Ocean Views and Hiking Along Jersey's Coast Path, British Channel Islands

The Trip

Jersey lies in the Bay of Mont St. Michel in the English Channel, 14 miles off the coast of France and 100 miles south of mainland Britain and is the largest of the British Channel Islands measuring nine by five miles.

Due to its unique position, Jersey boasts one of the largest tidal changes in the world equating to over 40 feet at the equinox. At low tide the land mass of Jersey doubles in size, revealing a host of marine biodiversity. In addition to enjoying magnificent ocean views, we’ll learn more about on- and off-shore ecological niches from a prominent local marine biologist as well as ongoing plans for the formation of Jersey’s Coastal National Park.

Known for its iconic Jersey cows and world-famous Jersey Royal potatoes, the island possesses a rich and complex history stretching back over a thousand years and reflecting its links with both Britain and France.

Jersey got its name from marauding Vikings who settled there in the 9th century, followed by the Normans. The Channel Islands became part of the Anglo-Norman realm when William the Conqueror gained the English crown from Harold at Hastings in 1066. In 1940-45, during World War II, the Channel Islands were the only part of Britain to be occupied by German forces when the British Government chose not to defend them. Liberation from five years of occupation came to a starving and oppressed population on May 9, 1945, an event celebrated annually with Liberation Day, which will have its 70th anniversary in 2015.

For the duration of this Sierra Club eight-day trip hiking Jersey’s coastal path, we are based out of an exclusive four-star country hotel and are transferred each morning to the start of our day’s hike and collected at the end. This means our hikes are free and unencumbered by heavy loads — we’ll just have our day-packs for essentials, including lunch. We have five days of hiking covering daily distances of 8-11 miles. After the first three days of hiking we have a day off for visiting a couple of historical sites, the Jersey War Tunnels and Mont Orgueil Castle. Throughout the trip, we will be accompanied by an experienced English walker giving us additional insights into Jersey’s coastal path and everyday life on the island.

The following is a description of our day-to-day activities. The order of walking days may need to be altered depending on tide conditions, inclement weather, or poor trail conditions. Each day our bus will take us to the trailhead and will collect us at day’s end for transfer back to our hotel.

Day 1: Arrive at our hotel in Jersey, home for the duration of our stay. We will gather late afternoon for an orientation meeting followed by our first meal together, our welcome dinner.

Day 2: Corbière to Plemont. Our first hike follows the full length of St. Ouen’s Bay. This vast expanse of sand provides a natural arena for many sports, including motor racing, board sailing, and surfing. After crossing the bay we climb the headland passing Le Pinacle, a 200-foot outcrop of pink granite, and continue along the headland to the ruin of Grosnez Castle, a 14th-century fort. Following along the undulating cliff path we arrive at Plemont Bay (8.5 miles, 250-foot ascent).

Day 3: Plemont to Bonne Nuit Bay. Today we follow the dramatic northern cliff-top path to Greve de Lecq with its sandy beach. The trail continues to the Priory Inn, where a detour can be taken to visit the Devil’s Hole, a collapsed cave, before crossing the Mourier Valley and on to Sorrel Point. Finally we descend to Bonne Nuit Bay, a once famous haunt of smugglers of Spanish brandy, French wines, and tobacco. (7.5 miles, 950-foot ascent, 1,170-foot descent)

Day 4: Bonne Nuit to Gorey. Leaving Bonne Nuit Bay, the path passes La Crete Fort, a mid-19th-century guardhouse and now the Lieutenant Governor’s weekend retreat. Heading east, the path passes Le Petit Port on the way to Bouley Bay. Here it joins the undulating coastal path that takes us to the White Rock, above Rozel Bay, continuing to Flicquet Bay, where we will see our first Jersey round tower, one of 30 built in the 18th century to help counter a French invasion (10 miles, 1,450-foot ascent and descent).

Day 5: Sightseeing day. We start with a visit to the Jersey War Tunnels, constructed by the Germans during World War II and intended to be an underground hospital. The site took over three years to build and covers almost half a mile of tunnels and chambers dug through solid rock. Displays, models and a unique atmosphere now make this one of the most emotive museums you will ever visit. After lunch, we transfer to Gorey, in the parish of St. Martin and visit Mont Orgueil Castle, built over 600 years ago as the primary defense of Jersey against invasion by the French. The invention of gunpowder led to the demise of the castle as it was no longer defensible. In 1600, Sir Walter Raleigh, Governor of Jersey, resisted a plan to demolish Mont Orgueil Castle to use the stone in the building of Elizabeth Castle saying "twere pity to cast it down." We return to our hotel for dinner and an evening presentation by a local conservationist.

Day 6: Gorey to St. Aubin. Depending on the tides, much of this walk can be undertaken along the beach. Leaving Gorey Pier, we walk along the promenade to La Rocque harbor. We continue to St. Helier, passing the Victoria and South Piers and the Commercial Buildings, which were built by wealthy merchants in the early 1800s. Leaving St. Helier, we continue our walk along St. Aubin’s Bay (11.5 miles, 100-foot ascent and descent).

Day 7: St. Aubin to Corbière. We restart our walk from St. Aubin harbor, which was once the main base for the Jersey cod merchants. We continue across St. Brelade’s Bay, where we have the opportunity to visit the ancient church and the Fisherman’s Chapel. We now cross the headland above Flicquet Bay and aim for the German Artillery Observation Tower, now a ship’s radio station, to finish our walk at Corbière (7.5 miles, 770-foot ascent, 670-foot descent).

Day 8: Our Jersey coastal path adventure ends after breakfast and we make our way to the airport.

Getting There

Our trip starts and ends at our hotel in Jersey. Plan to arrive at our hotel by late afternoon on September 26th. The trip ends on October 3rd after breakfast.

Getting to the starting point of the trip is the responsibility of each participant. There are no direct international flights from the U.S. to Jersey. One idea is to fly into London Gatwick airport and then take a short flight on to Jersey. There are no visa or immunization requirements for entering Jersey. More detailed information will be sent to registered participants.

Accommodations and Food

We stay at a four-star Country Hotel & Restaurant. The hotel, a former 17th-century country home, is built from Jersey’s honey-colored granite and located in the beautiful countryside of St. Peter’s Valley. The award-winning hotel gardens include a heated outdoor swimming pool with whirlpool spa surrounded by palm trees. Rooms are double-occupancy, equipped with a shower and bathroom. A roommate will be provided for solo travelers. Participants who prefer to have a single room and are willing to pay the difference should contact the leader well in advance to check for availability.

The trip price includes all breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Breakfasts will be hearty, with choices ranging from full English breakfasts to continental fare. Our midday meal will be a sack lunch to eat along the trail. Dinners will be provided at our hotel’s award-winning AA Rosette Restaurant serving top-quality local Jersey seasonal produce, from both land and sea. Vegetarian food preferences are readily accommodated. If you have any questions or concerns about accommodations, please ask the leader before signing up for the trip.

Trip Difficulty

Designed for people who are active hikers and who enjoy nature and history, this easy-to-moderate day hiking trip covers a total distance of 45 miles along Jersey’s entire coastal path, walking in a clock-wise direction. Daily hiking distances will be 8-11 miles and have up to 1,500 feet of ascent and descent over uneven rocky trails. Pending tide conditions, we may also walk sections of sandy and rocky beaches.

International travel can present some challenges thus a sense of adventure, an open mind, and flexibility will help ensure an enjoyable time is had by all.

Temperatures at this time of year are expected to range from low 60s to 80s, and surprisingly cooler temperatures in the evenings. 

Equipment and Clothing

Hiking boots are the best option for safety and comfort on trails with variable surfaces. The leader will provide a full equipment and clothing list in detailed pre-trip letters to registered participants.

References

Books:

• Nettles, John, Jewels and Jackboots: Hitler’s British Isles, the German Occupation of the British Channel Islands 1940-1945. Channel Island Publishing, 2013.
• Hillsdon, Sonia, The Jersey Lily – The Life & Times of Lily Langtry. 1993.
• Hunt, Peter, Brief History of Jersey. 1998.
• Mc Loughlin, Roy, Living with the Enemy – The Story of the German Occupation of the Channel Islands 1940-1945 with eye-witness accounts from both sides. 1995, 2005.

And on a lighter note:

• Shaffer, Mary and Annie Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. 2009.

Don’t forget! Watch the detective series, Bergerac, filmed in Jersey and first aired in 1981.

Conservation

Management of natural resources and planning for development is a challenge worldwide and especially so on an island in a prime European location, renowned for being an international financial center and having low taxes.

Jersey is a compact 45 square miles, much of it un-spoilt countryside that is protected with strict planning laws. Jersey’s “Island Plan” limits the amount and type of development allowed — a prime example of the foresight of previous governments. Several environmental Sites of Special Interest have been established, including La Mielle de Morville, an extensive sand dune area adjacent to St. Ouen’s where we’ll walk.

For islanders not involved in agriculture or finance, a major source of income is tourism. A benefit of tourism is a need to protect those areas that attract tourists — perhaps a positive feedback loop into Jersey’s Island Plan? While hiking and enjoying the vistas, fauna, and flora and using what we see in Jersey as a point of reference, we’ll talk about Sierra Club’s mission and our concerns about conservation and sustainability of resources both locally and globally. A key reason for offering outings is to help educate and empower participants toward environmentally understanding parallel concerns at home and abroad.

Evacuation and Travel Insurance

The Sierra Club provides evacuation insurance to all participants on international trips. Since this coverage does not include any trip cancellation or interruption insurance, we suggest you purchase another policy separately to provide coverage for your trip and other travel costs. This policy also does not cover pre-trip and post-trip travel. Please note the evacuation insurance provided does not cover claims resulting from any pre-existing condition that occurs within 60 days of the trip departure. If you have specific questions about this exclusion, please review the insurance brochure. For information on purchasing a separate policy, please see our travel insurance page.