footsteps

On the shores of Douglas Bay, I could barely see the sand. Crammed on to the beach, on every available inch, were tourists bustling for the best spot. Luckily, I wasn’t there at the same time. I was looking at a black and white photograph taken some 135 years earlier, displayed in the Manx Museum in Douglas, the Isle of Man’s capital. When I’d stepped off the ferry earlier that day, the crescent-shaped beach was still there – but the crowds weren’t.

The self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea has always been a haven for outsiders. From the early hunter-gatherers who ventured here in 6500BC, to the Irish Celts (who brought over Christianity in the fifth century) and Vikings who established Tynwald (one of the oldest continuous parliaments in the world) to the Victorian tourists who transformed it into a popular holiday destination.

Tourism boomed after the advent of steamboats in the 1830s, bringing hundreds of thousands to the island. Visitor numbers rose from 60,000 a year in 1863 to 350,000 by 1887. Last year, there were 329,613 visitors.

I’d come here to try out Inntravel’s new self-guided walking holiday, a four-night, single-centre package with a booklet full of hikes to try each day and a Go Explore Heritage Pass, which offers unlimited public transport and entry to many attractions. It promises a car-free adventure using footpaths and heritage railways to explore more than just the coast.

Arriving in Douglas by ferry from Heysham, Lancashire, early on a Sunday morning, the capital was barely stirring. Along the promenade, black guillemots and herring gulls outnumbered people. Grand Victorian hotels, painted in bold blues, greens and yellows, lined the waterfront. The Tower of Refuge sat on its tiny islet, illuminated by a sliver of sunlight cutting through the cloud.

I climbed aboard the island’s 150-year-old horse-drawn tramway. Tourists shared benches with local people carrying shopping bags as children squealed with delight as the horse trotted along the seafront.

Swapping literal horsepower for electricity, I boarded the narrow-gauge railway towards Groudle Glen. Taking Inntravel’s advice, rather than heading there directly, I hopped off at a request stop near Garwick Beach, a woodland-backed pebbled cove on the Raad ny Foillan (the Way of the Gull), a 100-mile coastal path that circles the island and is well-known to long-distance hikers.

The variation on this walk was that the trail led inland through Ballannette nature reserve, where wrens loudly trilled from the brush and greylag geese bobbed across the lakes. The path then diverted to the ruins of St Adamnan’s church with its Celtic crosses dated from between the seventh and 10th centuries. Finally, I reached the fairytale setting of Groudle Glen, where the wheel at the watermill churns and the sunlight spools through the tree canopy of beech, birch and larch.

That evening I settled into the Halvard hotel, a 20-room boutique property in the heart of town, dining at its restaurant, which makes pub grub (burgers, pasta, stew) with local Manx ingredients, served with views of the sea.

The next day I headed west on another Victorian legacy: the island’s steam railway. At the Level, a request stop so short only passengers in the last carriage can disembark, Gore-Tex-clad hikers stepped off the train clutching walking poles. But with my insider guide in hand, I continued to Port Erin and rejoined the Raad ny Foillan. Purple spring squill and bright yellow gorse lined the path as it climbed and fell in a rollercoaster of colour, rabbits darting at my feet.

Soon I reached one of the island’s highlights: the Calf Sound, where the Calf of Man, a small island separated from the mainland by half a mile of sea is home to a colony of grey seals, accessed by boat trip.

My route continued along the water but then diverted inland to Cregneash, one of the last strongholds of the Manx language – a type of Gaelic – and the oldest open-air folk museum in the British Isles (founded in 1938). Here, costumed guides explain traditional crofting life while rare four-horned Manx Loaghtan sheep graze nearby and prehistoric stones stand in a circle above the village – things I would have missed had it not been for my recommended detour.

Rejoining the coast, I reached the Chasms, where the remains of an 1898 tourist cafe – which had to run with no water or electricity – cling dramatically to the cliffs. Though it closed in the 1960s, walkers and climbers still come to peer down into the sea-carved fissures below. I finished the day with the daily catch and chips in Port Erin before catching the bus back to Douglas, stomach and heart full.

For my last full day I placed my trust in the Inntravel guide again and headed to Peel, the island’s medieval capital, where the remains of Peel Castle dominate St Patrick’s Isle, connected to the mainland by an artificial causeway. Wandering amid ruins, I listened to tales of former residents – including monks, kings, the military and the Moddey Dhoo (the legendary black dog said to haunt the castle’s ramparts) on an audio guide, included with the Go Pass.

