Windy Corner, Isle of Man

Windy Corner

Windy Corner TT Mountain Course Sign looking south-east towards the summit of Slieu Cairn Gerjoil (445 m).
Location Between the 5th and 6th milestone road markers on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road, Isle of Man
Coordinates 54°13′50.4624″N 4°28′12.302″W / 54.230684000°N 4.47008389°W / 54.230684000; -4.47008389Coordinates: 54°13′50.4624″N 4°28′12.302″W / 54.230684000°N 4.47008389°W / 54.230684000; -4.47008389
Built 1860-1870 (Revisions 1922-23, 1933, 1992, 2006)
Location of Windy Corner in Isle of Man

Windy Corner, Isle of Man[1][2] is an area of uncultivated grassland, heath moorland[3] and blanket peat-bog situated in the Northern Upland Massif [4] of the Isle of Man. The Windy Corner area of moorland is located between the 32nd TT Milestone and 33rd TT Milestone motor-cycle racing road-side markers on the primary A18 Snaefell Mountain Road[5][6] with the road junction of the old Glen Roy pack-horse road, the tertiary Green Lane, the U31 Nobles Park Road. [7] The Windy Corner including the surrounding moorland and open common-land of Nobles Park [8] is situated in the parishes of Kirk Onchan, Kirk Braddan, Kirk Lonan and also the Sheading of Garff in the Isle of Man.[9]

The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road follows the land-contours in a north-easterly direction from Keppel Gate to the nearby summit of Slieu Cairn Gerjoil (Manx: The Devils Cairn) at a height of 445 metres (1,460 ft) above sea-level to the south of the Windy Corner in the parish of Kirk Onchan. The Windy Corner section of the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road at this point traverses the summit of a predominant ridge-line or col[10] at the summit of the East Baldwin Valley in the parish of Braddan, in a north-westerly direction along the southern slopes of the nearby summit of Mullagh Ouhr at a height of 495 metres (1,624 ft) above sea-level close to the 32nd TT Milestone. The north-eastern slopes of the col at the Windy Corner include the Glen Roy Valley, Baldhoon Valley and the village of Laxey in the parish of Lonan. The area is of archaeological and scientific interest including a site of medieval Shieling situated in the Glen Roy valley near to the Windy Corner.[11]

A18 Snaefell Mountain Road

The section of the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road from Keppel Gate to the Gooseneck corner near Ramsey was built on common grazing land that were transferred to the UK Crown following the sale[12] of the Islands feudal rights by the Duke of Atholl after the Disafforesting Commission of 1860.[13] It is a purpose built road in the Isle of Man and it reflects typical 19th century highway and railway construction practices. The Windy Corner section was constructed in the 1890s with a purpose built graded road section from a number of pre-existing roads, carting-tracks and bridle paths.[14] The Windy Corner is situated between the 5th milestone and 6th milestone markers on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road of the smaller metal Garrow type of markers from the period of James Garrow as Survey-General of Isle of Man Highways and Roads.[15]

The old Glen Roy packhorse road (U31 Nobles Park Road) was built in the 1860s under the terms of the Disafforesting Act[16] and served as access to the Great Laxey Mine[17] and the nearby Snaefell Mountain Road at the Windy Corner[18] which provide a major Isle of Man east-west transportation route via the B10 Brandywell Road, the A14 Sulby Glen Road and the A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road. A nearby mine at Glen Roy was operated by the Great Laxey Mining Company from 1834 and finally abandoned in 1882.[19]

The distinctive name of the Windy Corner[20] and the surrounding area is a reference to the " wind that always blows over the hills from Laxey at this point. " [21][22] The prevailing South-Westerly wind direction and distinctive Isle of Man micro-climate in the Baldwin Valley causes the area of the Windy Corner ridge-line to be subject to strong cross-winds which gives this area of the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road its name.[23]

Motor-sport heritage

The Windy Corner section of the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road was part of the 52.15 mile Highland Course (amended to 40.38 miles in 1906) and the 37.50 Mile Four Inch Course used for automobile racing including the 1904 Gordon Bennett Trial and the RAC Tourist Trophy car races held in the Isle of Man between 1905 and 1922.[24] In 1911 the Four Inch Course for automobiles was first used by the Auto-Cycling Union for the Isle of Man TT motor-cycle races. This included the Windy Corner section[25] and the course later became known as the 37.73 mile Snaefell Mountain Course and has been used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT Races and from 1923 for the Manx Grand Prix. The Windy Corner is part of the Snaefell Mountain Course used since 1911 for the Isle of Man TT and from 1923 for the Manx Grand Prix Races.

