Point of Ayre
The Point of Ayre (Manx: Kione ny Hayrey)[1] is the northernmost point of the Isle of Man. It lies at the northern end of Ramsey Bay 6 miles (10 km) north of the town of Ramsey. The point can be accessed by the A16 road from Bride. Point of Ayre lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the Isle of Man, is located here.
| Point of Ayre | |
|---|---|
 Point of Ayre and 'Winkie' lighthouse | |
  Point of Ayre Location within the Isle of Man | |
| Crown dependency | Isle of Man |
It is the closest point on the Isle of Man to Great Britain, being 16 miles (26 km) south of Burrow Head in Scotland.
The name Ayre comes from the Norse word Eyrr meaning gravel bank. Strong currents offshore cause an ever-changing build-up of shingle, so that the beach changes shape with each tide.
A tidal range at the Point of Ayre provides excellent fishing from the beach. Visitors are attracted by the gorse and heather which surrounds the lighthouse and merges with sand dunes stretching to the south-west, providing cover for rare wild flowers and forming part of a Manx National Heritage Nature Reserve. A variety of land and sea birds visit the area throughout the year, as do a number of grey seals.
Notes
- Place Names of The Isle of Man – Da Ny Manninee Dooie Volume Three. Sheading of Ayre: (Kirk Andreas, Kirk Bride and Kirk Christ Lezayre) page 258 Kirk Bride by George Broderick – Turbingen ; Niemeyer NE:HST (1997) Manx Place- Name Survey, Max Niemeyer Verlag Tubingen ISBN 3-484-40138-9 (Gesamtwerk) 3-484-40131-1 (Band 1) Druck und Eiband: Weihert-Druck GmbH Darmstadt.