Lunch was a paper tray of queenies – locally caught scallops simply pan-fried in butter – from the Fish Bar stall at the harbour before I climbed to Corrin’s Folly, built in 1806 by a wealthy landowner. Once more my guidebook took me away from the well-known coast and inland, to Knockaloe, site of one of the largest first world war internment camps in the British Isles – now just fields. More than 23,000 internees passed through its once barbed-wire perimeter, including Joseph Pilates, who developed his eponymous exercise system while interned here. I followed directions to a bus stop to head home, wandering through pretty woodlands and along the banks of a stream.

Back in Douglas that evening, sampling locally brewed beer at Wine Down, it was easy to imagine those black-and-white photographs filling with colour once more. But perhaps the Isle of Man’s greatest success will not be resurrecting its Victorian heyday, but rather offering the chance for travellers to explore without ever turning an ignition key. Given the climate crisis and rising carbon emissions, that makes this place feel less like a throwback and more of a glimpse into the future of sustainable travel.

The trip was provided by Inntravel. The new Highlights of the Isle of Man four-night self-guided walking break costs from £621pp, including B&B, return transfers and public transport pass

Some stories never get old. The poems and songs from Greek mythology – tales of tragedy, love and loss, war and revenge, jealous gods, magic and monsters – have been retold through the ages for good reason. Like all stories that really resonate, they deal in the flawed nature of humankind.

To the ancients, though, they were far more than legends; they explained the universe. From the Earth’s origins and the stories of constellations to ideas of justice and morality, they shaped the arts and sciences, and carved a shared cultural identity. Visiting Greece today, it’s clear how deeply rooted the myths still are in modern culture. From the capital (named after wise Athena) and beyond, this is a country steeped in legends.

Blaze a trail in the footsteps of heroes and monsters, but pay due respect to the gods – particularly Zeus (king of all, commanding the sky), and his brothers Poseidon (ruler of oceans) and Hades (overseer of the underworld) – lest, like Odysseus, you inadvertently anger them and spend the next 10 years trying to get home.

Navel gaze with Zeus at Delphi

When Zeus wanted to find the world’s centre, the story goes that he released a pair of eagles. One flew east; the other west. They met “in the middle” – on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, at Delphi, navel of the ancient Greek world. While Athens’ Acropolis occupied Greece’s political centre, Delphi was its spiritual heart. Apollo established his temple here, and the seat of the oracle. Anyone seeking guidance – from lowly shepherds worrying about their goats to kings mulling matters of state – headed up the mountain to consult Apollo through his tongue-speaking vapour-sniffing priestess Pythia. Answers were considered divine truth, but notoriously cryptic (a bit rich after a three-day slog).

Today’s pilgrims are better-served by the present-day town of Delphi, beside the stunning archaeological site. Its tavernas and hotels, terraced into the southern edge of the cliffside, share the jaw-dropping panorama. Eat, drink and seek guidance at Apollo’s old pillars. Gawp at the impressive amphitheatre, framed by the peaks of Mount Kirfi, and the Pleistos valley below (a million-strong grove of ancient olive trees). Gaze west as the sun sets over the Corinthian gulf. Eagles or no eagles, you will feel yourself at the centre of the universe.
Where to stay: Kastalia Boutique Hotel, Delphi, doubles from £62 room-only, kastaliahotel.gr

Bathe in Hades’ river in Epirus

When the infernal heat of July and August hits, the only reasonable response is a refreshing dunk in a shady river. I favour the Acheron (as recommended by Circe to Odysseus when he needed a fast route into the underworld). Seek out this “River of Woe” – one of the five rivers encircling Hades’ realm of the dead. Not the happiest destination for the poor souls Hermes delivered to its banks, a coin for the ferryman clamped in their cold dead mouths. But for us? Absolutely delightful.

Cool, clear waters wind from the Tomares mountains, through the Acheron valley and out to sea. Its banks are fringed by lush forest and verdant hillsides. Visit Mesopotamos for the Necromanteion (oracle of the dead) and the fishing hamlet of Ammoudia where the river slows and spreads out to a delta (watch for otters) before pouring into the deep blue sea.

Swim, raft or zipline at the scenic Acheron Springs near Glyki. Head into the mountains, to the historic Souli watermills, and a laid-back taverna or Paradosiako, (literally a “traditional cafe”) by a stream, all rough-hewn tabletops on giant stones.

