Travel

An island adventure in glorious Jersey which was well worth the wait...

JERSEY is an island that I have always wanted to visit.

I have friends, you see, who have been there and have fed back glorious reviews.

One friend in particular spent a very long chunk of time living there, having visited for a holiday from Ireland and deciding to stay. That was a few years ago now, but it has always stuck in my mind.

The fact that my friend, who likes a lot of the same things that I do in life – including, although not necessarily in this order, seafood, beaches, family time, wine and holidays, was so enamoured with this island that she chose to stay for a significant amount of time, entirely off the cuff, well I’m not ashamed to say that that left me with serious FOMO.

As a result, visiting Jersey has been on my to-do list for many years. And while it has taken me over a decade to get there, I can finally say that I’ve ticked it off that list.

There are stunning beaches at every turn in glorious Jersey

Now there are times in your life when you wait so long for something, and put so much faith in it being amazing, that by the time you do it it’s actually quite underwhelming.

(When I say that I mean every ride with a more than two-hour queue at Disney World, Florida. But that is a story for another travel feature.)

When it comes to Jersey, this is absolutely NOT the case.

After the wait and the hype generated by my own internal monologue, when I finally got to Jersey it was everything I had hoped for, but so much more too.

I visited the Channel Island with my family in the spring.

As a self-governing dependency of the British Crown, it is officially owned by Britain, but its location in the English Channel means it actually lies far closer to France, and this geological juxtaposition makes for the charming blend of both cultures which is evident throughout the island.

Things like French street signs and surnames crop up regularly, giving away the island’s Norman roots, although all car registration plates feature a GBJ sign, denoting their British status, and they drive on the left too.

For those not sure on the geographical setup here, Jersey is the largest and most southernly of the inhabited Channel Islands, which include Guernsey and three smaller islands Alderney, Sark and Herm.

There are a few much smaller islands within this archipelago, namely Jethou, Brecqhou and Lihou, which are either privately owned, and therefore not open to the public (Jethou and Brecqhou), or only accessible when the tide permits (Lihou).

Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands

But Jersey was our sole destination on this occasion, and it did not disappoint. In fact, it was winning points on our best holidays scoreboard before we even landed.

The first great thing about holidaying in Jersey is that if you are travelling from across Britain or Ireland is takes next to no time at all to get there.

On our day of travel, we left our home at 6.30am, boarded a 9am flight from Luton Airport and were sitting around our pool at Jersey’s very welcoming Merton Hotel – more on them later - by 11am that morning.

Now that is unheard of when it comes to us taking a family holiday.

But there we were on a sunshine-bathed island, which boasted coastal views at every turn, after a flight which took a mere 40 minutes. Mind-boggling stuff.

The beauty of this is in the detail, of course. While Jersey is large in terms of the Channel Islands, it is actually relatively small.

At only nine miles by five miles in size, with a population of just 100,000 people, it could not be easier to get around.

In fact, once you land at Jersey Airport you are already in the thick of it - with many of the island’s highlights within touching distance.

And you’ll need that extra time saved on travel as there is so much to do when you get there.

Head inland to catch a glimpse of Jersey's famed cows

From the beaches that hug that coastline, to the lush inner island landscape which is home to the famed golden brown Jersey cows, or the fields where locals grow the equally famous Jersey Royal potatoes, there is an abundance of things to explore.

And there is plenty of history to indulge there too, not least the five-year period where the island was occupied by Nazi Germany - which is well-documented in its landscape today and quite mind-blowing when you realise what that entailed.

There is also a fabulous food and drink scene across the island, which benefits from delicious locally-caught seafood, those exceptional Jersey Royals – which are the only potato in the UK to have an EU ‘protected designation of origin’ (PDO) status, and the cows, of course, which produce such high quality milk that it makes for incredibly rich and incredibly tasty dairy products - from butter to cheese and ice cream.

And they didn’t need to ask us twice to sample all of that.

I also rather enjoyed the fact that the places we visited were all named after saints.

The capital of Jersey is St Helier. This bustling harbour town, named after the patron saint of Jersey, is the most populated of the twelve parishes that make up the island.

Jersey Royals are the only UK potato with EU protected status

Each parish is named after the saints of their ancient parish churches, and each area boasts its own surprisingly distinct but suitably endearing personality.

Along with St Helier, there is Grouville, St. Brelade, St. Clement, St. John, St. Lawrence, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Ouen, St. Peter, St. Saviour, and Trinity.

Some are coastal, some are rural, some are lively and cosmopolitan while others are quietly craggy, but all are full of character and stunning scenery.

We did our best to visit as many of them as possible while on the island and found something curiously captivating in every direction we took.

Jersey, it turned out, was an island full of enticing contradictions.

