Harley Young takes the short hop, skip and a jump over the channel to Guernsey
Tranquil, visually stunning and just a hop, skip and a jump from the UK, Guernsey is the gift that keeps on giving.
An Aurigny flight from Liverpool John Lennon to Guernsey Airport takes a mere hour and thirty minutes to transport you into a picturesque paradise. That’s faster than a flight to Nice, much quicker than a train to Cornwall, and you’re still met by beautiful blue waters on the other side.
There’s plenty of restaurants, bars, museums, galleries and cultural hubs dotted across on the Island, and you can drive from one end of Guernsey to the other in around thirty minutes, or a 6-hour walk if you’re feeling fit. Plus, parking on the island is free (just use an approved parking clock).
The likes of Renoir, Turner and Monet loved the island so much they all decided to immortalise its jaw-dropping landscape with their paintings.
Despite all this, it’s somewhere that’s often overlooked as a weekend getaway or summer holiday destination. People are opting to travel further afield instead of choosing to stumble upon the gem that is this stretch of the British Isles.
In a bid to change that, the island’s tourist board Visit Guernsey very kindly agreed to fly me over to experience the best of what the island has to offer, from kayaking in crystal blue waters as waves lap against the rocks to tasting farm fresh cider and chutneys, to watching the sun set over the sea at Cobo Bay.
Bon voyage
Our journey started at Liverpool John Lennon Airport; more compact than Manchester’s, with only one terminal and less than a hundred destinations to travel to, but swift and on the ball. It’s the only UK airport to receive a five-star rating from OAG.
If you’re looking for a short-haul destination that will still wow you just as much as further afield, give Guernsey and its neighbouring islands a try.
After whizzing through security and resisting the temptations of Duty Free, we managed to bag a table by the window at The Kissing Gate bar and ordered a cuppa. After browsing the shops and watching a handful of planes gearing up to leave the runway, it was time to head to our gate ready for boarding.
The journey with Aurigny was so smooth and seamless that we actually made up some of the flight time and arrived on the island 20 minutes earlier than scheduled - every moment counts when you’re taking advantage of a long weekend away from work.
Stepping off the plane, we instantly noticed how much milder the weather was - not a cloud in sight and the sun was making itself known. Just 27 miles from the coast of France, you certainly get much luckier with the weather than back home at this time of year.
On the road again
Driving across the island we noticed how much calmer the roads are and how everyone seemed to be taking their time to travel from A to B. The maximum speed limit on the Island is 35 miles per hour, with some built up areas and roads near schools requesting you drive as slow as 15.
Let’s be honest. When everything is 30 minutes or less away, there’s no real reason to rush is there? You can leave the road rage at home and literally take your foot off the gas. If you’re looking for somewhere to destress and take it easy, Guernsey is the place.
After a leisurely 20-minute drive, we arrived at our accommodation for the next three nights.
Checking in
Nestled on a hill surrounded by beautiful French-style architecture, overlooking the glorious St Peter Port, sits La Fregate Hotel; a stylish boutique townhouse hotel with 22 rooms.
Well-appointed in Guernsey’s capital, the hotel offers panoramic views from which you can see Castle Cornet and neighbouring channel island Herm as you look out towards the harbour. Since opening in 1988, the four-star hotel has provided guests with an air of luxury throughout their travels, offering full cooked and continental breakfast as well as an array of carefully curated menus that make the most of the island’s local seasonal produce. Hotel Manager Simon Dufty and his team go above and beyond to make visitors feel looked after and you can truly tell that a lot of love, time and care has gone into this place.
We were lucky enough to stay in room 116, known as ‘The Suite’. If you’re celebrating your honeymoon, a special anniversary, birthday, or just looking to make your visit to Guernsey a memorable one, I’d highly recommend upgrading to room 116 for the spectacular views and full-sized balcony alone.
