About 14 miles off the coast of France, the Channel Islands consist of (in order of size) Jersey , Guernsey , Alderney , Sark , and Herm plus many smaller islands, each with its own unique character. The islands are well served by air from London and many other English cities, and in summer, daily ferry crossings are available from Portsmouth and Poole in England, and Cherbourg and St. Malo in France. A good itinerary for visitors involves two days of sightseeing in Guernsey, a day exploring Sark, followed by a day in Alderney and ending with a three-day stay in Jersey. A good time to visit is during the five-week Channel Islands Heritage Festival running from April to May, with special openings of historic sites, exclusive tours and themed guided walks involving all five islands.
Read also: Harike Wetlands
1 The Big Island: Jersey
Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, stretches nine miles from east to west and five miles from north to south. This spectacularly beautiful island offers plenty of striking scenery , especially on the north coast with its high cliffs, rocky coves and caves. For walkers, the flatter area to the south-west offers great trails , including a pleasant footpath that runs along the disused section of the old Jersey Railway from the village of St. Aubin to Corbière Point.
The main town: St. Helier
St. Helier on St. Aubin’s Bay is a vibrant town that has retained much of its Victorian charm. Tourist attractions include Liberation Square, La Collette Gardens, Charing Cross and the Waterfront Centre, as well as Elizabeth Castle in the harbor area. Built during the reign of Elizabeth I and situated on a small rocky island accessible by ferry or causeway, this is where Charles II took refuge, as did the 6th century apostle St Helier. Other attraction highlights include: Royal Square , with its 10th-century town church, Royal Court House, State Chamber and a gilded statue of George II. To learn more about the island’s rich history, visit the Jersey Museum and Art Gallery , with its interesting archaeological and historical art collections.
Adres: Weighbridge Place, St. Helier, Jersey
Official site: www.jerseyheritage.org
Gorey’s many charms
Gorey, about 10 miles from St Helier along the beautiful coast road (five miles if you travel inland through Grouville) is a charming town with a row of picturesque houses along the harbour. The pier below the castle is the venue for the annual Fête de la Mer , the island’s excellent fishing festival. Gorey is dominated by the formidable Mont Orgueil Castle , a stunning example of medieval military engineering dating back to the reign of King John.
Location: Gorey, St Martin, Jersey
Official site: www.jersey.com/english/discoverjersey/beachesandviews/pages/gorey.aspx
Prehistoric La Hougue Bie
One of the world’s oldest buildings, La Hougue Bie is a large burial mound, topped by the 12th-century Norman Chapel of Notre Dame de Clarté and the Jerusalem Chapel (1520). The crypt of the latter contains a replica of Christ’s tomb found in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. Excavation of the mound in 1924 revealed one of the largest passage tombs in Europe, dating from 2000 BC and built of stones weighing up to 30 tons.
Address: La Route de la Hougue Bie, Grouville, Jersey
Official site: www.jerseyheritage.org/places-to-visit/la-hougue-bie-museum
The Ultimate Sleepover: St Catherine’s Bay
St. Catherine’s Bay is a favorite spot for fishermen, as is the secluded Rozel Bay with its narrow sandy beach. For a truly unique experience, spend a night at Archirondel Tower . Built in 1792 on a rocky outcrop overlooking St. Catherine’s Bay and used as a military garrison, this striking red and white tower sleeps up to 10 (bring your own sleeping bags, toilets are in the cafe nearby).
Location: Archirondel Beach, St. Martin, Jersey
Official site: https://www.jerseyheritage.org/holiday/archirondel-tower
Trinity: The Durrell Wildlife Park
The beautiful Durrell Wildlife Park was founded in 1958 by a writer Gerald Durrell , famous for his many books chronicling his adventures as one of the world’s most prominent naturalists. With a focus on conservation, the zoo contains numerous rare mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles and offers a variety of fun educational programs, including talks with its zookeepers. Then you can explore the romantic north coast of Bouley Bay , with its small sandy coves hidden between the rocks.
Location: Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey
Official site: https://www.durrell.org/wildlife/visit/
Beautiful views from Jersey’s highest mountain: Les Platons
At 446 feet, Les Platons is the highest point on Jersey and offers great views of the north coast, including Bonne Nuit Bay , with its pebble beach and the Mont Mado granite quarries. While you’re there, explore St. John’s Bay; La Houle Cave; and Sorel Point, the northernmost point of the island.
St Ouen’s Bay
Almost the entire west coast of Jersey consists of a single, wide bay – St. Ouen’s Bay. The area is popular with surfers for its waves and with other visitors for its nature, wildlife and spectacular views. Those interested in WWII history should visit the Channel Island Occupation Museum .
