Cycle ride around the coast of GUERNSEY      Sunday 23^rd August afternoon

 

We arrived back from Herm and after a quick lunch thought we might manage to cycle half way round Guernsey but it was still a glorious day so we managed a complete circuit by 6 o clock just leaving out a couple of peninsulas. With the sea on our left we went past Castle Cornet and the bus depot, climbing out of St Peter Port on a winding busy road (though there was less traffic today because it was closed in town because of roadworks). We walked on the pavement as we didn’t need to kill ourselves! Eventually it plateau-ed out and it was several small lanes marked as 15 mile an hour, Ruette Tranquille, to follow. These give priority to walkers, cyclists and horse-riders but don’t prohibit normal traffic.

 

We rode to St. Martin’s Point for views but we didn’t stay long as the car park was full and people milled about. By the airport small planes took off one after the other very close to the houses. Perhaps they had good double glazing or maybe they were deaf. They all seemed to be propeller planes but the noise was intense for a few seconds.

 

There was a windmill marking the Goldsmith’s house and workshop and then we went down to Fort Grey on the coast which we followed until we turned off to go to Lihou Island. We would have visited this if the tides were right but unfortunately they were particularly high and the causeway was continually covered while we were on Guernsey. It is only accessible 2 weeks of every month.

 

Next we rode to Vazon Bay which was the most touristy bit of Guernsey for us. There are good surfing waves and the bay is good for swimmers. Facilities here are newly built.

At a little cabin cafe we had a “flat” coffee at Cobo Bay. The sea was beginning to have rocky outcrops and at Port Soif the rock seemed to be a pinky- red colour and the waves rolled beautifully surely for surfing , though we didn’t see anyone. The west beach had sand dunes.

 

We were on the cycle way when at 5.30 church bells began to peal out. Next we came upon Bordeaux Harbour which is one of the few places where dogs can walk the beach all year round -mostly restrictions apply. There are small fishing boats here and the currents make it inadvisable to swim.

 

 At Samson’s Bay we were nearly back at St Peter Port. Here was more industry, then many offices, perhaps connected with banking (so important to Guernsey at the present time) and then a proper cycleway beside the road.  Just a few more mile took us back to the hotel and we had gone 24 miles in 3 hours. We would visit some tourist attractions tomorrow in the rain.