Coastal erosion on the Langness Peninsula - geograph

Langness ( gv, Langlish) is a

peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...

which protrudes two kilometres at the southern extremity of the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

. Signifying a cape or extended

promontory A promontory is a raised mass of land that projects into a lowland or a body of water (in which case it is a peninsula). Most promontories either are formed from a hard ridge of rock that has resisted the erosive forces that have removed the so ...

, ''Langness'' literally means "long promontory" in

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and t ...

. Formerly an island, Langness was eventually joined to the mainland by the movement and deposition of material along Castletown Bay to form a

tombolo A tombolo is a sandy or shingle isthmus. A tombolo, from the Italian ', meaning 'pillow' or 'cushion', and sometimes translated incorrectly as ''ayre'' (an ayre is a shingle beach of any kind), is a deposition landform by which an island become ...

. The small community of

Derbyhaven Derbyhaven ( gv, Camys y Ree) ("King's Harbour" or "King's Cove") is a hamlet near Castletown in the southern parish of Malew, Isle of Man. It is located on the isthmus connecting Langness Peninsula to the rest of the island, on the bay of the s ...

is situated on the east coast of this

isthmus An isthmus (; ; ) is a narrow piece of land connecting two larger areas across an expanse of water by which they are otherwise separated. A tombolo is an isthmus that consists of a spit or bar, and a strait is the sea counterpart of an isthmu ...

, which lies close to

Castletown, Isle of Man Castletown ( gv, Balley Chashtal, pronounced ) is a town in the Isle of Man, geographically within the historical parish of Malew but administered separately. Lying at the south of the island, it was the Manx capital until 1869. The centre of ...

History

The old Manx name for Langness was ''Oaie Ny Baatyn Marroo'', which translates as the "Grave yard of the Lost Ships". Before Langness Lighthouse was built on

Dreswick Point Dreswick Point is the southernmost point of the main island of the Isle of Man. It is the southern tip of the Langness Peninsula in the south-east of the island, some 2½ miles (4 km) from Castletown. Langness Lighthouse Langness Lightho ...

in 1880, wrecks on the peninsula were common. During periods of low visibility the only

foghorn A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards such as rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. The term is most often used in relation to marine transport. W ...

was a cow's horn which would be blown by a party of men on the shore – the sound of which carried for half a mile at best.''Isle of Man Times.'' October 14, 1960, p. 4.

The Potato Grave

Near the lighthouse is a turf-covered mound, known as the potato grave. In 1832 a ship carrying Irish workers to the Isle of Man to dig potatoes was lost with all hands, and 32 bodies were washed ashore. It was customary on the island to bury a body washed ashore behind a hedge in the place it had been found, and so a communal grave was dug and all 32 bodies placed within it. No stone marks the grave; the only memorial of the victims is a turf-covered mound.

Geography

The peninsula is close to

Ronaldsway Airport Ronaldsway () is a place in the parish of Malew in the south of the Isle of Man, between the village of Ballasalla and the town of Castletown. Features It is notable as the location of Isle of Man Airport and historically of RNAS Ronaldsway, to ...

, and a good view of the peninsula can be obtained from the port side of planes landing there on Runway 26. It is also within easy walking distance from Castletown, and the peninsula itself features an interesting nature trail.Derbyhaven and Langness Nature Walk
" ''www.visitisleofman.com''. Retrieved 17 May 2020. Coastal erosion has carved parts of the coast into

sea arch A natural arch, natural bridge, or (less commonly) rock arch is a natural landform where an arch has formed with an opening underneath. Natural arches commonly form where inland cliffs, coastal cliffs, fins or stacks are subject to erosion ...

es, which are also of geological interest as they contain an

unconformity An unconformity is a buried erosional or non-depositional surface separating two rock masses or strata of different ages, indicating that sediment deposition was not continuous. In general, the older layer was exposed to erosion for an interval o ...

: parts of the rocks are nearly 500 million years old, other parts are some 150 million years younger.Langness
" Culture Vannin. Retrieved 17 May 2020. At the southern tip of the peninsula is

, the southernmost point of the Manx mainland, whilst

St Michael's Isle St Michael's Isle ( gv, Ellan Noo Mael or ), more commonly referred to as Fort Island, is an island in Malew parish in the Isle of Man, noted for its attractive ruins. It covers an area of , is about long from west to east, and is connected to ...

(popularly known as Fort Island) is connected at the northern end of the peninsula by a narrow

causeway A causeway is a track, road or railway on the upper point of an embankment across "a low, or wet place, or piece of water". It can be constructed of earth, masonry, wood, or concrete. One of the earliest known wooden causeways is the Sweet Tra ...

. A feature of the peninsula is the Herring Tower, a

daymark A daymark is a navigational aid for sailors and pilots, distinctively marked to maximize its visibility in daylight. The word is also used in a more specific, technical sense to refer to a signboard or daytime identifier that is attached to a ...

built in 1811. Other structures to be found on the peninsula include the remains of a

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

-era gun training range, close to the lighthouse, and a memorial to local naturalist Henry Madoc, who was also the island's Chief Constable.

Natural history

The peninsula is a popular haunt of birdwatchers, and has bird life ranging from golden plovers and

curlews The curlews () are a group of nine species of birds in the genus ''Numenius'', characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been i ...

merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

s and

kestrels The term kestrel (from french: crécerelle, derivative from , i.e. ratchet) is the common name given to several species of predatory birds from the falcon genus ''Falco''. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviou ...

.Recent sightings 2019
" ''manxbirdlife.im''. Retrieved 17 May 2020. St. Michael's Island is a

bird sanctuary An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and to be protected for the rest of their lives. Pattrice Jones, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary defines an animal sanctuary as "a safe-enough place or relationship within the cont ...

Dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...

s and

porpoises Porpoises are a group of fully aquatic marine mammals, all of which are classified under the family Phocoenidae, parvorder Odontoceti (toothed whales). Although similar in appearance to dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals an ...

can also occasionally seen in the waters off the peninsula.

Leisure

The Castletown Golf & Country Club (formerly also a hotel, closed since 2007) is set on the peninsula and the isthmus connecting it with

and has been the scene of many international championships. In 2005, the Duke of York Young Champions Trophy golf championships were held at the club.

References

{{reflist

External links

Castletown Golf & Country Club
*There are also pictures and stories a

*There is also a detailed video of the peninsula a
Kyde & Eric
Landforms of the Isle of Man Former islands Tombolos Unconformities