For the most magical trip, round the mountain to the Gates of Hades, where the river cuts through towering limestone cliffs, like an entrance to the other realm. Electric-blue dragonflies, bright butterflies and raptors fly overhead. Strong currents and deeper pools mean that some care is needed. Like Orpheus, Heracles and Odysseus, you’ll want to make sure to return from the underworld.
Where to stay: Atman Eco Lodge, near Glyki, doubles from £103 room-only, atmangreece.com

Float up to Nestor’s cave at Pylos

Homer’s “Sandy Pylos” is a handsome seaside town with a great deal going for it. Strategically placed inside the deep, well-protected – and gorgeous – Navarino bay, it was the site of a triumphant naval battle against the Ottoman empire during the war of Greek independence (proud locals re-enact it each October). It features prominently in both the Odyssey and the Iliad as the manor of wise old King Nestor (Nestor’s Palace, nearby, is Greece’s best preserved Mycenaean monument). It’s also an easy distance for a day trip to ancient Messine, a wonderful and underrated archaeological site.

Guarding Pylos itself is the well-preserved Ottoman castle, Niokastro, but I prefer the old ruined Paliokastro to the north of the bay. It overlooks Voidokilia, a bay where turtles nest. No sunbeds, no cafes, just piles of soft sandy dunes, backed by wetlands hosting hundreds of migratory birds and rare reptiles. You’ll want to go down there. Nestor’s cave is here, the spot where a precocious infant Hermes hid the cattle he stole from Apollo. If you can’t face another ascent, float in turquoise water and stare up at its gaping entrance.
Where to stay: Dio Pigadia ecovillage and farm, cottages from €50 a night, tiny cabins from €25, dio-pigadia.com

Marvel at Mycenae’s Lion Gate

Mycenae, the bronze-age citadel, is steeped in myth, founded, the ancients believed, by Perseus, son of Zeus. This is the legendary homeland of Agamemnon, king of “well-built Mycenae, rich in gold” as Homer had it (archaeological excavations confirmed his accuracy). The acropolis straddles a hilltop in the Argolid plain, overlooking the Saronic gulf’s approaches towards Nafplion and Argos. Strategic for the Mycenaeans, breathtaking for us.

You’ll want to stop at the Lion Gate entrance, an impressive example of megalithic architecture: a pair of lions are sculpted in stone relief. I stood with my father and stared. He always found the myths rather nonsensical, but even he had pause for thought at these Cyclopean walls, colossal blocks, 20 tonnes apiece.

Inside are the ancient palace ruins, the tomb of Clytemnestra and the treasury of Atreus. Admire Mycenaean craftsmanship and culture in the museum – excavated artefacts include tablets in Linear B (the earliest attested form of written Greek). Don’t miss the copy of Agamemnon’s golden funeral mask (the original is in Athens).
Where to stay: Grand Sarai hotel in Nafplion, doubles from £130 B&B, grandsarainafplio.com

Poseidon’s love shack on Paxos

This is one for the romantics and lovers of nature – and is a laid-back holiday. It’s a rare treat to see the gods’ softer side, and the ridiculously pretty island of Paxos came about thanks to Poseidon at his most tender. The usually raging, storm-stirring god created this little Eden (now a protected site) in the throes of passion – his trident is the island’s emblem. Smitten at first sight by the sea nymph Amphitrite, who fled to the deepest ocean to evade him, a deeply infatuated Poseidon sent Delphin, a kind of charming dolphin, in pursuit to talk up his good side. It worked – she returned, as his queen (and mother of dolphins and seals).

Poseidon struck off the southern tip of Corfu to form Paxos – effectively one large olive grove – as their love nest, and placed Delphinus among the stars as a reward. Honour the couple by enjoying that uncannily turquoise sea, snorkel over beautiful (and protected) posidonia seagrass meadows, and look out for the dolphins that are often seen here (depicted pulling Amphitrite’s chariot along with seahorses that are very occasionally spotted in the area).

The famous blue caves here are said to be the pair’s love-shack-cum-palace, and attract numerous boat trips in season. Take care on approach to avoid disturbance to sealife. Visit lovely Lakka for its horseshoe bay and Gaios, the pretty little main town. End your days stargazing and remember to toast the five-starred Dolphin constellation in thanks for this paradise.
Where to stay: Village Life Penthouse from €195, paxosownersdirect.com

Susan Smillie’s book, The Half Bird, recounts her sailing voyage from the UK to Greece, and the mythical destinations she encountered along the way. To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply