TRAVEL

The cream of Jersey

This lovely little island is luscious in so many ways; read our Travel Editor’s tales for a very tempting taste …

WORDS: Helen Werin PHOTOGRAPHY: Robin Weaver

Mont Orgueil Castle and the harbour at Gorey

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CYCLING here was one thing that kept puzzling see some of the appealing coast of Herm me during our entire time on Jersey: and and – slightly farther off – Jersey is fantastic for cycling. T why had we not been here before? We Sark along the way. We quickly slipped into There are lots of well- had eight days to explore and, over the first Jersey’s easy pace of life. Since the island is signposted bike routes and day or two, I’d fretted that I hadn’t allowed just nine miles by five, we were never more the reduced speed limits make for greater enjoyment. nearly enough time for our visit. Jersey’s just than about a 10-minute drive from its You are not allowed to ride on so gorgeous; I wanted to see everything! dazzling coastline. pavements, unless otherwise From the moment I’d seen Jersey from the Our campsites, very quiet early in the signed, and it’s the law to deck of the Commodore Clipper (Condor season, were top notch and well-placed for have a bell. Pick up a Jersey Cycle Guide from tourist ), my anticipation had mounted. I’d making the most of our time. information leaned over the rail, pointing excitedly at an As it turned out, the lunch spot on the To hire bikes eye-catching bay of golden sands with a red first day was at the very beach that I’d jerseybikehire.co.uk or and white tower in the middle. “Wow, we’ve spotted from the – Ouaisne Bay. zebrahire.com just got to go there!” My thoughts then were “It doesn’t get better than this,” I You can also arrange bike that my ‘must-see’ beach would be easy to mumbled through mouthfuls of our hire at Beuvelande Campsite seek out because of its distinctive tower. I Mexican-style meal from Kismet Cabana was soon to discover that it was to be the right on the sands. first of many fabulous bays and many The locals take great pride in their island. ABOVE Grève de Lecq similar towers. One after another they asked us, “It’s BELOW Phone boxes are Our 10-hour crossing to Jersey had felt beautiful here, isn’t it?” with an ingenuous yellow on Jersey like a mini-cruise, giving us the chance to expression, confident that we couldn’t possibly disagree. We thought ourselves very lucky; 294 sparkling sunshine every day enabled us to THE JOURNEY miles see Jersey in its very best light. It’s so lush We spent eight nights on Jersey in mid-May, having and colourful. travelled from Staffordshire to for the ferry. We worked up appetites by stepping out We left Jersey on Condor Ferries again for St-Malo, in landscapes varying from the dramatic THE COSTS north coast cliffs to the sheltered bays of the south and east and across to the seemingly Ferry Condor Ferries: Portsmouth-St Helier...... £220 Fuel Average 28mpg...... £57.95 endless stretch of dune-backed beach that’s Site fees...... £225 a surfer’s paradise in the west. We scouted Attractions One adult, one senior: Jersey War Tunnels, around a couple of famous castles (I have a Jersey Zoo, Samarès Manor gardens, Mont Orgueil Castle, thing about castles and Jersey’s are good Elizabeth Castle and ferry...... £131.90 ’uns!) and learned about how the islanders Total costs...... £634.85 coped with five years of German occupation during WWII. ➤

