Call for spectators to cheer on End to End walkers

The challenge starts in the north of the island at the Point of Ayre

People have been encouraged to "line the course and cheer" for competitors taking part in the 2024 End to End Walk.

A total of 293 people have signed up for the 39-mile (63km) test of endurance, which starts at the Point of Ayre and heads south to finish at the Sound.

Race director Tony Mackintosh said the event had seen the highest entry in a decade and "we'd love as many people as possible to support them".

He said Sunday's restrictions on some roads, including a one-way system on the Sloc between 12:30 and 16:30 BST, were "purely based on safety".

A total of 208 walkers took part in the last race twelve months ago

Last year, 120 of the 208 competitors that lined up at the start completed the full distance in the 10 hours and 30 minute race time.

The event is held on long stretches of paved roads passing through Bride, Jurby and Peel before climbing up to Cregneash in the south of the island and ending at the Sound.

This year's Parish Walk winners Dean Morgan and Lorna Gleave are set to be among those competing, as is the Isle of Man' Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer.

Organisers say the event has seen the highest entry in a decade

Mr Mackintosh said there had been a "massively varied entry" featuring people of all abilities, which was "absolutely brilliant for Manx walking".

The one-way system at the Sloc, between the Round Table crossroads heading in a southerly direction to Ballakillowey, had been introduced to "look after our competitors" after previous years when the area had been "quite misty", he said

He also confirmed support vehicles cannot follow competitors along the Orrisdale Road, between Ballaugh and Kirk Michael, as it is "very narrow".

Walkers will cross the finish line of the challenge at the Sound

Mr Mackintosh said the course meant the "peaceful but undulating" back roads at the beginning of the walk, were replaced with the "real challenge" of the climbs in the second half of the event.

The views along the way were "fantastic" and "finishing at the sound when the sun is going down is just stunning", he said.

"It is a really nice route, but it's hard work."