2 The Gourmet Island: Guernsey
Although only half the size of Jersey, Guernsey contains almost as many good reasons to visit as its larger neighbour. The spectacular cliffs on the south coast rise more than 270 feet and are a major tourist attraction, as are the island’s many restaurants, with their reputation for delectable European cuisine (hence the nickname “Gourmet Island”).
Take refuge in the historic harbor of St. Peter
The narrow streets and alleys of St. Peter Port climb steeply from the harbor to the highest point in the city with its impressive views. Many of the houses are Regency in style, giving the town a pleasant old-world atmosphere. The city is known for its shopping area, historic sites and leisure facilities, as well as active things to do such as cycling, surfing, diving, fishing, birdwatching and sailing. Major attractions include the 12th-century town church and the Hauteville house, which from 1859 to 1870 was home to the French writer Victor Hugo , a political refugee at the time.
Address: 38 Hauteville, Saint Peter Port, Guernsey
History brought to life at Castle Cornet
On a small island connected by Castle Pier stands Castle Cornet, founded in 1150 but largely Elizabethan in its current form. The castle houses several museums of interest to history buffs: the Story of Castle Cornet, the Royal Guernsey Militia Museum, the Maritime Museum, the 201 Squadron RAF Museum and the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry Museum. Guided tours are available of the castle along with its four historic gardens. Other highlights include the daily cannon salute by costumed staff and the many pleasant paths that run through the castle grounds.
Locatie: St. Peter Port Harbor, Guernsey
Official site: www.museums.gov.gg/article/101089/Castle-Cornet
Guernsey’s spectacular coastline
Guernsey’s east coast is home to a number of historic Martello towers, as well as the ruins of Vale Castle, an early Norman Vale church and a large passage tomb. The south coast is equally interesting and attractive with many beautiful cliffs and caves, the largest of which is the 200 meter long Creux Mahie. Corbière Point is important for the green veins in the pink and gray granite, as is Rocquaine Bay on the west coast. Finally, the small island of Lihou, connected to the mainland by a causeway, has the remains of a priory from the 12th century.
3 Remote Alderney
Just four miles long and a mile wide, Alderney enjoys a mild climate, abundant wildlife, rich history and beautiful secluded beaches. Nearly treeless, it rewards the adventurous with beautiful sandy coves, indented cliffs and rugged towers to explore. Klein St. Anne dates back to the 15th century and has a distinctly French atmosphere, with cobbled streets, cozy inns, cafés and shops. St. Anne has a mild climate, plenty of sunshine and a picturesque harbour, and visitors enjoy cliff walking, golfing, fishing and windsurfing. In Telegraph Bay are two interestingly colored rocks known as the Two Sisters and the uninhabited Burhou Island is a bird sanctuary best visited by boat (except during nesting).
Alderney can be reached by direct flights from Southampton and Guernsey, as well as a seasonal ferry service from France and the other islands.
4 The jewel of the Channel Islands: Sark
Often called the ‘jewel of the Channel Islands’, Sark is the smallest of the main islands (population around 600) and part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with its own parliament. Boats visit daily in summer from Guernsey and (less frequently) from Jersey, returning the same evening, landing at La Maseline on the east side of the island. La Collinette is Sark’s main settlement and has a church, an old manor house, a windmill (at the highest point), guest houses and inns.
Car-free Sark – only tractors and horse-drawn vehicles are allowed on the roads – is a pleasure to explore on foot. The most rewarding walk is around Little Sark across the rocky isthmus called La Coupée. After the last war a new track was built across this narrow and rugged edge of land, which falls steeply more than 800 feet to the sea. The path from Little Sark leads to Port Gorey and two very famous rock pools: the Pool of Venus and the Pool of Adonis, both with good swimming at low tide.
Below the bizarrely shaped cliffs overlooking Brecqhou are the interesting Gouliot Caves , filled with sea anemones and other forms of coastal life, but only accessible at low tide. A path leads to the former fishing port of Havre Gosselin. Dixcart Bay on the southeast side of the island is another picturesque spot and is where most of the island’s holiday accommodation can be found. It’s also where you’ll find Le Creux Derrible, a cave with a natural 180-foot cleft in its roof, only accessible at low tide through two rock arches.
5 Tiny Herm
The small island of Herm is located three miles east of St. Peter’s harbour. Although the local population is only 68, Herm attracts up to 1,500 visitors per day in summer. The island has a hotel, a number of old stone houses converted into holiday homes and a campsite. Many species of rare flowers and plants thrive in the temperate climate, and lovely Shell Beach is famous for its more than 200 different species of seashells.
Read also:
