Isle of Man legacy from Donald Collister, 93, funds new walking app

A new app for walkers in the south of the Isle of Man has been developed after funding from the Donald Collister Heritage Programme.

The grant system was established in 2007 after the 93-year-old from Colby left a £1m bequest to the Manx people.

A Rushen Heritage spokesman said the new technology is free to download and will be available from 1 October.

It gives walkers a "feast of heritage information" while making their way around the island's south coast.

The digital heritage trails will highlight places of historical interest around the south coast of the Isle of Man

Users will be able to link their phones to a series of beacons, each smaller than a match box, which have been located along the trail.

On the approach to the beacons the information will be automatically activated by their smartphone.

The first three routes include 17 information points at places of historical interest including Glenchass Mines, a plane crash site, the Chasms and the French Sailors Grave.

As well as funding from the Donald Collister Heritage Programme, the project was also supported by The Manx Lottery Trust and the Gough Ritchie Trust.