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No organised Tower of Refuge Walk this year

Tuesday, 26 April 2022 10:08

For only the second time in more than a decade, there will be no organised Tower of Refuge walk this year.

 

Douglas Town Centre Management, which organises the popular event with the support of the Isle of Man Coastguard, says tidal conditions will prevent it from going ahead safely.

 

It is due to a lack of large spring tides during the ‘lighter nights’ over the next few months.

 

Several hundred people usually walk across Douglas Bay to Conister Rock under supervision.

 

Town Centre Manager Oliver Cheshire says it is very rare not to be able to find a suitable date and it’s intended the walk will return in 2023.

 

Other than in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, the walk has taken place every year since 2012.

 

The Tower was designed as a shelter for the crews of vessels which were wrecked on the nearby reef.

 

Sir William Hillary, who launched an appeal in 1824 that led to the foundation of the RNLI, was a member of the Douglas lifeboat crew.