Ballasalla: History, Walks and Family Experiences

Discover Ballasalla through its distinctive mix of monastic history, a riverside walk and family-oriented experiences. Rushen Abbey, Monks’ Bridge and Silverdale Glen each offer something different: activities on the grounds of an abbey, a medieval structure and a glen with play and leisure facilities. These differences can help you plan your days around your interests, rather than treating every destination as much the same kind of stop.

Rushen Abbey: family activities on the grounds

Rushen Abbey’s current offering includes family-friendly “Monky Business” activities spread across the grounds. This gives a visit to the Abbey an explicitly family-oriented focus alongside its historical significance. You can plan the activities as a reason to visit in their own right, while the bridge and walk offer another, cultural and historical perspective. The options for planning your day therefore depend on whether you have in mind activities on the Abbey grounds, a historic attraction or an outing with several leisure facilities.

Monks’ Bridge and the walk along the Silverburn

Monks’ Bridge is a medieval bridge in Ballasalla dating from the 12th century. It once connected Rushen Abbey with its lands. Its history is therefore understood not only through its age, but also through this former connection to the Abbey. The Silverdale Glen and Castletown Stroll runs north from Rushen Abbey along the Silverburn to Monk’s Bridge. If you would like to include a walk with a clearly named historic destination in your plans, this offers a specific route: start at the Abbey, head north along the Silverburn and finish at the bridge. This lets you see the medieval bridge not just as a standalone point of interest, but in the context of a route along the Silverburn.

Silverdale Glen: playground, boating lake and café

Silverdale Glen offers something different. It has a children’s playground with a unique Victorian water-powered carousel, a boating lake and a café. The playground and carousel appeal to children, while the boating lake and café add a waterside option and a place to stop for refreshments. Unlike the activities spread across the Abbey grounds, several specific leisure facilities are listed here. Silverdale Glen is accessible from Ballasalla railway station, a useful reference point when planning your day. Toilets are available for visitors with disabilities. Please confirm facilities and availability before your trip if these are important to your plans.

Using experiences to guide your accommodation search

These three highlights raise different questions about your stay: Would you like to plan family-friendly activities on one site, take a route along the Silverburn with a historic destination, or visit a place with a playground, carousel, boating lake and café? If you want to combine the Abbey and the bridge, the named walk provides a specific route between the two; Silverdale Glen offers a distinct leisure focus.

Discover more destinations: Laxey, Douglas, St Johns, Port Erin, Andreas, Onchan.

View the main travel overview: Isle of Man.