Fatal accidents

During practice for the 1948 Isle of Man TT the South African competitor Johan Erik van Tilburg crashed fatally at the exit of the Windy Corner.[26] Also, during the 1974 Manx Grand Prix, the competitor Nigel Christian died in an accident at the Windy Corner following a collision with another competitor during an evening practice session.[27]

Road safety

This section of primary A18 Snaefell Mountain Road from the 32nd Milestone to the 33rd Milestone including the Windy Corner was widened and re-profiled during the winter of 2005–2006 by the Highways Division of the Isle of Man Department of Transport. After a series of road traffic accidents the re-profiled Windy Corner included a slightly banked section and a constant radius curve as a safety improvement.[28] This followed a previous road scheme by the Highways Division of the Isle of Man Department of Highways, Ports and Properties during the winter months of 1991-92 when the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road was closed between the Windy Corner and Keppel Gate to replace the tarmacadam foundations built during the 1920s and further road widening that occurred for the 1933 Isle of Man TT Races.[29]

Mountain bikes

The Windy Corner forms part of the St Luke's & Windy Corner (cross country loop) a mountain bike trail of 17 miles, following part of the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road and U31 Nobles Park Road and is classified as a red difficult route.[30]

Gallery

Windy Corner, Isle of Man
Windy Corner seen from the top of Cairn Gerjoil looking north-west towards the summit of Beinn-y-Phott (544 m). 
Windy Corner on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road looking looking north-west towards the summit of Beinn-y-Phott. 
Looking in the direction of Laxey 
Windy Corner looking north-eastly towards the Glen Roy and the village of Laxey on the U31 Nobles Park Road. 

