UK & IRELAND GUERNSEY DESTINATIONS T
he 35mph speed limit on Guernsey explains a lot.
Everything feels calm and relaxed here, which is why the guide who is leading my gentle cycle ride along the northern coast has time to regale me with little snippets of island life, and let me in on the friendly rivalry with its larger neighbour. “Jersey folk call us donkeys,
or ânes,” says Caryn Byrne. “That’s why I called my company Donkey’s Days Out. We call them crapaud, after the Jersey toad.” It’s one of several random
conversations as we pedal out of Bordeaux Harbour and westwards past Beaucette Marina, a former stone quarry, and the white sands of Pembroke and L’Ancresse. The views from Rousse headland on the
northwest coast are spectacular, before quiet Ruettes Tranquilles (lanes with a 15mph speed limit that give priority to walkers, cyclists and horse-riders) lead us through the interior to Bordeaux. At 25 square miles, Guernsey is the second-largest of the Channel Islands. Sitting 75 miles south of England and 27 miles from France, it’s accessible by ferry from England’s south coast, and by air with Aurigny, Flybe and Blue Islands. Its potted history is played out in the architecture, culture and outlook. After King John of England lost Normandy in 1204, two centuries after William the Conqueror’s Norman Conquest, the Channel Islands chose crown dependency status. The Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes Sark,
Guernsey feels English, French and neither – and that’s the island’s charm
Port, is the oldest community in the Channel Islands, and barrière stones still mark the old medieval town. Home to a thriving finance industry, the busy marina, excellent restaurants and independent shops give it huge appeal. Sights include 13th-century
Alderney and Herm, has its own parliament; is British but not part of the UK; and self-governing while still recognising the Queen. It feels English, French and neither – and that’s the charm.
w CAPITAL ATTRACTION Guernsey’s capital, harbour town St Peter
fortress Castle Coronet and Hauteville House, home-in- exile of 19th-century French novelist Victor Hugo, who wrote Les Misérables while living on Guernsey. Excellent one-hour guided tours of the house bring to life his personality, politics, and sometimes dubious taste in interiors (book in advance). Other highlights include Guernsey Aquarium and Candie Gardens for its museum and views.
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