Guernsey, a charming island nestled in the English Channel,
beckons travelers with its picturesque landscapes and rich history. From lush green hills rolling down to dramatic cliffs, to sandy beaches that seem straight out of a postcard, Guernsey offers a serene yet captivating escape. Whether wandering through the historic streets of St. Peter Port or embarking on a coastal hike to discover hidden coves, every corner of Guernsey holds a story waiting to be explored.
I wondered why flying to Guernsey and back would be the most expensive flights of my entire summer travel ensemble, last year and when I landed I realised why.
This amazing gem of a place needs to be kept secret from tourists breathing in the amazing oxygen, history and landscapes. Guernsey is part of an archipegelo called the Channel Islands off the French coast of Normandy. Guernsey is the second biggest Island, with Jersey being the largest. Guernsey has an airport based on one end of the island. In truth the airport is probably taking up a lot of the area of Guernsey - it is only a 63 km drive right around the place! The main town is St Peters Port - a quaint settlement on the southern aspect of the island, with views to Sark, and Herm, and on a good day, Alderney (and even the French coastline itself).
The island has a population of 60,000, which is a lot considering it is only 78sq km in size!
I wandered off the plane and into the small airport to be met by my friend Sarah who I had not laid eyes on in about 10 years since she and her partner Tony had left New Zealand. In that time they had renovated a 600 year old farm house and produced two boys, who are now 7 - twins!
Time flies.
I was excited to meet these two little humans after watching their growth via the internet. Sarah and I slotted into the same ease with which we had carried our friendship in New Zealand - it felt like a long overdue reunion with them both.
I was looking forward to exploring Guernseys rugged coastline, walking the beaches and if possible seeing puffins - a long term goal of mine is to photograph these quirky little birds.
Their home was stunning - retaining the rustic ageless charm of Guernsey yet fitted with the conveniences and spaces required to raise two energetic youngsters.
It is a weird thing to insert yourself into someones life for a short time, and I know I was incredibly tired when I first got to the UK, from a busy semester at school and not having the greatest of health.
I was foggy and mentally clumsy for the first few weeks of being away - the remedy was to walk, hike, move my body and re-establish those brain connections forged through physical activity. Something I had done barely any of since being in Egypt.
Guernsey is the perfect place for this - with 52 km of walkable coastline it was simply a matter of deciding where to start, picking a point and getting my legs to carry me. The coast is dotted with cliffs, caves, rocky and sandy beaches, cafes and small marinas.
It is truly postcard picturesque.
A stunning little cluster of homes near Renoirs Beach
I discovered that Guernsey could rival New Zealand in its milk quality,
with the Guernsey cow pouring some of the highest butter fat quality cream on the planet. I could taste this in simple pleasures like my daily flat white, or the sumptuous Guernsey fudge - (I ate way way too much of that!). Seafood obviously features strongly in Guernsey, with access to such a big coastline.
The interesting history of Guernsey supposes that it was at one stage part of France - and indeed when William the Conquerer from Normandy became King of England in 1066, the Channel Islands too become part of England with him. This has remained the same since. However, the island has retained its French influence, with the architecture and street names being deridingly French in flavour, casting a quaint European glow over the island and in particular St Peter Port and other smaller hamlets.
At once stage the island was under German occupation and there is evidence of this everywhere - Guernsey attempting to keep itself intact, with the erection of watch towers, defensive fortresses and fortifications spaced with regularity around the islands perimeter.
The islands were the ONLY British soil occupied by German troops between 1940 and 1945 and during this time around 18,000 people were evacuated to England as Hitler attempted to include Guernsey in his “Atlantic wall’ - something that was considered out of balance with the strategic importance of the Channel Islands. In 1944 after the D-Day Normandy landing, the islands became isolated from the rest of Europe and many people lived through starvation as food supplies dwindled. However in May 1945, the German commander based on the island finally surrendered, and Guernsey was freed from occupation.
I thoroughly enjoyed this tangibly visible history, and visited the numerous towers and forts. One very big one in St Peter Port - the Castle Cornet, was built around 1200 AD on a small island as a strategic defensive move to protect trading in St Peter Port.
The castle was only accessible by foot at low tide.
It was then nearly a mile off the coast! In 1338 however, the French attacked and occupied Castle cornet for 7 years after which the English recaptured it back. Over successive centuries, each ruler added on to the castle with additional fortifications and extensions, until the 1800s when finally the harbour of St Peter Port was extended and a bridge connected the mainland to the castle.
Thank goodness for that!
The distinctive form of Castle Cornet which stands as a reminder of Guernsey’s past.
