Own photo & icon of Satyr by Grégory Montigny from Noun Project (CC BY 3.0)

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You’ll find plenty of magical woodlands and glens on the Isle of Man, but this is one of the prettiest.

Nestled on the north-west slope of the Isle of Man’s highest peak, Snaefell, and leading into the valley of the Sulby River, Tholt-y-Will is a tranquil, green idyll in the countryside.

With gushing waterfalls, trickling streams, wooden bridges and luscious green nooks and crannies everywhere, it’s precisely the sort of enchanting place where you could imagine finding fairy creatures, or “Little Folk” as they are known on the Isle of Man, among all the greenery dancing, playing and having a merry good time.

Why visit Tholt-y-Will Glen?

Photo of a wide stream in early spring with grassy banks. — View of the stream at the bottom of the hill along the Tholt-y-Will walking trail. Own photo.

We all know about the tropical rainforests of the Amazon, but have you ever heard of a Celtic rainforest?

Neither had I - but Tholt-y-Will, along with Glen Helen and Dhoon Glen, is a Celtic rainforest. These temperate rainforests are local to Western Scotland, Ireland, Western England, and the uplands of the Isle of Man.

Stepping into the glen feels a bit like stepping back into ancient times, with its tall trees and dramatic steep slopes bejewelled with crystalline waterfalls, along with some “occult precipitation” - the ecological term for fog - though not necessarily conjured up by witches!

Some of the glens on the Isle of Man are home to oak and hazel trees that have been enduring the Irish Sea breeze for over 300 years.

But the many plantations found on Man are more recent, dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries. These working plantations were important for the Isle of Man’s strong mining industry, but have continued to be an important timber supply.

You’ll also a cross a lovely, modern timber bridge over the gorge, where you can get up close to a tall, tumbling waterfall.

★ Fun fairy fact: numerous fairy sightings have been recorded all across the Isle of Man, and Tholt-y-Will is no exception. This includes some encounters with the famous, mythical Fynoderee.

Watercolour-style digital illustration of a satyr carrying a hay bale on his back and a sickle in his hand in a wheat field. — What is the Fynoderee?

The Fynoderee (or Phynoderee) is a fay creature, but he is not a fairy. He is described as similar to a satyr - strong, stocky, large human-sized, but covered in shaggy hair. And he hates wearing clothes!
So it might be a relief that he only roves around the island at night. There are local folklore stories in which he is offered oversized human clothing as a gift, but he gets offended and flings them away.
The Fynoderee may be large, but he is not a malicious fay creature. His ugly appearance may have frightened a few people, but he is generally a kind, helpful soul - even if he’s not the brightest penny in a farmer's coin purse.
But he wasn’t born a hideous creature. It was a fairy king’s curse that transformed him from a handsome little fay lad into a man-sized beast, all because of love.
Discover the tragic tale of how the lovesick Fynoderee came to be and the stories of his miraculous good deeds at various locations across the Isle of Man, including Tholt-y-Will, Snaefell and Glen Rushen:
Find out more about the Fynoderee →
*Image: Illustration of the satyr-like Fynoderee. AI image*

But even though the Fynoderee may be gone from the farmers’ fields, he remains on the Isle of Man in spirit… 😉 in the form of a delicious dry gin from Fynoderee.com.

Photo of a bottle of gin from the Isle of Man with a decorative, hand-drawn label — *One of the many delicious, herby gin flavours made by Fynoderee on the Isle of Man. This was the one I tried and enjoyed for many months later, back at home.*

What to do at Tholt-y-Will Glen

Photo of a timber bridge across a gorge. — *Wooden bridge across the gorge. Photo by* *Crunklygill* *on Flickr* *CC BY-NC 2.0*

Enjoy a beautiful, circular walking trail, featuring hillside views, pine forests, crystal clear streams and tall, tumbling waterfalls.

The trail starts at Sulby Reservoir car park, or if there’s space you can park in the layby close to the entrance gate to Tholt-Y-Will. Find out more about Sulby Reservoir and Tholt-y-Will, along with how to get there at:

Visit Isle of Man - Sulby Reservoir and Tholt-y-Will

★ Good to know:

This circular route is 3.1 miles (5 km).
The walk is considered moderately challenging, with a total climb height of 590 ft. (116 m).
It is recommended to allow 1.5-2 hours to complete the walk.
Dogs are welcome but are to be kept on a leash, as there may be sheep grazing freely on the hills.

The route is well described on AllTrails. You can find the route marked on this map: Tholt-y-Will walking route map.

You’ll may need to create an account to view this map, but it’s free (at the time of writing). If you prefer extra features, there is also an app and a paid-for pro version.

There is also an online Ordnance Survey map of the Tholt-y-Will walking route.

When to visit Tholt-y-Will Glen

Photo of a reservoir with autumnal hills in the background and a cloudy, grey sky — *Sulby Reservoir by* *Paul Nuttall* *on Flickr* *CC BY-NC-ND 2.0*

If you want a peaceful, quiet experience of the Isle of Man, and you’re not into huge crowds and the constant revving of motorbikes wherever you go on the island, check the dates of the Manx TT and Manx Grand Prix Motorcycle Races before you book your trip.

These races are held every year, usually from the last bank holiday in May into early June and on the August bank holiday into September, respectively.

Between April to September, the Isle of Man has temperatures averaging between 10 -17 °C, with rainfall tending to be highest in August & September. Check Weather2Travel for more weather details.

I went in April and despite a bit of rain and mist, it was an enchanting experience.

How to get to Tholt-y-Will Glen

By car

From Douglas

Follow the A18 mountain road towards Snaefell. At the Bungalow, turn left onto the A14 twoards Sulby/Tholt-y-Will. On your left you’ll find the Sulby Reservoir car park.

By public transport

Unfortunately, there is no bus route to the reservoir and there are no walking routes to Sulby Reservoir.

So is it worth visiting Tholt-y-Will Glen?

Photo of a woman waving from the bottom of steps on a woodland path.

If you:

enjoy walking through beautiful forests with streams and waterfalls fit for any fairy
like a moderate challenge with some steep sections to walk
love feeling like you could glimpse a magical creature at any moment

— then yes, you’ll love a trip to Tholt-y-Will Glen!

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THOLT-Y-WILL GLEN, Isle of Man: Discover the prettiest Manx glen where the mythical Fynoderee roams

Visit one of the prettiest glens on the whole Isle of Man, and discover the tale of the beastly Fynoderee that once roamed there.