Isle of Man clay pipe with aluminum band and Ebonite stem

The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the northern Irish Sea, almost equidistant from England to the east, Northern Ireland to the west, and Scotland (closest) to the north; while Wales to the south is almost the distance of the Republic of Ireland to the southwest. It is 52 kilometers (32 mi) long and, at its widest point, 22 kilometers (14 mi) wide. It has an area of around 572 square kilometers (221 sq mi). Besides the island of Mann itself, the political unit of the Isle of Man includes some nearby small islands: the seasonally inhabited Calf of Man, Chicken Rock on which stands an unmanned lighthouse, St Patrick’s Isle, and St Michael’s Isle. The last two of these are connected to the main island by permanent roads/causeways.

Ranges of hills in the north and south are separated by a central valley. The northern plain, by contrast, is relatively flat, consisting mainly of deposits from glacial advances from western Scotland during colder times. There are more recently deposited shingle beaches at the northernmost point, the Point of Ayre. The island has one mountain higher than 600 meters (2,000 ft), Snaefell, with a height of 620 meters (2,034 ft). According to an old saying, from the summit, one can see six kingdoms: those of Mann, Scotland, England, Ireland, Wales, and Heaven. Some versions add a seventh kingdom, that of the sea, or Neptune.* Wikipedia

“I make pipes in the traditional way…” Markus Fohr