The Point of Ayre-The Ayres

The northernmost point of the Isle of Man is a large pebble beach which covers the alluvial plain deposited by retreating Ice from the end of the Ice Age. This beach is not fixed but subject to coastal erosion which is slowly changing the shoreline. Scotland is only 14 miles away therefore closer than Douglas.

The main Point of Ayre Lighthouse was designed by Robert Stevenson and built in 1818. The two foghorns powered by Kelvin engines can be heard at the Mull Of Galloway, 26 miles away. The smaller Winkie Lighthouse was built in 1888 and moved closer to the sea in 1951 following the changes in shoreline. Both lighthouses are still in operation.