British Travel Journal | Autumn 2019

You don’t just visit

You don’t just visit Alderney - you feel a connection with the island. The unspoilt, wild landscape, magnificent coastal views and beautiful beaches dotted around the 10-mile perimeter are utterly enchanting. You can’t help but relax and completely unwind as you marvel over the architecture, or investigate the many historic forts. Every day on Alderney is an adventure – even for the locals. Some who had lived there for years, told us they still find hidden gems (even bays!) they never knew existed. They are living in paradise – and so are their children. Alderney has the only school in the British Isles where children take their swimming lessons in the sea! There’s a family-run farm providing the entire island with delightful local produce, a cinema, starry skies, various events running throughout the year – and that’s not to mention blonde-haired hedgehogs and blue letterboxes - I mean what more could you want? It’s truly unique – and the community spirit is unparalleled. The magic touched me with, as they describe it, “The Alderney Feeling”. DAY ONE Just a 5-10-minute transfer from the airport took us to our hotel (you can walk it in around 20 minutes), The Victoria, conveniently located at the bottom of Victoria Street, in the ‘capital’, Saint Anne. It’s a perfect location, close to all the action and within easy reach of the coastline and main sites of the island. Our lovely host, Ally couldn’t have made us feel any more welcome, and inside was beautifully light and airy, with coastal-themed interiors, home-from-home touches and contemporary charm. Sister-hotel, The Georgian (on the same street opposite The Victoria) looked every bit as attractive and inviting, and is another excellent holiday option. (thevictoria.gg) Close by our hotel was Cycle & Surf, the shop where we had pre-booked our electric bikes. Andrew, who runs “You don’t just visit Alderney - you feel a connection with the island. The unspoilt, wild landscape, magnificent coastal views and beautiful beaches are utterly enchanting.” the shop with his wife Kathy, was fabulous. They have turned this essential hire shop into an island gem, with the latest top-of-the-range electric bikes, and a range of designer and casual wear - all very reasonably priced. I walked in to see a floaty beach dress, jumper and lace t-shirt I couldn’t resist. (cycleandsurf.co.uk) It was time for lunch. We strolled up along the cobbled street to Le pesked, the only French restaurant on Alderney, and we were in luck. The Alderney Food and Drink Festival had started, and, as a lunchtime special, the fabulous Brittany chef David Ollivrin was serving up five dishes for two, for just £20. The food, made from local produce, was delicious. My personal favourites included the Alderney Crab Spring Roll in plum sauce, Moules and Marinated Pork Brochette. Re-fuelled, we met at the bottom of Victoria Street for our Round-the-Island tour with Alderney Tours, led by John Horton, the Island Bird Observatory Warden (as seen on BBC Countryfile and CH4 Little British Islands). This two-hour minibus tour is the perfect introduction, offering the opportunity to learn about the geography, history and wildlife, and to get your bearings of where everything is, before heading out on your self-guided explorations. John is the perfect tour guide, professional, knowledgeable – and with a great sense of humour. But, like many of the Islanders we met, it’s not his only day-job. John’s passion for birds and wildlife is what led him to take a career break as a Metropolitan Police Officer to establish the Channel Isles first accredited bird observatory – where numbers and variety of birds soon far exceeded expectation. Just a couple of à 74 BritishTravelJournal.com

Pictured top-left to bottom-right: Fort Houmet Herbe; Jessica looking out across to Fort Houmet Herbé; The Victoria, Hotel; Pepperpot and Longis Beach; and Fort Tourgis BritishTravelJournal.com 75