100 miles from the South of England, nestled alongside the coast of France, are the
British Channel Islands, dominated by Jersey. From the North, the island looms out of
the water with rocky cliff edges and caves, orange-sanded beaches at their feet. It
slopes to the South and eases gradually in to clear sea, creating huge expanses of
sand, rock-pools, and one of the fastest tidal flows in the world. Jersey has the most
sunshine in the whole of Great Britain. In the height of summer, this sunshine floods the
island for up to 16 hours a day. From the moment it peeks over Mont Orgueil Castle in
the East, until it sinks over the ruined Gronez castle in the West, the sunshine
absolutely dominates island life. It is the sunshine that dictates the unique style of
potato farming, right down to the children smothered and white with sun cream, making
fun-sized replica castles.
The greatest pleasures of Jersey are the ones that blast the senses with that feeling of
being somewhere totally unique. Each summer the States of Jersey issue the
‘Branchage’, a tradition that sees hedges and trees of public and private land trimmed to
make life easier for farm vehicles, motorists and recreational cyclists. Whilst this is
practical and endearing, it also fills the air with an unmistakable smell of the Branchage.
Cycling down a Green Lane with a breeze of sweet and sappy fresh air blowing through
your hair, whilst the remaining trees above your head form a canopy, and sunshine
dapples on the road ahead. Equally, nothing can beat shuffling your feet in to sand
heated to perfection by the long day, and the matching sleepy sense of warmth in your
bones. Add a cold beer from the beach bar and a whiff of an over-barbequed burger,
the lap of the waves and chatter of your favourite people, and you have an evening you
will never forget.
The Watersplash bar and nightclub at St Ouen’s bay is the perfect place to spend a
Friday night in the summer. Acoustic open-mic music spills to the outside seating area
and over the sea wall to the beach below, where surfers take advantage of the quickly
incoming tide and the warm evenings. The restaurant offers snacks and meals in
unpretentious huge portions and, of course, ice-cold beer or a glass of Rosé. Children
are welcome and abundant, pattering barefooted and careless, mini-surfboard tucked
under one arm, with brown faces and matted hair. With the airport almost overhead, the
frequent rumble of the planes is a distant reminder of a hectic lifestyle that is still going
on – somewhere. As the sun sets, any clouds on the sky become a dramatic addition,
and the whole scene is drowned in vibrant reds and oranges, promising yet another
beautiful day tomorrow.
Whilst sun, sea and sand can create an idyllic and lazy atmosphere for adults, it fills
children with a sense of excitement and curiosity. Jersey offers setting for young
adventurers that is safe and secure, and will keep them occupied for hours. Green
Island on the South-East corner provides an endless supply of rock pools just waiting to
be explored and a wealth of washed up treasures. Crab fishing, shrimping and fort
building, the sea will be creeping over their toes before they have time to get bored. For
sandcastles they can play on the clean bay of St Aubin in the seemingly endless sun of
the South coast. They even have a choice of the nearby Elizabeth Castle and St Aubin’s
Fort as real-life models. Children and adults alike can dig in and try to match the feats of
Simon Smith, or the ‘Sandwizard’, who creates amazingly detailed and delicate castles
that you simply must not miss. St Aubin is also the hub of water-sports, varying from
child-friendly banana boating to extreme wakeboarding. One of the most exciting ways
to see this part of the island is at 30mph from a jet ski, squinting through the sea-spray
to take in the old fort, but with the security of the safety dinghy bobbing nearby.
If, the beach isn’t your thing, however, there is endless amusement for children islandwide. Jersey hosts a web of child-friendly cycle paths that will take you past play and
picnic areas, and will not be too strenuous for little legs or sunny days. Woodland walks
make excellent family outings, and there are streams just waiting to be dammed by the
scattered granite rocks. There are wooden makeshift bridges, stepping-stones and rope
swings, and for the grown-ups, Jersey’s nature is unique and fascinating. With
Hawthorne and Sorrel in abundance it is also possible to spot the rare Sand Crocus on
the sand dunes in St Ouen. These shy flowers only open up when the sun’s out, so it’s
really no surprise that there are more here than anywhere else in the UK.
In the summer months the sun dominates life in Jersey. Whether it’s the way the crops
rotate, the exquisite effect it has on the famous potatoes, or simply adding atmosphere
to a family day out, the fact that Jersey is the sunniest place in Britain doesn’t just affect
daily life here, it creates it. Through tourism and farming Jersey placed itself on the
map, and these are solely due to the amount of sunshine. It makes for a life of freedom
to do what you want, when you want, safe and clean beaches for children, plenty of ice
cream and cold beer when you really need one. Lazy days and warm evenings, it’s the
long hot summer that really makes Jersey what it is.