A Weekend in Jersey, Channel Islands

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. All recommendations and opinions are my own.

Jersey is one of the Channel Islands and is surrounded by gorgeous clear blue waters, sandy beaches, and a tranquil rural countryside. It’s famous for its doe eyed, fawn coloured Jersey cows that produce rich, creamy milk and its delicious kidney shaped Jersey Royal potatoes. I always thought that Jersey was part of the United Kingdom (UK), but it actually has its own government and is an off-shore tax haven. It’s a great place for a shopping spree because there is no Value Added Tax (VAT) and only a 5% sales tax. (I did add it to my ‘UK’ category though since I thought most people would look for it there and thought it might be a bit odd to put it in a separate ‘Crown Dependency’ category!)

Jersey has an interesting history. It’s earliest evidence of people was 250,000 years ago and in later times it was constantly fought over by the French and English, changing hands several times over the years. The island is surrounded in round towers which were built along the coast to protect it from a French attack. Then sadly, during WWII Jersey was occupied by Germany for most of the war so you will find many bunkers dotted around the island. If you want to learn more about the occupation and the sites you can visit, then visit the Channel Islands Occupation Society Jersey website.

Jersey is a popular tourist destination during summer, with tourists arriving by plane and ferry from all over the world. We visited in June when the wildflowers were blooming. Unfortunately, it was quite hazy during our stay, so my photos are not very clear, but the forecast had been for rain, so we were just relieved that it didn’t rain.

Day 1

We flew to Jersey from Doncaster airport at the very reasonable time of 11.20am. This airport is lovely a quiet compared and so we started our trip relatively stress free despite our plane arriving late coming from Paris which happened to us again on the way back. However, after a short flight of just over an hour, we finally arrived by early afternoon and hopped on the bus into St Helier. We had considered hiring a car for the weekend but during summer they have lots of buses running between the sights and attractions and they only cost £2 per trip.

After dropping off our bags at our accommodation, we jumped on the bus and headed out along the south eastern coastline to get to Gorey. There are some lovely coastal spots to stop off along the way in Greve d’Azette and St Catherine’s bay. The coastline was stunning with huge jagged rocks jutting out of the ocean. It is very tidal here, so you need to be very careful when walking out because you can get cut off by the incoming tide.

After a few stops to enjoy the coastline, we ended up in Gorey Pier where we visited Mont Orgueil Castle, a medieval fortress. You get amazing views of it from the bus stop as it sits atop a hill overlooking the coast and village. If you look closely at the architecture, you can see two distinct periods of building. The first part was built in the 1200’s, but it was later made taller and designed to defend itself against more sophisticated weapons like gun powder. However, later in the 16^th century, the castle was abandoned when they built Elizabeth Castle which we visited the following day. Due to its age, this place unfortunately is not very accessible for people with mobility impairments.

We walked up to the castle via the harbour path and through a very pretty garden to the entry gates. After buying our tickets we turned right into a room playing a short historical video about the castle. Then we popped into the café next to it where we discovered some amazing Portuguese tarts. We were surprised to see a number of Portuguese restaurants on Jersey and discovered that Jersey has a large Portuguese community as a lot of them moved here during the tourism boom of 1950’s.

After devouring our tarts, we headed on to explore the castle. This place is sprawling and maze like, there are rooms hidden all over the grounds. We spent several hours exploring dark narrow stairwells and corridors. I can only imagine how creepy this place would be during at night.

What made this castle stand out from others we have visited, was the interesting art installations. It felt like we were on a discovery tour. For example, The Wounded Man is a statue of a huge man covered in the kind of common injuries that led to death during medieval times, the harrowing prisoner statues where you find out the terrible kind of treatment they received, and the large mythical flying dragon. But my top three was the large metal statue of the knight on his horse, The Dance of Death where metal sculptures of skeletons turn on a backlit pedestal casting spooky silhouettes on the stone walls, and the Witches in Hell which is a wall of metal silhouettes of ghostly figures and creatures that dance and move as you turn the handles. This place is full of fun and adventures for young and old.

