DESTINATIONS BRITISH ISLES |GUERNSEY
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hook restaurant in St Peter Port; the ‘window in the rock’ cliff hole; dining experience at The Big Eat Guernsey; Vraic restaurant PICTURES: Islands of Guernsey Tourism
TRIED
& TESTED The Old
Government House Hotel
Previously the residence of the governor of Guernsey, the 18th-century Old
Government House Hotel & Spa in the heart of St Peter
Rouge, which lets you select one of four wines, each paired with a cheese that brings out the wine’s flavour notes. Others combine their signature cuisine with the task at hand, such as Asian-fusion restaurant Fukku, where ‘kimcheese’ kimchi croquettes are on the menu. My favourite stop on the self-guided tour is the one where I don’t even need to leave my base, The Old Government House Hotel & Spa. Its Brasserie restaurant offers a savoury butternut squash cheesecake that uses the same spices as those in its cleverly chosen drinks pairing: a boulevardier cocktail heady with sweet vermouth.
NEED FOR SEAWEED One of Guernsey’s best-known products is seaweed foraged from its shorelines and made into everything from chilli crisp to hand cream. We head to the waters of Chouet Bay with Tara Brimson, owner of the Wild Guernsey glamping site and a keen forager with in-depth knowledge of the tendrils that turn up on the beach.
42 16 JULY 2026 She shows us bladderwrack,
encouraging a taste of the bulbous, tender tips; and pepper dulse, also known as the ‘truffle of the sea’. Our tour is combined with lunch at Vraic, where the sea purslane leaves we’d just seen growing sit on top of a seaweed, crab and hazelnut tart. Executive chef Nathan Davies
says Guernsey seaweed is used in nearly every course, whether obvious, as in the seaweed broth, or in subtle ways, such as for extra seasoning. “I’ve always used seaweed but never used it as much as here,” says Davies, who has also worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Wales. “This restaurant only works here in Guernsey.”
SAIL TO SARK There comes a point when I’m so thoroughly stuffed that I need to walk it off, while making the most of the sunshine. Less than an hour by ferry from St Peter Port is an island with no cars so, aside from a tractor that can carry visitors up the first big hill, the only real option for getting
around is by bike or on foot. This is Sark, a designated ‘dark sky island’ where light is kept to a minimum so you can see the stars. It’s just as enchanting by day, as we discover while trying to find La Seigneurie Gardens – though getting a little lost doesn’t matter when it takes only 40 minutes to traverse the island from end to end. Once inside the gardens, we wander through serene scenes: ducklings quacking as they swim in secret ponds, walled gardens filled with fragrant flowers of every colour, plus a quirky 17th-century house where the hereditary Seigneur (lord) of Sark resides. We then take a short hike through the woodlands to the ‘window in the rock’ – a hole in the cliff that suddenly drops into the sea. As we amble back to the ferry
that will return us to Guernsey, I’m surprised to have found such a wild yet peaceful space within the waters of the British Isles. I came for the food festival but fell in love with the real flavour of the Channel Islands – and leave feeling as if I’ve travelled a lot farther than I actually have.
Port is a landmark in itself. The 63-room hotel offers old-world charm and a museum-worthy
collection of artefacts detailing the history of the building and the island. As Guernsey’s only five-star property, it has a heated outdoor pool along with a spa and gym. It also
regularly hosts events, such as murder mystery dinners that see both guests and locals dressing up in period costume. A night’s bed and breakfast starts at £270 in a Classic Double Room.
redcarnationhotels.com
BOOK IT
Kirker Holidays offers a three-night stay at The Old Government House from £719 per person in October, including breakfast, transfers and flights.
kirkerholidays.com
TW
Visit Guernsey has travel trade resources at
trade.visitguernsey.com and more information about the food festival in October at
thebigeatguernsey.com
travelweekly.co.uk
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