References

  1. ↑ Manx Sun page 4 19 May 1906 "....I was taking some stores out to the men in a trap. when we got to a place called the "Windy Corner" the wind blew the trap right over...." Telephony in the Isle of Man. NATIONAL TELEPHONE JOURNAL
  2. ↑ Isle of Man Weekly Times page 1 12 October 1912 "Any person found TRESPASSING in the pursuit of game on Barrule Commons, Mr Karren's land adjoining Clough Willy Park and the Windy Corner will be PROSECUTED - £1 REWARD will be paid to any person giving information leading to conviction on the above lands. by W.A. Steveson, proprietor and Lesse of the shooting rights."
  3. ↑ A New History of the Isle of Man Volume 1 – The evolution of the Natural Landscape pages 317, 346 & 391 Edited by Richard Chiverall and Geoffery Thomas(2006) Liverpool University Press ISBN 978-0-85323-577-4
  4. ↑ Manx Uplands and Steering Group – Issues and Opportunities page 4 & map page 13, (Scale 1:200,000) page 43, 53–54 (April 2014) Isle of Man Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – Rheynn Chymmyltaght, Bee as Eirinys (DEFRA) – "Defining the Manx Uplands....all areas of ‘AML’ defined land(“Above the mountain line”, 250m above sea level), all land above 200m.... all areas of heathland, woodland and water catchment contiguous with the 200m contour."
  5. ↑ "National Geographic Top 10 Drivers' Drives". National Geographic Online. Retrieved 22 November 2014. " No 8. A18 Snaefell Mountain Road – The Isle of Man has been a leading motorsport destination since 1904, when racing was legalized on public roads. This 15-mile route between Douglas and Ramsey is the motorcycle-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT (Tourist Trophy) and the Manx Grand Prix. The road skirts the peak of Snaefell, the tallest mountain on the island at 2,035 feet (sic). A key attraction for many: The Isle of Man is one of the few British territories with no national speed limit."
  6. ↑ Classic Motor-Sport Routes page 57 by Richard Meaden 1st Edition (2007) AA Publishing Ltd ISBN 978-0-7495-5225-1 Oriental Press Dubai – Isle of Man TT Course;- "....you'll notice that once you get beyond Ramsey and the tight left hand hairpin bend to begin the climb onto the Mountain Road, most Manx drivers don't tend to hang about. The sense of freedom given by the liberal road traffic laws and the brooding, mountain and moorland terrain makes driving here an invigorating experience....",
  7. ↑ International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Races and Production Machine Races 3 June 5, 7 & 9 1972 – Official Programme and Guide FIM The World Championship Road Races page 72 Auto-Cycle Union (1972) Fleet Studios London – Charles Frost Ltd
  8. ↑ The Isle of Man by Train, Tram and by Foot page 57 by Stan Basnett (1990) Lily Publications ISBN 1-899602-72-0 Walk 10 - Abbeylands and Nobles Park to Laxey
  9. ↑ Place Names of the Isle of Man by John J.Kneen MA (1970) Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh The Scolar Press – page 173-175 and Map Kirk Braddan page 199, page 209-210 and Map Kirk Onchan page 238, pages 241–242 and Map Kirk Lonan page 271 and pages 202–203 Sheading of Garff page
  10. ↑ The Isle of Man by Train, Tram and by Foot page 116 by Stan Basnett (1990) Lily Publications ISBN 1-899602-72-0
  11. ↑ Medieval Shielings in the Isle of Man page 168 & fig 63 by P.S. Gelling (1962) Academic Journal Offprint from – Medieval Archaeology 6
  12. ↑ Tholtans of the Manx Crofter – Recounting the way of life of the Island's crofting Comminity and introducing Mike Goldie's Colection of Tholtans page 13 by Gordon N.Kniverton and Mike Goldie with Dr Larch S.Garrad – 1st Edition (1989) Manx Nation Hertiage – Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin The Manx Experince
  13. ↑ A New History of the Isle of Man Volume 5 – The Modern Period 1830–1999 page 68 Edited by John Belcham (2000) Liverpool University Press ISBN 0-85323-716-6 – HM Commissioners of Woods and Forests "....the greatest improvement in revenue which can be legitimately obtained....more than 26,000 acres, which still, lies waste and unenclosed" Howard to Massey 28 May 1857 Parliamentary Papers 1859-2
  14. ↑ Manx Milestones pages 13–17 and pages 57–58 by Stuart Slack (1st Edition)(2003)The Manx Experience ISBN 1-873120-58-3
  15. ↑ Manx Milestones page 56 by Stuart Slack (1st Edition)(2003)The Manx Experience ISBN 1-873120-58-3
  16. ↑ The Isle of Man by Train, Tram and by Foot page 60 by Stan Basnett (1990) Lily Publications ISBN 1-899602-72-0
  17. ↑ The Great Laxey Mine page 15 by Andrew Scarffe 1st Edition (2004) Manx Nation Heritage – Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin ISBN 0-9547 180 2 X
  18. ↑ Tholtans of the Manx Crofter – Recounting the way of life of the Island's crofting Comminity and introducing Mike Goldie's Colection of Tholtans page 13 by Gordon N.Kniverton and Mike Goldie with Dr Larch S.Garrad – 1st Edition (1989) Manx Nation Hertiage – Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin – " Tholton Cly Clough(SC399848) is situated high up in the hills above Glen Roy. In fact so high up it is nearer to the Windy Corner on the TT Course than it is to Glen Roy"
  19. ↑ The Great Laxey Mine page 184-186 by Andrew Scarffe 1st Edition (2004) Manx Nation Hertiage – Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin ISBN 0-9547 180 2 X
  20. ↑ TT 100 The Official Authorised History of the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Racing page 26 by Mick Duckworth (2007) Lily Publications Ltd ISBN 1 899602 67 4 - "....The wind can catch you out approaching Brandywell. It's as well to go in steady and take a classic racing line though, then you have to work hard through a tricky little right. I feel comfortable making the 32nd (Milestone) into three apexes, even though most of the riders say it's two. Windy Corner is okey but since it was altered it's even worse now if it's gusty, because you're banked further over and for longer. Also, I've been caught my knee-slider on the cat's-eyes on the inside of the bend. " - The Mountain Course. A lap of the legendary circuit accompanied by the record holder John McGuinness
  21. ↑ A history of the TT Races 1907–1960 page 46 by L.R.Higgins & C.Quantrill (1960) BP Publication Jarrold & Sons – Shell Mex & BP Publication
  22. ↑ TT Special page 8 3 September 1946 – "WINDY CORNER, so called not because riders get the wind up, but because very strong winds blow up from the gully on the left"
  23. ↑ Motorcycle Mechanics, June 1973, p.74 Around the TT "Windy Corner gets its name from the wind that whistles up your trouser-leg as you stand on the corner watching the riders hurl their bikes through the right-hander". Accessed and added 2014-11-12
  24. ↑ TT Pioneers – Early Car Racing in the Isle of Man page 22 Robert Kelly, Mercury Asset Management (1996)(1st Edition) The Manx Experience, The Alden Press ISBN No 1 873120 61 3
  25. ↑ Mountain Milestones – 100 Years of TT Mountain Course page 161 by David Wright (2011) Lily Publications ISBN 978-1-907945-04-5 – "Formerly referred to as 'Nobles Corner' in minutes of the Isle of Man Highway Board in 1922
  26. ↑ Isle of Man Examiner page 5 dated 4 June 1948
  27. ↑ Isle of Man TT & MGP Memorial 1907–2007 page 109 by Paul Bradford (2007) The Copy Shop ISBN 978-0-9560151-0-5
  28. ↑ TT News 2006 – Preview Edition page 2 Isle of Man Newspapers Ltd (2006) Johnson Press Publishing ISSN 1471-7905
  29. ↑ Mountain Milestones – 100 Years of TT Mountain Course page 161-162 by David Wright (2011) Lily Publications ISBN 978-1-907945-04-5
  30. ↑ Isle of Man Mountain Biking Guide – 8 complete self-guided routes page 6 Visit Isle of Man (2014) Isle of Man Department of Economic Development – ".... follow the B10 east towards the Mountain Road (TT Course). At the Mountain Road turn right and head south for ½ a mile to ‘Windy Corner’ where a chevroned bend swings round to the right. Here, look for a track through the wall on your left, but don’t take too long as its not called Windy Corner for nothing!"

External links

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