This room has everything you could possibly need for a stay. Complete with a four-seater dining table, two writing desks, large wardrobe, fridge and tea station, plus home comforts such as a two-piece sofa suite and footrest, two televisions, a large bathtub with overhead shower, and a plush queen size bed. I could have happily moved in. It made my flat at home look like a shoebox.
Exploring the island: Day 1
Once we’d freshened up and admired the view for a while, we took a short walk down the hill into St Peter Port to explore the cobblestone streets, laden with local artisan shops and independent eateries. Most of the roads that wind through the capital are adorned with colourful bunting and the buildings themselves are beautiful off-white stone and painted in pastel colours. It’s a perfect spot for photo opportunities.
Wandering further through town, we noticed how lovely the atmosphere was. The sun beaming down had everyone in a positive mood, tourists snapping pictures of sculptures and historic buildings while locals leisurely lounged away the afternoon in coffee shops and bistros. It all felt very relaxed and soothing - a nice change from the hustle and bustle you get back home.
After getting a taste for island life, we walked back through the streets of St Peter Port to Crepe Maison. Known for their traditional Breton galettes and sweet crepes, this quaint and quirky haunt overlooking the harbour is an ideal spot for lunch.
I chose the ‘raclette galette’, mainly because it’s satisfying to say but also because of the hearty ingredients that would fuel me for the rest of the day; raclette cheese, gherkins, ham, tomatoes, onions and potatoes. Dave opted for the ‘breakfast galette’ stuffed to the brim with ham, cracked egg and Gruyère cheese. Both of which were easy on the eye and even easier on the stomach, satisfying that post-flight hunger.
Suitably stuffed, we headed back to La Fregate Hotel to collect the hire car and take a 15-minute drive to Guernsey’s largest orchard, Rocquette Cider Farm for a tour and a cheeky taste of their field-fresh tipples and chutneys.
Here we met silver accredited guide Keith Pengelley from Guernsey Walking Tours who gave us a detailed account of the farm’s history, the types of apples grown and the production process.
The tour took us on a steady walk across the stunning Fauxquets valley where Guernsey’s nature thrives. After a walk around the farm, we pulled up a pew at the on-site shop for a tasting session of the products made there. An array of local cheeses and crackers were laid out with the two Rocquette chutneys (traditional and spiced), all ready for us to dig in. We were also invited to drink as much cider as we pleased, but as we were driving back we opted for the freshly pressed apple juice made on site instead. Lovely stuff it was.
We dropped the car off back at the hotel and took a 7-minute walk back into town to JB Parkers, a contemporary open kitchen restaurant with an underground wine cellar below the ancient streets of St Peter Port. Affectionately known by locals as ‘JB’s’, this drinking and dining spot has a vast range of craft beers and spirits on offer as well as plenty of tasty non alcoholic drinks like the ‘Passion of the Parker’; a sober take on the classic pornstar martini.
To kick things off, we shared the marinated olives and a portion of goat's cheese and dates wrapped in pancetta - a delectable little mouthful that paired savoury and sweet perfectly.
For mains, I chose the roasted duck breast with roast potatoes, Brie bonbons, kale and red cabbage in a red wine and cherry jus whilst Dave decided to go for the 8oz. 28 day-aged Angus Fillet served with thick hand-cut chips and tomatoes plus a pot of peppercorn sauce on the side. Both dishes wowed us and set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the long weekend.
Not one to say no to my sweet tooth, I found enough room for the chocolate fondant served with salted caramel ice cream - an ooey-gooey dish that did just the job of rounding off the meal and satisfying my chocolate cravings.
Exhausted but thoroughly pleased with our day, we retired to the suite at La Fregate for a soak in the bath and a good night's sleep.
Exploring the island: Day 2
We awoke to the beautiful sight of sunshine across the port and the sounds of birdsong in the distance. Talk about utter bliss. Refreshed, we headed downstairs to the hotel restaurant for a hearty breakfast.
