Celebrity chefs head to the Isle of Man

Next month, Coast month comes to The Isle of Man, bringing a range of exhilarating activities for food fans, water lovers and adrenalin junkies. Food lovers will be in seafood heaven at the Isle of Man Queenie Festival.

Celebrity chefs Mark Hix and Mitch Tonks will be entertaining the crowds during the festival with cooking demonstrations, and duo will be cooking up a treat on ‘Love your beach’ day taking place on Friday 3rd July with a beach barbeque for visitors to the festival.

BBC’s Great British Menu finalist Mark Hix will also use his culinary experience to judge this year’s Manx Queenie recipe competition- open to anyone who wants to give it a go! The Queenie Festival, named after the Queen Scallop found on the Island, incorporates cooking road shows and family activities and kicks off on 29th June concluding in Marine Day on the 4th July- a day of celebrations to mark the richness and diversity of the surrounding sea. For a full events list visit queeniefestival.com

For wildlife lovers, National Whale & Dolphin Week provides a unique opportunity to take part in a national project reporting on whale and dolphin sightings. Get involved in the survey work by heading to Niarbyl and The Sound in the South of the Island where you will be given a pair of binoculars to have a go at spotting some of these amazing mammals. Over 300 basking shark sightings have already been reported this year, and seals and dolphins regularly grace the coastline.

You can also get a little closer to the action by taking a boat trip to visit some of the most popular whale and dolphin hotspots. National Whale & Dolphin Week begins on 18th July with public sighting days taking place on Saturday 18th and 25th and Sunday 19th and 26th. There will be manned sites at Port St Mary ledges, the Calf and Niarbyl.

For a more action packed break, adrenalin junkies can take advantage of the Irish Sea that surrounds the Isle of Man and get involved with coasteering. This exhilarating activity has participants following a route along a rocky coastline before jumping into the sea.

Experienced instructors cater for all abilities and tailored packages can also be created for groups. Alternatively, if you prefer to keep your head above water, take part in a kayaking session, paddling beneath towering cliffs and exploring sea caves and keeping an eye out for seals and puffins on your journey. For more information visit adventurousexperiences.com.

All of the events will be captured in an online video diary throughout July on visitisleofman.com.

With a wealth of activities on offer during Coast month, as well as over 500 miles of beautiful scenic walking routes and only an hour flight from most major cities in the UK, the Isle of Man is the perfect location to for a British break this summer .