We spent nearly two hours exploring the castle. Afterwards we took a stroll along the beach before heading to the Crab Shack (La Route de La Cote, Gorey JE3 6DR) for dinner. There is a nice range of restaurants at Gorey and it’s a great place to eat if you love seafood, but if you plan to eat on a Saturday night in summer, then I recommend you book in advance as they get booked out. We only managed to get into the Crab Shack because the staff kindly squeezed us in. We had a lovely meal here, I enjoyed a fish and shellfish platter and hubby had sea bass with those lovely local Royal Jersey potatoes.

Day 2

We headed out early to get to the Jersey Lavender farm (La Rue Du Pont Marquet, St Brelade JE3 8DS) (there is an entry fee to enter the lavender fields) where we took a stroll around the lavender fields. They also grow other herbs here as well such as rosemary. The smaller lavender varieties were flowering, but the larger ones were yet to start. I love lavender and use the oil in my homemade candles and body creams, and I always grow lavender in my garden as the bees love it too.

After treating myself to a few items at the gift store, we walked down to St Brelade’s Bay. There is a path that runs down along La Marquanderie which is rather narrow and winding. We arrived at St Brelade’s Parish Church which overlooks the beach. It’s a lovely old church and has an interesting Fisherman’s chapel beside it with old paintings on the walls.

We found a path that took us down onto the beach, and as the tide was out, we took a stroll along the beach towards Ouaisne Tower where we also saw an old coastal defence gun casemate. We decided to head back to the town along the coastal path to catch the bus and on our way we indulged in a gorgeous Jersey cow ice cream. This bay is a lovely spot to visit as it has accommodation, restaurants and bus service. This must be ‘the’ place to live as there were a number of very large, grand houses.

Our next stop was St Ouens Pond to visit the Jersey National Trust’s Wetland Centre (La Grande Route des Mielles, St Peter JE3 7FN). The bus stops directly beside the entrance to the centre which is quite camouflaged and built into the hill. As we entered, we walked through a tunnel with some information boards and then found ourselves in a bird hide. If you love bird watching, then you will love this site. There were plenty of information available about the birds and they even had binoculars available to use. I also liked the outside camera that you could move about using the controls.

We headed back outside to take a walk around the pond. As we were visiting in June, it was perfect timing to see the wild orchids in full bloom. The species growing here include the Jersey Orchid (Orchis laxiflora), the Southern Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) and the Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyramidalis). They were gorgeous shades of purple. As well as the orchids, there were a range of other wild flowers as well and we even got to see the majestic Marsh Harriers up close, a very large bird of prey. There are a number of pairs that live around the pond, the first breeding pair in Jersey was spotted here in 2002. The population of the Marsh Harriers is sadly very small. At one stage in the UK there was only one breeding pair left.

By now it was early afternoon and despite our full English breakfast, we were starving after our exploring, so we jumped on the bus again and headed to Grève de Lecq Beach in north Jersey. We had a lovely lunch with views of the beach at Colleen’s Café (La Greve de Lecq, St. Ouen JE3 2DL). I had a crab linguine which had a very generous serve of crab and hubby had some fish cakes. I treated myself to some bubbly and Shaun had some local beer. That’s the great thing about taking the bus, you don’t have to worry about indulging in a drink!

We worked out that we would have just enough time left to head back to St Helier and visit Elizabeth Castle (St Aubin’s Bay, St Helier JE3 3NU). The castle stands high on a rock and is surrounded by the sea when the tide is in. During low tide you can walk out to the castle, but as it was high tide we had to pay a bit extra for our ticket to include a ride on the amphibious bus.

As I mentioned earlier, this castle was built in the 16^th century when Mont Orgueil castle was no longer able to cope with the advancement in warfare. It is not lavish as you might imagine when you hear the word castle. Instead it was a very functional defensive castle. There is an interesting museum which tells the history of the site. It has displays showing what the living quarters would have been like for the soldiers that were posted here, and it really did not look very comfortable or healthy. I found it somewhat amusing to read how some soldiers out drinking in St Helier were caught out returning to the castle because of the tides. Some even drowned trying to make it back across. During WWII the castle was also used by the Germans and they installed guns, bunkers and battlements.

