Traveller's Tales: Walking the Channel Islands Way

Kevin Liddiard, from South Australia, discovered the unique history of the Channel Islands on a self-guided walk with Walkers' Britain & Europe. He wrote an account of his trip for Trailwalker Magazine and shared his story with us.

Looking across to Little Sark, Channel Islands

I am of the age where I do not wish to walk in high temperatures, with steep climbs, large backpacks, bugs, sweat and general discomfort. To this end, I walked a year ago in Normandy, ending at the site of the WWII D-Day landings. Motivated by that memorable experience, I decided to walk the nearby Channel Islands Coastal Way, again solo, with Walkers' Britain & Europe.

In April I took the Qantas direct flight from Perth to London, then on to St Peter Port, Guernsey. What a delightful town. The Channel Islands have a unique history going back to the Duchy of Normandy, when William the Conqueror bequeathed the islands to the English crown. Today the islands exist as a collection of states under allegiance to the Crown but independent in many ways, under a political arrangement called a Bailiwick.

Guernsey

The first three days of the walk covered the Guernsey coast. A main attraction was the many Loophole Towers, erected as defences against the French during the American Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic Wars. I opted out early on the third day of a 29km walk and took the island bus for just one pound, visiting the magnificent Castle Cornet. Here you can meet volunteers dressed in WWII military uniforms and witness the noon cannon firing. The highlight of my visit was a live performance by a talented three-woman ensemble, singing In the Mood, There'll be Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover and other wonderful wartime songs.

Herm and Sark

The next day I took the 25-minute ferry to the island of Herm, an easy walk with a stop at the Mermaid Tavern — a fine pub for lunch and a comfortable place to wait for the return ferry.

The following day brought the ferry to Sark, and what a delight it was. There are no cars on the island; travel is on earth roads by foot, tractor, bicycle or horse. The main attraction is the narrow passage between Sark and Little Sark, the famous La Coupee. Sark also has another Mermaid pub, an excellent restaurant and very good accommodation.

La Coupee, the narrow causeway between Sark and Little Sark

Alderney

From Guernsey I flew to Alderney, and while I loved Sark, this was the most memorable walking of the entire trip. The island was evacuated during WWII, including, I was told, the cattle. The German occupiers built massive fortifications, adding to the British forts of the 1800s. Alderney is the most remote and wildest of the Channel Islands, and is well known for its birdlife, including one of the largest gannet colonies in the region, easily observed from the nearby cliffs. I was also lucky to spot puffins.

I shed a tear walking past the entrance to what was Lager Sylt, a Nazi concentration camp — a dark chapter that the islanders understandably find difficult to dwell on. The Alderney people were nonetheless welcoming and helpful, and a good beer at the excellent Georgian House Hotel made for a fitting way to celebrate the completion of the walk.