Guernsey Guided Walks

Guernsey has a wealth of history waiting for you to discover. There are many ways to explore, including guided walks with an accredited guide, self-guided walks and a selection of other literature to guide you to the best sites.

Guided Walks

A selection of Guided Walks are offered on Guernsey as well as Spring and Autumn Walking Weeks. 

 

Self-Guided Walks

Why not take yourself through the streets of St Peter Port with the self-guided walk taking in all sorts of interesting points, medieval buildings and clues to the history of the beautiful town.

Medieval St Peter Port
Medieval St Peter Port Walk
Castle Cornet Trail

A Map of Saint Peter Port is now also available with five suggested routes.  Please pick up a free copy form the Guernsey Information Centre.

 

Victor Hugo trail

Hugo spent 15 years on Guernsey, which provided inspiration for many of his works.
A trail which retraces the steps of the great literary figure is currently out of print.

Victor Hugo in Guernsey website

 

 

Parish Churches

Guernsey's Parish Churches are of great age and bear witness to work carried out over many centuries by masons brought to Guernsey from different regions of France and from the English West Country. Prehistoric statue menhirs at St Martins and the Castel act as reminders that the sites were often used for pagan worship.

The complex architectural development of Guernsey 's Parish Churches - with the exception of St Phillipe of Torteval - extends far beyond the compass of the brief descriptions below. They are of great age and bear witness to work carried out over many centuries by masons brought to Guernsey from different regions of France and also from the English West Country.

Prehistoric statue menhirs at St Martins and the Castel act as reminders that the sites were often used for pagan worship long before the advent of Christianity, and they remain today, a focal point in every parish.

Historic Attractions

Guernsey has many historical sites of interest. Such attractions include the Guernsey Tapestry, Castle Cornet or the German Occupation Museum  - the Islands ' geographical position has resulted in their truly unique heritage.

Guernsey Museums has recently became part of the BBC's 'A History of the World' project. 

Other sites of Historical Interest

 

There are many more historic sites. Details of the Priory of St. Mary - Lihou Island, which appeared on the BBC's Meet the Ancestors, or the ancient Le Déhus Passage Tomb, amongst others are below - A treasure trove waits to be discovered:   

North of Island:

Le Déhus Passage Tomb
This passage grave is near Bordeaux Harbour in the parish of the Vale. The mysterious rock carving representing a hunter with his bow and arrows in the inside chamber is known as the Guardian of the Tomb.

Les Vardes
This is the largest chambered tomb on Guernsey and is situated on L'Ancresse Common.

Les Fouillages

This Neolithic burial mound is thought to date back to around 4,500 BC and is unlike any other found so far in Western Europe. Over 35,000 artefacts have been unearthed such as flints, ornaments, tools and pottery.

Vale Castle
Ancient fortification, looking out over Herm and Sark. Originally built by the father of William the Conqueror; the oldest parts of the castle are older than the Tower of London and it is believed that the site was occupied as early as 500 – 600bc.

Fort Doyle
Built in the mid-nineteenth century, the Fort would have protected the north approaches of St Peter Port with three heavy guns.

Fort le Marchant
A Napoleonic fort - thought to have been a military site prior to this.

West Coast:

Le Trépied Tomb
Le Trépied is thought to be of slightly later date than the larger tombs on the island. It figures in accounts of 17th century witch trials as a Friday night rendezvous for witch's covens when the Devil, disguised as a black goat, sat enthroned on the capstone while his disciples danced around, shrieking his praises.

Mont Chinchon Battery
Napoleonic gun battery armed with two artillery pieces, with free public access. The battery was built towards the end of the 18th century as the threat of possible invasion from France increased during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793 – 1815). It was one of over 60 coastal batteries in service in Guernsey at the time. 

Les Creux és Faies Passage Tomb 
An ancient chambered tomb sat on a hillock opposite the island of Lihou on Guernsey's west coast.

St. Apolline's Chapel 
The tiny chapel of Ste. Apolline, patron saint of Dentists, is the church most untouched by time. It stands at the roadside in St Saviour's almost exactly as it was when built in 1394. A former rector of St Saviour's launched a scheme to restore the building and the medieval frescoes found inside.

Priory of St. Mary - Lihou Island
The Priory on Lihou Island is believed to have been established by Benedictine monks from Mont Saint Michel in Normandy in the 12th century. The Priory is now in ruins. Archaeological excavations have been carried out by the island's Archaeology Officer to find out more about the structure of the Priory and its associated buildings, and the life of the monks. The site was first excavated by the famous local antiquary F C Lukis in 1868 and the priory also appeared on BBC 2's Meet the Ancestors.  

PLEASE BE AWARE OF TIDES WHEN CROSSING THE CAUSEWAY TO LIHOU ISLAND.

Fort Hommet 
Victorian fortification built to defend against the French and added to in 1942 by the occupying Nazi forces.
 
South of Island:

La Gran'mère du Chimquière
A 4000 year old statue-menhir situated at the gate of St Martin's parish church. Thought to bring good luck and fertility to newly-wed couples.

Batterie Dollamnn
Restored battery that houses the last French, 10 tonne, 22cm gun of this type in Europe.

La Table des Pions
From Norman times until the 19th century used by officials as a resting place whilst inspecting roads and sea defences. This site has beautiful views and is a walkers paradise on the southwest coast of the island.  La Table des Pions is known locally as the Fairy Ring.

Fort Pezeries
A Napoleonic fort situated on Guernsey's beautiful south west coast. Reached on foot by coastal path, the fort contains a powder magazine and stone platforms for three 18-pound Napoleonic guns.   

East Coast:

Brehon Tower (Private property and bird sanctuary - can be viewed from east coast and Herm)
Built from Herm granite between 1854 and 1856 on the Brehon Rock, in the middle of the Little Russel between Guernsey and Herm. Originally housing five 18 pound guns mounted on top and 35 artillerymen.

During the Second World War, the occupying forces mounted an anti-aircraft gun on the Tower.

Clarence Battery
Built in 1780, this is what remains of Fort George - the Island's principal fort during the French Revolution and home to the German Luftwaffe early warning service during WW2.

St Peter Port
There is little doubt that St Peter Port was an important trading post in Roman times, but it is from the early part of the 13th century, with King John’s loss of Normandy in 1204 and the foundation of the royal stronghold of Castle Cornet to secure the island for the Crown, that the town began to develop around the parish church and quayside. Building was confined to a narrow strip of land within town walls ordered for its protection by the king in 1350, and later marked by les barrières de la ville ­ six incised stones erected in 1700 to define the town limits. It was during this first period of development that the island prospered from the lucrative wine trade with Gascony, the levying of duties on goods and the victualling of ships passing between England and the ports of south-west France.

There are many fortifications around the Island, which are too numerous to mention.  Some of these were built during the 1940 - 1945 occupation of the Island by German forces and slave labour.  Other older fortifications were adapted and can be an interesting mix of granite and cement.

There are also a series of loop-holed towers which can be seen on the west and north coasts, the best example being Rousee Tower and Battery.  Fifteen of these towers were originally built in 1778- 1779, with twelve remaining.

 

Useful Links:

Annette Henry

Heritage Guernsey
Guernsey Walker
Gill Girard
Guided Guernsey