I enjoyed visiting the hermitage and reading about the hermit who lived here back in the 6^th century, a very long time before the castle was built. His name was Helier and apparently pirates cut off his head. But Helier picked up his own head in his hands and walked with it towards the shore, and that is how the town of St Helier got its name. Jersey celebrates St Helier’s feast day every year on the 16^th July which includes a pilgrimage to the Hermitage.

We spent an hour and a half exploring Elizabeth Castle and we took the final boat back to the mainland. We were pretty tired by now, so we headed back to our accommodation for a nap before heading back out to enjoy a seafood dinner at the Quayside Bistro and Grill (Liberty Wharf La Route de La Liberation, St Helier JE2 3NY). This place is popular, so we booked a table online in advance. For an entrée I enjoyed some pork belly and scallops and Shaun had some oysters that were very big and juicy. For a main we both ended up having the crispy skinned sea bass with Jersey Royal potatoes in a white wine cream sauce. It was very rich and delicious. The wine was excellent as well, we found French wine in abundance on Jersey.

Day 3

Our flight home was scheduled to leave from Jersey 13:05hrs, so we got up early and headed out to visit La Corbière, meaning ‘a place where crows gather’. However, we didn’t see any crows here, it was mostly gulls. This is the most south-western point of Jersey and it is a popular place to visit because of the lighthouse this sits on a rock. It is only accessible when the tide is out, so if you want to walk out to it, plan ahead and check the tidal times. Be careful with the tide times, there is a plaque which commemorates the assistant light keeper that drowned whilst trying to rescue a visitor that was cut off from the incoming tide. There are some German bunkers here as well, but they had very limited opening hours and was not open whilst we were there.

After a final jersey cow ice cream from the food van, we jumped back on the bus heading to the airport. We had a wonderful weekend here and found plenty to keep us entertained. In fact, I was a bit sad that we didn’t get time to visit all of the sites on my wish list, but that’s always a good excuse for a return trip.

Other Attractions to Visit in Jersey

These are the attractions we never got time to visit.

Jersey War Tunnels

Les Charrieres Malorey, JE3 1FU. Entry fees apply.

During World War II, the Island became occupied by German forces. The Jersey War Tunnels were built during the five long years of occupation and were dug into the hillside by forced and slave workers from nations across Europe. Now a museum, you can visit the tunnels and see the exhibits that tell the story of Jersey’s occupation.

Jersey Museum and Art Gallery

5 Caledonia Place, Saint Helier JE2 3NG. Entry fees apply.

The museum presents history from 250,000 years ago when the first people arrived in Jersey and continues through the centuries to explore the factors that have shaped this unique Island and the people who live here. There is also an onsite cafe.

Maritime Museum and Occupation Tapestry

New North Quay, New North Quay, St Helier JE2 3ND. Entry fees apply.

This museum tells the story of the Island’s unique maritime environment and rich seafaring past. Set by the historic harbour of St Helier, the Maritime Museum is all about seafaring, navigation and the elements, told through the stories of Jersey people. Also on site the Occupation Tapestry Gallery.

La Hougue Bie

La Route de la Hougue Bie, Grouville. Entry fees apply.

The site features one of Europe’s finest passage graves where you can learn about life in Jersey’s Neolithic community 6,000 years ago. A medieval chapel sits on top of the prehistoric mound and dolmen dominating this tranquil and spiritual site. Unlike many other dolmens you can stand inside the chamber of the passage grave. Ancient treasures are waiting to be found in the geology and archaeology museum, including coin hoards, axes, swords and spears. You’ll also discover a command bunker built during the German Occupation, housing a unique memorial to the slave-workers who were brought to the Channel Islands by invading Nazi forces during the Second World War.

La Mare Wine Estate

St Mary JE3 3BA

I love visiting vineyards, so was disappointed that we didn’t get time to visit this place. You can join a tour and enjoy a tasting. They also have an onsite cafe.

