When you’re hosting motorsport fans on the Isle of Man, no two days are ever quite the same. Last-minute schedule shifts are part of the territory, but when revised timings were announced for the 2026 Manx Grand Prix and Classic TT, the Duke Travel team swung into action immediately.
With guests arriving late on Tuesday, August 25th, our priority was simple: rewrite the playbook, keep the magic alive, and ensure every single traveller experienced the ultimate island hospitality. Here is how our team, our incredible local partners, and our fantastic guests turned a sudden change of plans into a few days filled with behind-the-scenes access, legendary commentary, and unforgettable memories.
The Revised Itinerary: Action-Packed Days
Wednesday, August 26: Paddock Access & Racing Royalty
The week kicked off early with a hotel meet-and-greet before our coaches ferried guests straight to the heart of the action: the TT Grandstand pitlane.
Despite the rain we split into intimate groups to keep the experience personal, guests were guided through the paddock by a stellar lineup of island personalities, Dave Moore, Roy Moore, Fiona Holden, John Holden, and Jim Hunter, alongside our dedicated Duke Travel hosts, Kirsty and Freya. The morning wrapped up with a tour of the iconic John McGuinness Exhibition.
From there, it was off to the Albergo Claremont for hot drinks, biscuits, and an exclusive rider chat show. Facilitated by Dave Moore, guests were treated to a lively Q&A with racing royalty Peter Hickman, and Ian Simpson, followed by a delicious lunch and a free afternoon to explore Douglas.
Thursday, August 27: Course Commentary & The Motor Museum
Thursday was all about context, history, and incredible machinery. Escorted by Dave and Roy Moore, guests boarded the coaches for a guided lap of the world-famous TT Mountain Course.
As the coaches reached Sulby, we took a slight detour to the fantastic Museo dell'automobile dell'Isola di Man, where guests spent three hours immersed in an extraordinary collection of vintage motorcycles, cars, and trucks. After soaking in the exhibits, everyone re-boarded to complete their lap over the Mountain section, with a brief stop off at the iconic Creg-na-Baa for a drink, a unique view of the course and some further history and stories from our tour guidesbefore returning to their hotels.
Friday, August 28: Forgotten Courses, Peel, & Gourmet Hospitality
We saved a truly unique historic journey for our final full day together. The morning started with a special coach lap of the historic TT Clypse Course, last raced in the late 1950s, with live commentary from Dave and Roy bringing racing history back to life.
After linking back up with the modern-day course, the coaches travelled along the modern course and turned off at Ballacraine to historic Buccia, retracing the original 1907 course along the way. After some sightseeing on the coast, our groups split for two exceptional local hospitality experiences:
After an afternoon filled with local flavours and racing lore, guests returned to their hotels with plenty of time to reflect on a unique Island break.
Pride, Partnership, and Exceptional Guests
Executing a complete itinerary overhaul over the weekend takes a monumental effort, and we couldn’t be prouder of how our team handled the pressure. Richard made the itinerary adjustments and communicated with our local business partners, while Kirsty and Freya led the charge on the ground, ensuring every departure ran seamlessly, every venue was prepped, and every guest felt looked after from start to finish.
This swift pivot would have been impossible without the incredible local businesses that stepped up at a moment’s notice. A massive thank you to:
Most of all, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our guests. Your flexibility, enthusiasm, and “go-with-the-flow” attitude turned a logistical challenge into a genuine celebration of Manx motorsport culture. Some of the feedback we have already received has been a joy to read through, such as –
“Dear Duke Travel,
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for a very enjoyable Classic TT week.
Firstly, a thank you to Freya. When we received the email informing us of the revised racing schedule, we were, not surprisingly, very disappointed as I am sure was everyone else
We decided to see if we could come out a day earlier to at least see a couple of races. We cannot praise Freya highly enough for organising this at such short notice. She kept us informed at every step. She was so professional and an absolute star.
Secondly, we would like to say how much we enjoyed the programme you pulled together at the last minute for all of us. The opportunity to meet and talk to Fiona Holden, Peter Hickman and Ian Simpson. What a bonus! Fiona’s tour of the Grandstand, It’s and Paddocks was brilliant. The insight she gave into the event from the perspective of the riders and sidecar passengers was incredible. Even the heavy rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm.
Lastly but by no means least, a big thank you to David Moore. What a star! His knowledge, presentation and wealth of anecdotes made every trip so entertaining.
Overall, we would like to thank you to everyone involved in making this holiday so memorable and enjoyable.
We hope to see you next year!
Best wishes,
Kath and Mick Whitehurst”
Thank you for trusting us with your trip, we can’t wait to welcome you back to the island again soon!