February 2020 outandaboutlive.co.uk 43 Jersey TRAVEL

Plemont to Beuvelande endowed us with the very I’m always amazed by such pictures; not Devil’s Hole ME AND MY ’VAN special treat of seeing St Catherine’s Bay least because I, in waterproof walking boots, sparkling prettily in the early evening light. which look to be far more suited to rocky Fliquet Bay Jersey’s north coast beckoned, with its terrain than those of the photographer’s Lewis’s Tower Jersey Zoo mesmerising vision of Guernsey and Sark. subjects, can only peer curiously and From our pitch at our second site, the enviously from above. Jersey War Tunnels superb Rozel Camping Park, we could A particularly memorable afternoon was clearly see the Cotentin Peninsula of spent walking from Grève de Lecq Mont Orgueil Castle Normandy and, in between, the tiny westwards to Plemont Bay on a path that Écréhous islands. Their much sought-after dips up and down and around the St Brelades Bay fishermen’s huts look like toy building spectacular seaboard. I’d really begun to bricks on specks of rock almost swallowed take things for granted on Jersey, expecting Ouaisne Bay St Helier by the sea. – and getting – fantastic scenery around La Roque Driving slowly down leafy lanes, past doe- every corner. Very annoyingly, I’d forgotten Helen Werin... eyed, caramel-skinned cows and fields of to check the tide times so, when we arrived is MMM’s Travel Editor and Jersey potatoes, led us to the Priory Inn high above Plemont (there’s a long flight of loves nothing more than where we parked (free) for the Devil’s Hole. steps to the beach), the water was up. I was following in the tracks of Despite the name and the legends – that disappointed, having wanted to visit the readers who’ve inspired her had pulled us here – it’s paradisiacal, rather, caves here, especially as one of them has a with their motorhome the sensational view across azure waters to waterfall over it. travelling tales Sark and Guernsey is. I stood captivated by My disappointment didn’t last long, the seascape for such a long time that I swiftly assuaged by the pastoral scenes from almost forgot what I’d actually come here Rozel to Fliquet Bay, dominated by another for – at high tide, water is forced through a of the towers built in the 1780s to guard the tunnel and out of the hole, thus creating a east coast. Along the way we stopped to see ‘booming’ noise. what’s left of the 5,000-year-old gallery The Devil’s Hole is fenced off but, in grave, Dolmen du Couperon, before eating TOP TIPS Our arrival at our first campsite, Mont Orgueil Castle (aka Gorey Castle), on weathered monochrome pictures displayed our picnic on the suntrap breakwater at St 2002 Roller Team Auto-Roller Beuvelande, was marked by the appearance the east coast. on the viewpoint, Victorian ladies in their Catherine’s. We looked across the bay that 41 on a 2.3-litre Fiat. ‘Roly’ Jersey has its own currency. of a military jeep, men in military uniforms A couple of miles after leaving ‘Sunday best’ long skirts and bonnets are we’d stopped to admire earlier in the trip has lots of storage, which soon Ask for change in ‘English and women in Land Girl garb. It was a Beuvelande and we were on Gorey’s palm standing deep within the rock-strewn hole, and to Mont Orgueil Castle – with yet fills up when travelling with a money’. Barclays Bank in St Liberation Day event (for charity) and we tree-lined prom, with the landmark fortress which became a particularly popular tourist another of those red towers in between. teenage daughter Helier issues English notes ➤ (from a clearly marked ATM); joined in the spirit with other campers in seen on all the ads and posters above the attraction in the late nineteenth century. We headed for the Driftwood Café near other ATMs give Jersey notes. Tilleys, the on-site bar and restaurant. The harbour. All morning we trekked up and I suggest paying by card as wartime occupation of the down steep steps, under arches and along much as possible is a constant thread, woven among the stone pathways to the keep built on a rocky Walk along clifftops and find sensational scenery, a riveting and complex outcrop, interspersed with lingering looks secret bays history and the wonderful food. across the Royal Bay of Grouville to the jersey.com/self-guided- Jersey marked my first time in an south, north across St Catherine’s Bay and walks-in-jersey amphibious vehicle. Charming Betty is one to , just 14 miles away. Pick up a ticket for a free of two such ferries transporting passengers I loved ducking through all the doors, return visit to the botanic gardens at Samarès Manor across St Aubin’s Bay at St Helier to peering into dark recesses and investigating samaresmanor.com Elizabeth Castle. It was such a strange down steps to dim passages and up towers. feeling trundling across the sands like we Flanked by four-storey residential If you get a rainy day, visit the Jersey War Tunnels (wear were on a slightly rocking bus. As Betty apartments built in the mid-sixteenth something warm) drove deeper into the channel, the roar of century and by huge walls, we experienced a jerseywartunnels.com her engine kicked in and we sailed across to wind tunnel sensation at one stage – though A Jersey Heritage Pass gives the islet on which the castle was built at the moments earlier I’d been sunning myself in unlimited access to four sites end of the sixteenth century. the tiny seventeenth century garden. for the price of three For 200 years Elizabeth Castle was the A long corridor leads to a medieval hall jerseyheritage.org/ island’s principle stronghold. It’s a with an impressive Tree of Succession steel heritage-pass compelling place, extended as events sculpture showing the intertwined royal Take a culinary walking tour unfolded from being the last castle to houses of France and throughout jerseyfoodtours.co.uk surrender during the Civil War to a the middle ages. punishment camp during WWII. It was so Our afternoon walk south traced the hard to tear my eyes away from the extent of those earlier enticing views from ABOVE LEFT Amphibious panoramic views from its stocky towers the castle to La Rocque Point along what’s vehicles take tourists to over the wide sweep of St Aubin’s Bay but, in known locally as Long Beach, popular with Elizabeth Castle doing so, I learned fascinating snippets of kite surfers, then onto a public path edging ABOVE RIGHT The Kismet castle life. the Royal Jersey Golf Club and passing Cabana Beach Club café at It’s actually another castle that takes another of the many towers at Fort Henry. Ouaisne Beach centre stage in that iconic view of Jersey; To cap another fulfilling day, our return The Japanese garden at Samarès Manor

