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The Bailiwick of Guernsey – Let’s Go Island-Hopping
A holiday to Guernsey offers you not just one beautiful island, but four. Island-hop to Guernsey’s
sister islands of Herm, Sark and Alderney and discover their individual characters and charms. With a
wealth of golden beaches, beautiful coves, cliff walks, heritage sites and so many other #GreatThings
waiting to be explored, you will be spoilt for choice. There are regular boats from Guernsey to Sark
and Herm, and Alderney is accessible via a boat ride or short flight. Take daytrips to the islands, or
stay the night for utter relaxation.
Guernsey
Enjoy the island’s dramatic coastal views while walking the cliffs, wander across secluded bays,
sunbathe on the golden sand, or perhaps learn to surf or go coasteering. In Guernsey’s pretty harbour
town, St. Peter Port, there are a wealth of museums and historical attractions, as well as everything
from quirky cafes to fine-dining restaurants. Further afield, discover Neolithic burial sites, German
fortifications built during the island’s Occupation during the Second World War, as well as the
beautiful Little Chapel, painstakingly decorated with bits of broken china and glass. You’ll quickly
discover that there’s simply so much to see and do.
Herm
Herm is an idyllic retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Just a mile-and-a-half long by
half-a-mile wide, with no cars, the island is like nowhere else. Breath-taking stretches of white sandy
beaches, award-winning gardens and a beautiful coastline make it impossible not to fall in love with
this idyllic little island. Be sure to visit Shell Beach, Belvoir Bay, and one of the island’s three
restaurants. Just twenty minutes away from Guernsey by boat, a day-trip will have the same effect as a
week’s holiday.
Sark
Take a step back in time to the perfect little world of Sark. Like Herm, Sark is car-free, so on arrival in
the harbour hop on the legendary ‘toast rack’ (a makeshift tractor-pulled minibus) to come up harbour
hill and then navigate the island either on foot, by bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. The main island is
just over two square miles, and is joined to ‘Little Sark’ via La Coupée, a narrow causeway with
fantastic views either side. Other must-sees are La Seigneurie Gardens, the Venus and Adonis Pools
and of course you must take full advantage of Sark’s accolade of first Dark Sky Island Community in
the world.
Alderney
Alderney, the most northerly of the Bailiwick’s islands and just eight miles from the coast of
Normandy, has a distinctly French flavour. St. Anne’s, the island’s town, is only a short walk from
Braye Harbour. With its narrow cobbled streets, the town is quaint, friendly and packed with little
cafés and shops. Further afield, the island is abundant with wildlife, and is a paradise for nature
lovers. The island also has an ancient and varied history which it would be a crime not to explore, and
don’t forget the Channel Islands’ only steam train.
Floral
Every corner of Guernsey has a floral surprise in store: from spring to summer, the southern cliffs are
awash with flowers (like sea campion, wild thyme, ox eye daisies and seapinks) while to the east of the
island Bluebell Wood is a rolling April ocean of indigo-blue. Candie Gardens, open daily, is a
beautifully kept 19th century public garden and is home to the oldest-known heated glass-houses in the
British Isles. You can also find out more about the Guernsey Lily, the Nerine sarniensis, while you’re
there. Other must-see sites are the Saumarez Park gardens, with the recently restored Victorian
Walled Garden, the subtropical gardens at Sausmarez Manor and Guernsey’s 426-hectares ‘Ramsar’
site, which includes Lihou Island. You’ll never want to go inside!
Walking
With lots of ‘ruettes tranquilles’ and mile after mile of cliff paths, where better to walk? Don’t miss
Moulin Huet bay, Victor Hugo’s favourite and the subject of 15 paintings by Renoir. The south coast
also boasts fortifications from every era, beginning in the Iron Age. If you’d like to know more, the
island boasts a full programme of island-wide walks with accredited guides, plus comprehensive
walking weeks in both spring and autumn.
If great food is another of your passions, our programme of Tasty Walks is for you. This collection of
15 self-guided walks has been designed to cater for all ages and abilities, and will take you past plenty
of tasty stops and sites of interest. With maps to help you find your way, and audio guides voiced by
TV personality James Strawbridge, you will want to do them all!
St. Peter Port
Cobbled streets, a picturesque seafront marina, quirky shops and historic gardens together make St.
Peter Port one of Europe’s prettiest harbour towns. One of the first things you will see is the
impressive Castle Cornet, which has stood guard over the town for the last 800 years. Once cut off by
the tide, it is now home to a collection of museums and gardens, and hosts theatre productions and
musical events throughout the year.
