Devil's Elbow, Isle of Man

Devil's Elbow (Manx: Glion Cam or Glen Cam the Winding Glen)[1] is a hairpin bend situated on the primary A4 Peel to Kirk Michael Coast Road in the parish of German in the Isle of Man.[2]

The A4 Coast Road follows the west coast of the Isle of Man and the Devil's Elbow hairpin intersects Glion Cam a small wooded glen and former quarry which are situated between Lower Ballakaighen and Skerrisdale Moar. The former Peel to Ramsey railway line of the Manx Northern Railway also runs parallel to the A4 Coast Road from Knocksharry to Glen Wyllin near Kirk Michael at this point. This includes the nearby Gob-y-Deigan or the Donkey Bank and a further railway embankment at Lady Port on the western-edge of Glen Cam which is 70ft high formed of 50,000 cubic yards of relief material from a nearby railway cutting.[3]

The Devil's Elbow was part of the Short Highland Course as part of the Peel Loop used for Tourist Trophy automobile car races held in the Isle of Man between 1905 and 1907.[4] It was also part of the 15 miles 1,470 yards St. John's Short Course used for motor-cycle racing for the Isle of Man TT Races between 1907 and 1910. The Devil's Elbow was situated at the 9th milestone on the St. John's Short Course, 416 ft above sea level.[5]

Sources

  1. ^ Place Names of the Isle of Man by John Kneen MA pp395 (1970) Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh The Scolar Press
  2. ^ An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Isle of Man by David T.Webber Revised by Frank Cowin and F.J.Radcliffe pp 59 (1997) The Manx Experience ISBN 1-873120-25-7
  3. ^ The British Narrow Gauge Railway No 2c - The Isle of Man Railway Volume III An Outline History of the Isle of Man Railway by James I.C.Boyde p54 (1996)(1st Edition) The Oakwood Press ISBN0 85361 479
  4. ^ TT Pioneers - Early Car Racing in the Isle of Man pp 22 Robert Kelly, Mercury Asset Management (1996)(1st Edition) The Manx Experience, The Alden Press ISBN 1-873120-61-3
  5. ^ Official Programme - International Auto-Cycle Tourist Trophy 28th May 1907 pp5-6 The Auto-Cycle Club. Reproduction (2007) Isle of Man Post