DESTINATIONS ESCORTED TOURS | JERSEY
exper expert ASK THE Janet Parton,
director of sales and marketing, Cosmos
“Jersey is the perfect island for an
escorted tour. It has everything: history, stunning scenery, superb beaches and unique experiences. Excursions take guests to the War Tunnels, St Helier, La Corbière lighthouse, St Aubin’s Bay and the stunning La Mare Wine Estate. And thanks to the hotel’s location, guests can explore independently at
ease. Take ‘Le Petit Train’ from outside the hotel to St Aubin, visit the Botanic Gardens at Samarès Manor, see St
Elizabeth Castle, take the castle ferry or simply sample local seafood at a
quayside bistro then enjoy some retail therapy in St Helier. For the more adventurous, there’s paddleboarding and kayaking off St Brelade’s Bay.”
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Elizabeth Castle; identity card for Harold Le Druillenec; writer Natalie Marsh at the Jersey War Tunnels; La Corbière lighthouse PICTURES: Visit Jersey; Cosmos
some of the island’s highlights, balanced with free time for travellers to explore as they wish. Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands, but it’s
still relatively small, measuring just nine by five miles. On our tour, we twist and turn along the country lanes by coach, taking in the perimeter of the island from its hilly north to its beachy south – after which it doesn’t feel so small after all. It’s easy to get around too, with a network of notoriously prompt buses that can take you to most places across the island for a fixed fare of £2 by contactless card or £2.40 in cash. There are 12 parishes in Jersey and each touches the coastline, where visitors can see for themselves one of the largest tidal ranges in the world. Around some parts of the island, the receding waters reveal unusual seabeds, rockpools and even a walkway out to Elizabeth Castle (those visiting the castle at high tide need to take the amphibious Castle Ferry). Watching the tide go out at St Aubin’s Bay made the beach seem to stretch away forever, with only a small strip of water visible on the horizon, poised to sweep back in.
48 21 OCTOBER 2021
GETTING THERE Jersey is just a 45-minute flight away and, being part of the Common Travel Area, is straightforward to get to, even in the Covid-19 era. Visitors fill out a form pre-departure and take a free PCR test on arrival, but don’t need to isolate until receiving their results, provided their second vaccination was at least two weeks previously. No Passenger Locator Form is needed for the journey home. Double vaccination is a requirement for this Cosmos tour, and the company has put in extra
measures to help guests feel safe. The tour kicked off with a safety video explaining the enhanced procedures in place, which included mask wearing and distancing on our coach. Our tour director, Julie Anne, took our temperatures each morning for extra reassurance. The back of the Jersey Duchess – the name of the boat we climbed aboard for our coastline
excursion – was also reserved just for us, and heading out to sea was a wonderful way to appreciate how dramatic the Jersey coastline really is. Rugged cliffs interspersed the beautiful golden sandy beaches, as our boat took a wide berth, avoiding the jagged seabed below. There’s something very liberating about floating on the water, with waves lapping the side of the boat. It was a reminder that you don’t have to travel far to feel like you’re far away.
TW BOOK IT
The six-day Jersey Island Discovery tour from Cosmos costs from £779 per person, and includes hotel accommodation, coach travel, a tour director, five breakfasts and one dinner, and some excursions. Price is based on an April 17, 2022, departure, with further availability in May, June, September and October.
cosmos.co.uk
travelweekly.co.uk
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