The Bailiwick of Guernsey is bursting with beautiful sights and a fascinating heritage. We’ve collected our favourite images to share with you to celebrate this small but mighty island in the Channel Islands.
It’s very easy to travel to Guernsey from the UK, so if you’re looking to get away this year, these are some of the island’s beautiful sights that you can experience first hand.
The island has 27 beaches, spilling with wildlife ready to be explored. West coast beaches tend to be wide, flat and sandy, as are north coast beaches. However, the south coast bays are a mix of sand and pebbles, which is good news for anyone who fancies skimming stones on the crystal waters of the surrounding ocean. The most popular beaches are Fermain, Petit Bot, Portelet, L’Eree, Vazon, Cobo, Grandes Rocques, Port Soif and Pembroke (pictured above).
A work of art and a labour of love, the Little Chapel is possibly the smallest chapel in the world. It was built by Brother Déodat who started work in March 1914. His plan was to create a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. The delightfully quirky chapel is beautifully decorated with seashells, pebbles and colourful pieces of broken china, adding a splash of colour to the lush, green landscape.
Fort Grey, colloquially known as the “cup and saucer”, is a Martello tower located on a rock in Rocquaine Bay on the west coast of Guernsey.The existing fort, with it’s white tower was originally built as a defence by the British in 1804 during the Napoleonic Wars, it was named after Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey, who was Governor of Guernsey from 1797 to 1807. What’s more, it was once said to be the site of local witches’ Sabbaths at one time.
Even the most reluctant shopper would find it difficult not to enjoy rambling through the pretty streets of St. Peter’s Port. Hand-pick your own fresh fish, treat yourself to some jewelry or take away a famous Guernsey Jumper as a souvenir.
Jerbourg Point marks the southeastern coast of the island of Guernsey. During the season flowers grow in adundance in the area, infusing a sprinkling of colour to the terrain. People have lived on this point since Neolithic times and further during the Bronze age and Medieval age, making it an archaeological trove.
Sausmarez Manor in St. Martin’s has been altered, reduced and added to over the years with major changes in Tudor, Queen Anne, Regency and Victorian times. Though some parts of the building date back as far as the 13th century, he most impressive part is the front, regarded as the finest example of Queen Anne Colonial architecture in Britain, which was built between 1714 & 1718 at the bequest of Sir Edmund Andros, the 1st Governor of New York.
St. Peter’s Port is undeniably picturesque, surrounded by winding streets, sloping hills and wild cliff tops, but it has also allowed traders to come far and wide from as far back as the Roman era, adding to Guernsey’s prosperity.
Castle Cornet, Guernsey’s ancient royal fortress, was fortified as a castle between 1206 and 1256 and has stood guard over the town and harbour of St Peter Port for nearly eight centuries. It served as official residence of the Governor of Guernsey until 1672 when the keep was catastrophically destroyed. A bolt of lightning struck the magazine of the castle, destroying the keep and a number of living quarters. Today, you can learn more about its fascinating history by visiting one of the island’s five dedicated museums.
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