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TAKING YOUR MOTORHOME TO JERSEY Motorhomes up to 7m long, 3.1m high and under 4.5 tonnes can book Condor Ferries online. Otherwise you should call ☎ 03456 091024. Gas is limited to 47kg and each bottle must be no heavier than 7kg (excluding the weight of the bottles). You need a motorhome permit prior to arrival; they are supplied when you book registered campsites or by email [email protected] You must stay on a registered campsite (max 31 days), display the permit and return to site each night. Maximum speed is 40mph, with a lot of 30mph and 20mph zones. We advise not going down Green Lanes in a motorhome (narrow 15mph lanes). Our motorhome is 2.24m wide, 2.87m high and 5.8m long; we didn’t have any problems driving around. You The Archirondel Tower (or Red Tower) have to drive slowly anyway and if and view across St Catherine’s Bay buses can do it, then so can we! the tower for a cuppa. INFORMATION foliage; some Galapagos giant tortoises live As seemed to be the pattern of our in here, too. explorations, there were even more An island that’s small on size, Wandering through the Jersey War unexpected treats in store as we strolled but big on personality Tunnels, built by the Germans using slave along one of the ‘green lanes’ back towards jersey.com labour, the accounts and pictures of what Rozel to St Catherine’s Woods Nature Daily sailings from life was like between September 1941 and Reserve. What a place! Portsmouth or June 1944 are astounding. Among the tales It’s like a fairy glen with stepping stones condorferries.co.uk of bravery and incredible escapes are stories over streams, the air filled with birdsong View or download the latest of defiance and espionage and the islanders’ and the hammer of a woodpecker among ‘What’s on’ guide agonies about whether to evacuate or stay. the dense, tall trees through which the late jersey.com/events What astonishes me is that Jersey continued afternoon light filtered so exquisitely. Height restrictions for car to advertise itself as a holiday resort: ‘the Welly-clad children squealed as they parks at perfect retreat for a wartime break’. splashed in the pond. gov.je/parking Our excursions around the south and Back at Rozel, youngsters were splashing west take us from St Brelade’s Bay to Mont in the heated swimming pool (Beuvelande du Grouet, culminating in a magnificent also has a pool). Encouraged by this tableau outlook to Corbière Lighthouse. of fun, my husband, Robin, finally agreed to Before we left for Brittany, we reflected a (free) round of crazy golf... I won! on the joys of our trip in the tranquil Jersey Zoo, famously founded by Gerald WE STAYED AT gardens at Samarès Manor. Durrell, was another highlight. Focused on Beuvelande Campsite, The Japanese garden, rockeries and water protecting and conserving endangered and Rue De Beuvelande, features, great swathes of every colour vulnerable species, it’s home to some St Martin JE3 6EZ imaginable here and heady scents of exotic amazing creatures, many of which I’ve never ☎ 01534 853575 plants there, left us in a blissful daze. heard of. As a group of tamarins munched campingjersey.com During the short onward journey to hawthorn flowers inches from our heads  1 April – 30 September St-Malo (on Condor’s Commodore Rapide), I – dropping the petals all over us – the £ Two adults, pitch and started fretting again. We should have keeper called out, “Daisy, Joe…” and off they electric: From £17.59 walked around far more of the coast and shot at lightning speed like a bunch of gone back to pretty Plemont to investigate Rozel Camping Park, mischievous kids. La Grande Route de Rozel, Jersey’s largest caves. Oh, and we should In the reptile house I learned that the St Martin JE3 6AX definitely have returned to Rozel’s scenic tiniest brightly coloured frogs, like delicate ☎ 01534 855200 harbour for a few more of the Hungry Man porcelain figurines, are poisonous. rozelcamping.com kiosk’s massive breakfast buns and super- Livingstone’s fruit bats with wing spans of  11 May – 5 September creamy, Jersey whipped ice creams… 4½ft dangled from nets in a humid Never have I known so many wonderful £ Two adults, pitch and enclosure and the butterfly house was a electric: From £29 sights – and tastes – packed into such a kaleidoscope of flashing colours among the small area!

46 outandaboutlive.co.uk February 2020