We spent the morning exploring the rugged coves and bays that make up the perimeter of the south coast. Our first stop was Moulin Huet Bay; the location that legendary impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir chose as his main muse during his time in Guernsey in 1883. Renoir loved the area so much that he painted 15 pieces during his stay. I understand why. The views are absolutely breathtaking and I could have spent hours here watching the waves tumble and crash into the rocks.
A five-minute drive later and we arrived at Fermain Bay, another picturesque location with a tucked-away beach that stretches out to clear blue waters. We grabbed a drink at Fermain Beach Cafe and sat on a bench overlooking the landscape, watching as dogs paddled and played by the shore and a group of locals swam out to the nearby sailing boats for an afternoon catch-up. I’ve certainly had worse Sundays.
For lunch, we headed to Les Douvres; a quirky hotel and restaurant in the St Martins district of Guernsey. Part of the local hotel group Little Big Group, it’s a popular spot for locals and holidaymakers to enjoy a Sunday roast or a pint of local IPA in the beer garden. There’s also a pool for hotel guests to take advantage of on warm weather days.
Dave chose the restaurant’s take on a seaside classic; local ‘Brew Co’ beer battered cod with minted crushed peas, grilled lemon, tartare sauce and fries. The fish was absolutely enormous and coated in a glorious golden crispy batter. It was so big in fact that we could’ve probably shared it and still had some left.
Instead, I’d opted for a lighter lunch of pan fried salmon, sauteed new potatoes, tenderstem broccoli and lemon hollandaise. There was still plenty of it, though, and all the fresh and fragrant flavours melded together nicely.
After letting our lunch settle and soaking up the rays in the beer garden, we took a 10-minute drive to Petit Bot Bay where we met Alfie, Director of Outdoor Guernsey and our kayak instructor for the afternoon.
Alfie treated us to an adrenaline-fueled tour of the South coast and its cliff sides from perspectives rarely seen by anyone other than local kayakers and sailors. This thrilling experience made me realise just how vast the sea truly is. Every now and then I’d be reminded of its enormity by a huge wave crashing against rocks in the distance, spraying salt water into the air.
We paddled through gulleys, caught waves and chased thrills, looking at 80 ft-deep caverns and caves before pausing to rest our arms and watch cormorants dry their wings atop of rock faces and puffins soaring overhead. I’ve never felt as connected with nature as I did right then. Alfie was an absolute pro and kept us safe and sound throughout.
Back on dry land, I treated myself to a biscoff ice cream from Petit Bot Tea Rooms and waited for my sodden shoes and shorts to become a little less soaked before hopping back in the car to take the scenic route back to our hotel. After showering the sea water from our hair and watching the sunset from the balcony, we headed downstairs for dinner at La Fregate’s restaurant.
We decided it was only right to dine from the April special menu, ‘A little taste of Guernsey’. The menu was designed as part of the island’s food festival celebrating local produce.
I started with a trio of local seafood (chancre Crab, local scallop and Herm island oyster ‘au natural’) before moving on to the asparagus florentine for my main and the chef’s platter of mini desserts (Rocquette cider and apple cheesecake, treacle tart, Victor Hugo ‘Exile’ rum crème brûlée, rhubarb panna cotta, deep fried custard and Senner’s brown bread ice cream) to conclude.
All of which was beautifully presented and the flavours well thought-out by the restaurant’s head chef and their team. The seafood tasted really fresh and was probably sourced that day, if not the day before. The creativity behind the mini dessert platter was really visually pleasing and fun - ideal for sweet-toothed fusspots like me who often struggle to just choose one dessert from the menu.
Dave’s three courses consisted of Jason’s pressed terrine of locally reared ham, Braised Guernsey beef ‘Forestière’ and a selection of Bailiwick cheese to finish. Again, wonderfully presented and made using local, fresh ingredients. He polished the whole thing off and we both retired to bed content and with full bellies.