Fun Tips About Jersey

• Jersey print their own pound sterling bank notes. Typically, when you hold English bank notes up to the light, you will see a silhouette of the Queen, but on the Jersey notes you will find the silhouette of a Jersey cow!
• Jersey is a Crown Dependency. That means that although it has its own government, it still answers to the Queen and relies on British military support.
• Jersey is not part of the United Kingdom or the European Union (EU). Instead, it is a member of the European Economic Community (EEC).
• There is no Value Added Tax (VAT) in Jersey, and only a 5% sales tax (reclaimable on high end items – check with the store). It is an off-shore tax haven.

Practical Tips for Visiting Jersey

• How long should I visit Jersey for? I think a weekend should give you enough time to visit the main sights and attractions as we did during our stay. However, you could easily spend longer if you wanted some time to relax on the beaches.
• How to get to Jersey: Jersey has an airport with regular (but limited) connections to Europe. You can also arrive by ferry from the other Channel Islands, England, and France. You can even sail there on your own boat!
• How to get from Jersey airport to your accommodation and back: Jersey has a regular bus service that runs to and from the airport and the surrounding areas. They only accept cash on board, so arrive with pound sterling in small change – it costs £2 per person per trip. You can also arrange to collect a hire car from the airport or catch a taxi.
• Getting around Jersey: You can hire a car and collect it from either the bus station or St Helier, however, the public bus service in Jersey is very good during the tourist summer season. It’s also easy to use, use the Liberty Bus website to plan your journeys. The driver only accepts cash on board, so arrive with pound sterling in small change. It costs £2 per person per trip, but if you are planning on taking at least 4 rides, then you might be better off buying an all day pass from the driver for £8 per person which will give you as many trips you want in a day. You can also purchase a multi-day pass from the ticket office at the main bus station in St Helier called Liberation Square. The staff at this ticket office are also very helpful and can help you to work out which bus you need to be on. Cycling is also a popular way to get around the island. They have cycle routes mapped out for tourists. I even saw an automated cycle hire machine at the St Helier bus station.
• Driving: In Jersey they drive on the left hand side of the road with speed signs in miles per hour (mph).
• Navigating: We used Google’s free Offline Maps. Google Offline Maps allows you to access free maps for navigating that can be used offline i.e. you don’t need WIFI, data, or roaming to be able to use them. Follow my detailed guide on how to use Googles Offline Maps.
  • Using your phone as a GPS will drain your battery quickly, so use a portable battery charger which you can use to charge your phone and any other USB chargeable devices.
  • If you prefer a paper map, then Jersey tourism is really good at providing free maps of the island. As we exited the plane and arrived in the terminal, there were lots of free maps available. We also found them at our accommodation.
• Swimming: There are lifeguards stationed at the main bays. Be sure to always swim between the red and yellow flags.
• Safety: The island is very tidal so it is easy to potentially walk out and then get caught out by the incoming tide, so always check tide times and plan your walk accordingly.
• Language: English, but the native language is actually Jèrriais, often called ‘Jersey French’ a form of Norman language, but sadly very few people speak it anymore.
• Currency: Pound sterling. Although Jersey print their own bank notes, you can use either Jersey notes or the usual English notes. Sometimes it can be difficult getting the Jersey bank notes accepted in the rest of the UK, so try not to carry large amounts and use them up before leaving.
• Tipping: Not required, but people usually round up.
• Electricity: The electrical current is 230 volts AC. Wall outlets take a three pronged plug only used in the United Kingdom and Ireland. However, you are better off purchasing a worldwide adaptor that can be used in the United Kingdom as well other countries. At least then you can potentially get some further use out of it on future vacations. If you’re taking a number of electronics with you, then I would recommend purchasing a couple of these adaptors.

Accommodation Options in Jersey

Search available accommodation in Jersey

Budget

• Avoca Villa Guest House – we stayed here
• Mornington Hotel
• Beachcombers Hotel

Moderate

• The Inn Boutique Hotel Bar and Restaurant
• Pomme d’Or Hotel
• Hotel Savoy

Luxury

• Longueville Manor
• Old Court House Inn
• Grand Jersey Hotel and Spa