Walking around Guernsey is like stepping into an
installment of the Lord of the Rings or some other epic fantasy.
Not only do you pass through places like the Vale, the Three Bays
and Castle Cornet but you also discover ruined fortifications at
every turn.
| Picture: Image Bank |
Then there’s the island’s long connection with
witchcraft to keep you occupied – not to mention the fact
that the locals refer to their government as the
‘bailiwick’. Rambling through the Guernsey countryside,
it’s easy to get carried away with comparisons.
For an island that’s only 25sq miles, it has an amazing
variety of landscapes, ranging from rocky inlets to high-sided
woodland and gently curving pastures. Add to this the occasional
ruin and the site of an ancient witches’ coven, and the walks
soon take on an epic quality to rival anything created by
Tolkein.
Visit Guernsey marketing executive Louise Cain said:
“Walking is one of our main selling points due the natural
beauty of the island and the varied terrain.
“The most popular routes follow the cliff walks on the
south coast and the beaches on the north and west coast. Those who
don’t want to make such an effort can head to the west coast,
which is flatter and has large sweeping bays.
“It’s also dotted with restaurants, cafés and
pubs for anyone who wants to take a break along the way.”
Of these the Imperial Hotel deserves special mention. It
overlooks the beautiful Rocquaine Bay and serves endless varieties
of seafood, along with traditional Guernsey fare such as stewed
ormers – a type of shellfish more often found in the
Caribbean.
On the southeast point of the island the award winning Auberge
restaurant also has a wonderful setting that overlooks Herm, Sark
and the other islands under the bailiwick’s rule.
A number of special walking events are also held throughout the
year, such as the Spring and Autumn Walking Weeks and a Floral
Festival. Guided walks can also be organised through Visit
Guernsey, but should you want to head off on your own, you’ll
still find plenty of good places to eat and drink all over the
island – a sort of elongated pub crawl.
A number of themed tours also run throughout the year. These
include a walk in the footsteps of French artist Pierre-Auguste
Renoir, who visited Guernsey in the summer of 1883 and was so taken
with the scenery around the bay of Moulin Huet, at the east end of
the island’s rocky south coast, that he produced 15 paintings
in a month.
You can also follow the afternoon strolls of Victor Hugo, who
lived on the island from 1855-1870. When he wasn’t writing
Les Miserables or The Towers of the Sea in his house in St Peter
Port, the French writer would clear his head with a walk around the
island.
At the moment Guernsey has 28.5 miles of cliff-top paths, which
are preserved and open to the public. These are of mixed terrain
and can be quite challenging in areas, but the views of Jersey and
France on a clear day make it more than worth the effort.
To help walkers stagger from pub to café, Guernsey has also
developed the 34-mile ‘Ruettes Tranquilles’ network of
low-speed roads, where priority is given to pedestrians, cyclists
and horse riders.
The speed limit throughout Guernsey is 15mph, which means that
you can wander through the island’s various parishes at your
leisure.
There are also dedicated green lanes and many nature trails as
well as cycle routes.
While it might not enable you to save Middle Earth or walk in
the footsteps of Frodo or Bilbo Baggins, Guernsey is just as
beautiful – and nowhere near as dangerous.
