent.

Peel to Roundtable (903)via Dalby. An easy ride via Glemnaye and Dalby, then rather steeper, with a dip at Glen Rushen and final climb. Good sea views. High speed descent from Roundtable but not quite enough to get over the Rushen dip (keep trying!).

Castletown to Roundtable (903) via 907 South Barrule Plantation. Long, long climb on busy north/south road, much quieter when turning off. Great views on ridge road and over spot height of 305m (905), to get to the main Roundtable col (903).

St John's to Foxdale (905). Easy pull through Foxdale village before joining the previous route.

Glenmaye to Roundtable (903) via 904 mines. Very steep, very minor road from Glemnaye (white on old maps). Climbs to 284m (906), slight dip and nice climb past old mines (904). Too steep to enjoy the drop.

Ramsey to Bungalow (909) via TT Route (908). Generally a busy road. This climbs steeply from Ramsey 'til over 1000 feet (Guthrie memorial), passes a true col (908), and dips slightly to the Bungalow col (909).

Sulby Glen to Bungalow (909). Best climb on the island? A beautiful glen road suddenly veering up in tight hairpins, then long steepish plod with Snaefell in view. Great descent.

Bungalow (909) to Brandywell (911) and Brandywell Cottage (917). Slight climb on TT route, to TT high spot (910) and dip to Brandywell (911). Beautiful ridge road over open moors, past spot height (915) to Brandywell Cottage (917) and meeting of roads.

Ballaugh to Brandywell Cottage (917). Very minor road in poor condition. Steep climb over 299m col (918), then interestingly undulating and variously steep before final pull to col (917).

St John's to Brandywell Cottage (917). TT climb on well graded road to Barregarrow, then quiet 'B' road with lovely views to top (917). Minor road alternative cuts corner, but undulates wildly!

Douglas to Injebreck (916). Very quiet once Douglas is left, nice 'B' road to Baldwin reservoir, then hideously steep cattle grid and lung buster all the way to the top (916). Too steep to be a great descent.

Douglas to Bungalow (909) via TT Highspot (910). Busy but generally well graded, gradually opening up to lovely moorland views over minor cols of Creg ny Ba (913) and Windy Corner (912).

Laxey to Bungalow (909) via TT Highspot (910). Very, very steep 'yellow' road from Laxey, joins 'B' road and more gentle climb at Social Cottage and over Conrehenny col (914), slight drop to Creg ny Ba (913) and TT course. Excellent descent.

Because the Island is so compact, it is never difficult to leave the hills and find food and refreshment. There is a small and not recommended cafe (and motor cycle museum) at the Bungalow. We preferred to wait in the sun at the Snaefell railway crossing and watch the trams. The crossing keeper and station master grew very friendly as we joined him each day.

There is a cafe on the climb from St John's to Bungalow, a pub at Creg ny Ba (no.913) at 243m on the TT course, but otherwise all services are down in the towns and villages.