British but also French. Small, but bursting with activities. Full of history, yet full of life. Rugged and relaxing all at once. Near, but far enough away from home to fully indulge your true holiday self.

It proved the perfect location for a family adventure - and it really was well worth the wait.

Our top spots to explore in Jersey:

Jersey Zoo

Take time to hang out at the impressive Jersey Zoo

Founded by conservationist Gerald Durrell in 1959, Jersey Zoo is a 32-acre wildlife park in Trinity which is dedicated to saving endangered species from extinction.

It’s a must-visit if you’re holidaying with children, or even if you’re not, boasting more than 100 species, including gorillas, orangutans and huge Aldabra giant tortoises.

In 1986 the zoo made headlines when its resident gorilla Jambo stood guard over a five-year-old boy who had fallen into the gorilla enclosure.

The gorilla stayed put there, warding off the other gorillas, until help arrived and the boy was lifted back out to safety. There is a statue of Jambo at the Merton Hotel honouring the silverback as a ‘peaceful protector and a gentle giant’.

Jersey War Tunnels

Immerse yourself in the island's fascinating history at the Jersey War Tunnels

Shortly after World War II broke out in 1939 then Prime Minister Winston Churchill declared that Britian could not defend the Channel Islands. Anyone living there was invited to evacuate to England, but those left behind would face occupation by Nazi Germany.

Many left, but many islanders stayed put, and when the Germans arrived it would be five long years before Jersey was liberated.

The story of Jersey’s occupation is told through its incredible war tunnels. Located in St Lawrence, the 1,000m underground tunnel complex was built into the island by the Germans using slave labour.

The experience on offer there now provides a fascinating insight into the island’s history and it was a definite highlight of our trip.

La Mare Wine Estate

Sample some of the island's top tipples at the La Mare Wine Estate

Make time on your trip to indulge some local produce with a tour of the impressive La Mare Wine Estate in St Mary.

This award-winning estate, run by a local family, offers tours and tastings of everything it makes.

That includes wines, cognac, cider, chocolate, fudge, and signature estate specialties, including Pomvie – their apple brandy cream liqueur, and Jersey Black Butter – which is actually a spiced apple conserve and not a butter at all. Need I say more?

Children are made very welcome on the tours, with juices for tasting and an on-site playground for them to enjoy while you take your time indulging a little more of the samples you favoured at the estate’s Vineyard Café.

Mont Orgueil Castle

Enjoy breathtaking views once you reach the top of Mont Orgueil Castle

Located in a fishing village in pretty St Martin, Mont Orgueil Castle is over 800 years old.

Also known as Gorey Castle, there are 200 steps to reach the top and once you get there you are rewarded with a superb view of the island as well as a stunning panoramic of the coast of France in the distance.

Its history tells tales of Norman conquest, French invasion and a longstanding connection to the British Crown.

Another definite hit with our family, there is plenty for children to do here, including an excellent playground located within the castle walls, as well as a costume/dress up section and plenty of ice-cream options at the café too.

Beach life

Sunset views of at La Rocco Tower and La Corbière Lighthouse from St Ouen's Bay

There are so many fabulous beaches in Jersey.

It really would be criminal not to try and visit as many as you can while you are there, and when you find one, I suggest you just stop and take a wander.

Among our favourites was St Brelade’s Bay, which has cool, golden sand and plenty of seaside cafes, restaurants and shops.

We also loved St Ouen’s Bay, which is Jersey’s longest beach and is a favourite for local surfers and windsurfers.

With panoramic views over the Atlantic, it’s the perfect place to settle in and watch the sunset and the surfers. Grab dinner and an outdoor seat at the Watersplash Beach Bar and you are sorted.

From both beaches you can also catch a view of Jersey’s iconic La Corbière lighthouse, which sits dramatically on the southwestern point of the island, is flanked by rocks and is only accessible via a causeway.

Where to stay:

The Merton Hotel provides the perfect base for your family adventure

Check in to the Merton Hotel in St Saviour for the perfect base for your family’s Jersey adventure. It boasts lots of local history too.

Operated by the Jersey-based Seymour Hotel Group, the hotel was first opened in 1920 by George and Ada Seymour as a five-bedroom guesthouse.

Following Jersey’s occupation in World War II, the resort underwent a major refurbishment and has continued to grow into the much-loved family resort that it is today.

Now guests can enjoy its Aquapark, with indoor and outdoor pools, a FlowRider surfing wave machine as well as a kids' club and spa and fitness centre. There are also multiple restaurants and bars on-site and live entertainment every night. It’s also very well positioned for exploring the island. For bookings click here.

For further information on Jersey or to plan your trip click here.

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See More: Channel Islands, Jersey, Travel