Calf of Man

The Calf of Man in a small island off the southwest coast of the Isle of Man. It is separated from Man by a narrow stretch of water called the Calf Sound. The island is almost 1 square mile in area. The word 'calf' comes from the old Norse word kalfr which means a small island lying near a larger one.

Before 1939 the island had private owners, but in that year the island was given to the National Trust; it has since been transferred to the Manx National Trust. The island is now a bird sanctuary, so it is not open to the public during the nesting months.