A18 road (Isle of Man)
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| Route information | |
| Length: | 15.30 mi (24.62 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end: |
Ramsey 54°19′14″N 4°23′06″W / 54.32056°N 4.38500°W |
| South end: |
Governor's Bridge, Douglas 54°10′18″N 4°28′06″W / 54.17167°N 4.46833°W |
| Road network | |
The Snaefell mountain road or Mountain Road, designated as the A18, is a primary road of 15.30 miles (24.62 km) length which connects the towns of Douglas and Ramsey, the two largest towns on the island. It carries two-way traffic at most times, but may be closed for racing or in extreme weather. As the name suggests, it is a high-level route. It is used by many in preference to the low-level route along the coast as it is much less winding, and higher speeds are possible.
The mountain road is part of Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course, a road-racing circuit used for the Isle of Man TT and Manx Grand Prix races, which have been held in the Isle of Man from 1911 and 1923 respectively. In the races, it is one-way from Ramsey towards Douglas. The racing is held on public roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald (the parliament of the Isle of Man). It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use. The highest point of the course is on the A18 Snaefell Mountain Road between the Bungalow and Hailwood's Height at Ordnance Survey spot height 422 metres (1,385 feet) above sea level.
The A18 Snaefell Mountain Road was described in the publication Classic Motor-Sport Routes as:
....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....
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Wikipedia