Sark

We had pre-booked tickets on the 8am ferry from Guernsey to Sark and the 6pm ferry back, but after yesterday's wind and knowing that the new Condor ferry had been cancelled as a result of wind-related damage, yesterday evening we checked both the Isle of Sark Shipping Company's website and the weather forecast, and it didn't make for comfortable viewing. There were strong winds forecast again. Furthermore, yesterday's morning ferry to Sark had operated but the afternoon one hadn't, and the last thing we wanted was to be stuck on Sark and so to be unable to catch the flight back to Stansted on Wednesday. This might normally be something of an adventure, but it would be extremely embarrassing not to be in Milton Keynes on Thursday for my first day as Head of Department. We decided to take advice from the Booking Office.

We started with another early breakfast in our room at the Hotel de Havelet. The clocks had gone forward yesterday, so it was a challenge to get up early, but we were rewarded by lovely early morning light as we left the hotel. At the Booking Office we were advised to change our booking to the 4pm ferry rather than the 6pm one and that’s what we did; there was some doubt over the 6pm ferry but they were confident that the 4pm would sail. I’m so pleased that we made it to Sark – it is a delightful island and it was not as touristy as I had feared (though I’m not sure I’d want to visit in August). I had thought that we would be walking mostly on lanes, but we were on footpaths for more of the day than I had expected. It was quite a cold day, but the sun shone for the whole morning and it didn’t rain.

The ferry took us past the small island of Grande Fauconniere, a small rocky island to the south of Jethou and there were good views to Shell Beach on Herm. We sailed around Sark, passing the Point Robert Lighthouse, to the Maseline Harbour. After disembarking we went through the tunnel to where tractors and trailers were waiting to take ferry passengers to “The Avenue” at the centre of the Island. One of the things to remember about Sark is that it is famously car-free (though to be honest, residents seem to use tractors as if they were cars). We didn’t need transport of any sort; we were heading around the coast (in as much as this is possible on Sark) and we very quickly took a footpath which climbed onto the cliffs above Sark’s other harbour, Creux Harbour, with good views to the islands of Les Burons.

We reached a lane and followed it briefly, then we took another path towards the Hoggsback. We climbed again, then took a glorious path through woodland down towards Dixcart Bay. We continued around the coast and reached the “main road” just before the Coupée.

We crossed the Coupée onto Little Sark and continued to La Sablonnerie Hotel where we turned left. Then we followed paths round in a circuit down towards the south coast, with good views to the islands beyond, then back up past the remains of silver mining and took a further circuit on the Adonis Headland. It was glorious walking. We returned to la Sablonnerie Hotel and back over the Coupée. We turned left onto a wide path opposite Dixcart Lane, and followed a further circuit with good views to the Island of Brecquo, which is owned by the reclusive Barclay Brothers. We stopped for lunch, then headed towards the centre of the island, passing the Methodist Church, which I recognised from “The Island Parish” TV programme last year.

We reached the Anglican Church and The Avenue. The Avenue is not particularly attractive, but all the residents were friendly. For example, I thought that the ladies loo was locked until a passing cyclist pointed out that it was necessary to kick the door in order to open it! Heading to the north again, we reached The Island Hall, where refreshments were being served in the Sunflower café. We had lovely soup and a chat to some of the locals, who again warned us that the 6pm ferry was unlikely to sail.

We continued past La Signeurie, which was originally a priory but has been home to the Island’s signeurs (lords) since 1730. At the northern end of the island we followed another circuit around the cliffs on footpaths, descending towards the old L’Eperqurie landing and then climbing again.

We returned towards the ferry on a network of lanes, then took a footpath high above Maseline Harbour. I was surprised – and somewhat panicked – to see the ferry approaching, around an hour before we expected it. I insisted on dashing down to the harbour, and was even more panicked to discover that the ferry was no longer there! Locals assured us that the 4pm ferry would sail. We pottered about a bit, visiting Creux Harbour, and then – when it opened – sat in the little portacabin on Maseline Harbour which serves as ferry booking office and waiting room. Several locals arrived in a rush, having heard the news that the 6pm ferry and all of those tomorrow might not run. Such is life on Sark – if you really need to be on Guernsey or the mainland on Wednesday, you may need to leave home on Monday (or earlier) to be sure of getting there. And you have to be prepared to be stuck, either at home or away, until a ferry is able to run. The return ferry crossing to Guernsey was straightforward and in fact the forecast gale-force winds never materialised.