Holiday in Guernsey

 Last week David and I went away to Guernsey from Monday to Friday.  We’re lucky that where we live the ferry port is in town (Poole) with services to the Guernsey, Jersey and France, though this service was going just to Guernsey and Cherbourg.  We stayed at the Grange Lodge Hotel, which isn’t that far from St Peter Port. Going into town is downhill, back up to the hotel is a steep walk or short bus ride.  The accommodation was comfortable and the meals in the bar were really good and popular with local people too.  The hotel is on a trail relating to the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society (book and film). 

David has a cousin who lives just outside St Peter Port and was able to have more information about some family members and some photos too.  He was able to show photos of his branch of the Wild family so it was good to have time with her and her husband as we’ve met up before on short visits either to the island or mainland.  

Apart from that we were able to visit Saumaurez Park, the beach at Grand Rocques, the Guernsey Tapestry and Victor Hugo’s house.  Below is a lovely view from Vale, north of the island looking towards Herm and Jetou, just a few minutes north of St. Peter Port.

Another day we went to Saumaurez Park, with gardens and a museum of local life, run by the local trust.  I could not resist a photo of the quilt there.

The rose garden was lovely

Another afternoon was at the beach near Ste Marie du Catel and it was just lovely weather

I was amazed by the wild flowers

And this was at St Saviour, where David was looking at the cannons facing out to sea, to defeat the French 

And found several of these plants in a glorious bright pink.  I’ll have to find out what they are.

Couldn’t help noticing in the clear blue sky how many vapour trails there were, there’s now a lot more aeroplanes in the sky.

A visit to the Guernsey Tapestry, which we first saw 20 years ago, but still amazing to see again.  The details in the panels that recorded 1000 years of history and made by people in 10 districts of the island.  An audio guide took us through each panel and there was a touch table with canvas and samples of the stitches used.  Really good to revisit this.

Another place we revisited was Victor Hugo’s House in Hauteville. A steep climb to get there but really worth it.  It is part of the Museum of Paris and the guides are French taking both English and French tours around the house.  He was exiled from France and lived on the island for 15 years and had a very eclectic style often buying antiques and remodelling using local artisans.  A complex character, a dark house but had back rooms with views out to the sea.  I didn’t take photos in the house and wasn’t able to get a guide book, but we did get to have a look in the garden.

But before reaching Hautville House, we were at Trinity Square and trying to replicate a photo of David’s father, who posed many years ago by some stocks.  The stocks have since disappeared and I haven’t got the photo, so I hope I’ve got it right. But it’s a nice photo.

We arrived back in Poole late on Friday evening and it was nice to know it was only a 10 drive to get back home.