The Town Church, the centrepiece of St. Peter Port, is equally eye-catching, while other sites such as
Hauteville House (home to French writer Victor Hugo) and Candie Gardens at the top of town are
other beauty spots. If you want to learn about the history of the island, the Guernsey Tapestry is the
place to go, or simply sit back and watch the world go by in a quiet café. For a spooky stop, head up
Cornet Street to the Old Victorian Shop which illustrates the home life of islanders in the past. The
street weaves up to the top of Tower Hill, an area of town steeped in folklore and tales of witches and
ghosts.
Beaches
Think Guernsey, and you might well think beaches. Get back to basics and enjoy the simple things in
life: building sandcastles, the sand between your toes, refreshing dips in the sea and Guernsey icecream on a hot summer day. With no less than 27 coves and bays, the island is perfect for a traditional
beach holiday, as well as those looking to explore. The beaches on the west and north coast tend to be
wide, flat and sandy, and are easier to reach than the bays on the south coast, but if you’re
adventurous enough, the picturesque pebbled bay of Fermain on the east coast will prove well worth
the effort, as will Moulin Huet in the south. Pack your beach towel and away you go.
Heritage
With castles older than the Tower of London and ancient burial sites and ruins dating back to the
Neolithic period, Guernsey has a wealth of history waiting to be discovered. The island’s position
between the UK and Europe has often left Guernsey caught in the crossfire, resulting in many
fascinating landmarks and stories.
With dolmens and megalithic structures hailing from our ancient past, Guernsey is an archaeologist’s
dream, and will also prove fascinating to anyone interested in the mysteries of folklore, witchcraft and
fairies.
One of the most significant periods in the island’s history was the German Occupation during the
Second World War. The coastline, punctuated with fortifications and bunkers, still bears testament to
these troubling five years. The island remembers and celebrates its diverse history with an annual
heritage festival, concluding with Liberation Day celebrations on 9th May.
Maritime
Guernsey’s maritime heritage is a salty mix of heroism, disaster, opportunism, mercantile innovation
and military skill, with a long and fascinating history of privateering and smuggling.
In Roman times Guernsey was a major trading link with Iron Age Britain. Later, between 1815 and
1880 the island had over 20 boat building yards producing over 40,000 tons of shipping. However St.
Peter Port was also a magnet for smugglers and privateers and deprived the Crown of millions of
pounds of revenue.
Some of the many Guernsey men who left the island to find fame and fortune in the shipping trade
include William Le Lacheur, who became a national hero in Costa Rica and turned it into the
wealthiest nation in Central America due to his export of coffee to London, and Philip Saumarez who
was part of Anson’s famous circumnavigation of the world. His nephew, James, became Vice Admiral
of Great Britain in 1757.
World War II
The Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the Nazis during World
War II. In October 1941 Hitler issued orders for the permanent fortification of the Channel Islands
and the commitment of the Organization Todt to supervise the construction programme for the socalled 'Atlantic Wall' defences. Massive German fortifications effectively turned the islands into
'Hitler's Anchored Battleships'. Built by Russian slave labourers, from early 1942 until the late
summer of 1944, many immaculately preserved German bunkers, gun emplacements, underground
hospitals and munitions tunnels are available to visit.
Victor Hugo
Guernsey was the home of Victor Hugo, one of France’s literary giants, during his fifteen-year exile.
His fascination with the character of the island and its people inspired ‘Les Travailleurs de la Mer’,
which was written and set in Guernsey. Now preserved by the City of Paris, Hauteville House is an
intriguing and esoteric monument to this most individual of individuals. Much of the house’s
decoration is symbolic, and will be explained by the well-informed guides. Everything must be seen to
be believed, including the view from his writing room, the Crystal Room on the top floor, which looks
over St Peter Port and across to his homeland.
Food
When it comes to food and drink islanders are rightfully proud of their local produce. Norman roots
and a cosmopolitan seafaring heritage, combined with a temperate climate, bountiful ocean and
arguably the best dairy products in the world, make this a gourmet’s paradise. Sark lamb and Herm
beef are renowned for their succulence, and there are many traditional and contemporary twists on
vegetarian fare available.
Guernsey hosts a variety of food festivals during the year, including the Guernsey International Food
Festival (new for 2015) and the well-established Tennerfest during the month of October. The
International Food Festival offers events for all the family, from live chef demonstrations, interactive
events, markets and plenty of fantastic promotions in restaurants and cocktail bars.