The German occupation logically included the use of Castle Cornet for a strategic base, and it was renamed Stuzpunk Hafenschloss (this name sounded to me like some sort of Eastern European heavy metal band). During this time the German added personnel shelters and gun emplacements which are still in place today as a part of the history of this amazing structure.
Guernsey really packs a punch in terms of history, for such a small island, it is hitting well above its weight.
I also hiked half of the islands coastal cliff-top track.
The track can be entered at various points, and allows a decently hard workout due to its steeply undulating well-maintained trail. The trail commands extremely attractive views down into post-card bays with azure waters, as well as out to sea, dotted with boats (it was summertime when I was there). It really is a walkers paradise for easy to moderate hiking. Near to Sarah and Tonys place I could walk to the flatter side of the island which housed sandier rather than predominantly rocky beaches.
Along this area was a large golf course which provided access to the coast, and the area gave way to incredible sunsets. I would frequent here daily in my nine days on the island - the first time I had also seen rabbits since being in New Zealand!
Stunning coastal views fill hiking trails around the island.
Most mornings I awoke to the sounds of giggles and wee feet sneaking into my room to “see if I was awake”.
If I wasn’t, I certainly was soon after.
Being part of a morning routine with young kids again was a bit of a jolt back in time with my own kids, but for Sarah and Tony, parenthood to these two came later, and they handled the job with poise and creativity. The boys were delightful; entertaining me at times with their wacky sense of fun and energy. It amazed me how Sarah and Tony managed this energy requirement - I know I slowed down with my kids as they aged and it made me wonder how us parents survive at all!
For me though, the young boys were a welcome change to the teenage world I was immersed in through teaching, and the crazy classrooms of Cairo.
Together with Sarah and the boys, not only did I join into their everyday activities, but we also did some adventuring together. We visited “The Little Chapel” which is a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. It measures a tiny 4.9 m long by 2.7 m wide. It also houses an intriguing number of rooms accessed by narrow stairs.
We also went to Herm on the boat from St Peter Port. This is well worth the trip - the small island about 20 minutes offshore - has a wonderful charm and beautiful beaches, where we sat and chatted while the boys jumped waves and explored amongst the rocky pools trapped in the golden sands of Shell Beach.
Time stands still on Herm. I was convinced of that.
I also explored Sark, a larger island with an isthmus that creates a wonderful opportunity to hike or bike out to a viewpoint.
In fact Sark is somewhere to explore over a weekend and I wish I had more time to do this. The history of these two small islands is interesting, plus they are the place where puffins go to hangout - alas I never saw any. I was too late for these quirky little birds.
Sark was originally settled in order to defend Jersey and Guernsey from French invasion.
It is divided into about 40 land tenements, a very old system of property ownership. It was of course, unlike Herm, also occupied by Germans during the Second World War. Sark also has its own language - Sercquaise, which is a fusion of French, Patois, and English.
Hiking on the Isle of Sark
These two closest islands to Guernsey are wonderful day trips for hiking, history and relaxing - thoroughly recommended. We also went to a famous beach Moulin Huet where Renoir had painted about 15 different views of the bay and the Pea Stacks. He was there in 1883 and the bay has in place a large empty painting frame, encapsulating the view he painted.
St Peter Port, the main town on Guernsey looks stunning at night, with the lights reflecting on the calm inner waters of the harbour. A night time photo eluded me, but I know I will be back to capture this. The quaint cobbled narrow streets, and old heritage buildings reminded me of France, or Belgium, and certainly adds to the charm of this tax haven capital for the UK - where numerous very large corporations and business have their head offices, for tax purposes.
I enjoyed many walks to the town centre from Sarah and Tonys house, wandering the narrow quaint streets in search of photo opportunities (and coffee) and would usually walk part of the way back or grab a bus. It was a wonderful relaxing start to my European adventure.
STUFF TO NOTE:
Flights to Guernsey are not cheap, however you can take a flight from almost any major city in the UK. It is also well connected internationally.
A regular bus service connects the entire island with two main routes - one travelling clockwise and the other in the opposite direction. They also weave into the interior, making it likely you can sit and wait and grab a bus to get anywhere, with a bit of patience and not much planning!
Guernsey boasts a temperate climate - I was pleasantly surprised. Even though it was at times windy, it was mild weather - perfect for hiking and exploring during summer.
I would love to return - there is something special about island life, wherever you go, the vibe seems to be similar. Island life evokes a sense of relaxation, no rush, less stress and more time to genuinely engage in ones surroundings and with others.
I will see you again Guernsey!
The pretty town of St Peter Port.