Glen Maye Waterfall

The Glen Maye Waterfall is a relatively small but tremendously power waterfall which plunges toward the sea in a verdant gorge filled with mature trees and clothed in ferns, mosses, and trailing plants.

When not in full spate the large pool at the foot of the waterfall is great place to swim as it is wide, deep, clear, and exhilaratingly cold.

The waterfall was the scene of tragedy in 1938 when an American tourist was killed when he decided to dive into the pool and drowned.

Manx folklore maintains that the pool is inhabited by the ‘Cabbyl-Ushtey’ in Manx Gaelic or in English the Water Horse.

The bridge above the fall was replaced in 1980 at the cost of £14,000 while the current lower bridge dates from 2001.

Glen Maye is the anglicised version of the name ‘Glion Muigh’ or the ‘Yellow Glen’. It is thought that this name was given to the glen because at times of flood the river flowing down from South Barrule and the other surrounding hills would take on a yellow tint due its high iron content.