Exploring the island: Day 3
This morning, we awoke early for another jam-packed day of exploring the island and decided to have breakfast in the suite. I ordered eggs Benedict, some mini croissants and a bowl of fruit salad. Dave, chuffed with yesterday's breakfast, reordered the full English (or should I say full Guernsey?) and a fresh fruit salad also.
The quality and presentation of the breakfast was still of the same calibre as down in the restaurant, which made a nice change. Often room service, especially first thing in the morning, can be rushed out and not have the same love and care put into it, so this was a nice touch.
We polished off the last few mouthfuls of fruit salad and freshened up for the day ahead. The weather is a little more brisk today, but still perfect conditions for horse riding on the beach which is what I had planned for the morning.
I met with an instructor from La Carriere Stables who introduced me to my noble steed for the morning, Henny, a sweet older girl who knew Guernsey’s beachfront trails like the back of her hoof.
The guided hack took us around the beautiful L’Islet Bay. Having had horses as a child, this experience brought back fond memories and, even as a novice rider, I felt safe in the care of my instructor and with Henny’s steady footing.
After taking a slow and steady meander around the bay, we headed back to the stables for a few cuddles with the rest of the horses at La Carriere before taking the long way round the island to our lunch spot, The Puffin & Oyster.
Situated on the northwest coast of the island, The Puffin & Oyster overlooks Grand Havre beach, a popular spot for rowing boats and smaller vessels to dock. The menu mainly consists of fresh fish dishes and meats for grilling, as well as lighter bites like their ‘Ultimate cheese toastie’.
Cosy in the nook of a window seat, I ordered the house beef burger with streaky bacon, smoked cheddar, burger sauce, pickles and skin-on fries while Dave went for the venison on the specials board.
Each hearty and fantastic in their own ways, these meat-heavy dishes kept hunger at bay for another afternoon of exploring.
Due to unusually high winds we were unable to take a Rib Voyage out to Herm to visit the islets, reefs and see local wildlife up close and personal, but that didn’t stop us from finding plenty of other things to do on the island.
We drove around the island, looping between bays and coves until we came to Fort Grey where we met the wonderful tour guide Keith who we were introduced to on day one at Rocquette Cider Farm. Keith told us all about the history of the Martello Tower, designed to defend Rocquaine Bay during war times.
Connected to the shore by a raised causeway, looking out to the Hanois Lighthouse, this landmark is affectionately known as the ‘cup and saucer’ by locals and is now home to the island’s shipwreck museum.
After learning about the area’s history and warming up at The Guernsey Pearl with a slice of carrot cake and cup of hot chocolate, we decided to have a bit of fun at Golf19 - the islands go-to spot for a round of crazy golf or to thwack a few balls at the driving range.
We quickly realised that neither of us were going to be the next Tiger Woods after a few bad strokes and decided to just give it some welly instead which was quite cathartic.
Our bucket of golf balls ran out just in time to head over to The Rockmount for our final dinner of the trip.
Known as ‘Rocky’ by regular punters, this gastropub offers exceptional views of the sunset over Cobo beach, as well as decent grilled meats and fish. I opted for the steak with fries and peppercorn sauce and Dave concluded the trip with a mammoth-sized beef burger.
As we watched the sun setting over the sea we reflected on what a fantastic trip it had been.
The island has so much to offer its visitors, from bags of cultural heritage to fabulous fresh food and locally brewed drink, plus a plethora of quirky hidden gems that you’d only believe if you visited for yourself.
If you’re looking for a short-haul destination that will still wow you just as much as further afield, give Guernsey and its neighbouring islands a try. You’ll be glad you did. I certainly am.
Special thanks to Visit Guernsey, Aurigny, La Fregate Hotel, We are Lotus and Orchard PR for going above and beyond to arrange and accommodate this visit.
If you’d like to find out more about Guernsey, head to www.visitguernsey.com.
Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young
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