Channel Islands & The Isle
of Wight
History, Villages,
Countryside Walks
2 WEEKS
TOUR CODE: CI2
Introduction:
The British Isles are an archipelago extending from the Channel
Islands to the Shetland Islands. Our journey includes some of the
British Isles' most beautiful islands. The Channel Islands, which if
not for certain historic events, would be considered part of
France-are in fact much closer to the French mainland than they
are to Great Britain. Indeed Victor Hugo, writer of Les Misérables,
lived in exile for fifteen years in the Channel Islands. Hugo
described them as "pieces of France which fell into the sea and
were gathered up by England." Today, the ambience on the
islands is French; the language and culture are English. The Isle
of Wight, off the south coast of England, certainly earns its title as
the "Island of Gardens" and truly is "England in miniature."
Day 1
Arrive in London
Today we arrive in London and transfer to our hotel. The rest of the
day is free for you to enjoy London. if you would like an optional
sightseeing tour of London, see the end of this itinerary.
Overnight in London. Averard Hotel or similar. Dinner if arriving
early enough.
Day 2
London - Portsmouth - Isle of Wight
This morning we travel from London to Portsmouth before
embarking on our ferry to the Isle of Wight. The industrial town of
Portsmouth, situated on the "island" of Portsea, owes its
importance to its magnificent natural harbour. For centuries, from
the time of the Armada onwards, it was the principal base of the
Royal Navy, while in more recent times, Portsmouth has also
become the most important naval port in Great Britain; thus in
1981 the town was the port of departure and the marine command
headquarters for the British troops in the war against Argentina
over the Falkland Islands. Three famous historic ships provide
evidence of past naval might: Lord Nelson’s H.M.S. "Victory", the
"Mary Rose" of Henry VIII, and the H.M.S. "Warrior", the Royal
Navy’s first warship. We will visit the port with its prestigious
ships. We will pay a visit to at least one of the ships.
The strategic importance of this site on the Channel was
recognised by the Romans, who built a fort at Portchester, on a
promontory just west of Portsmouth—the only Roman fort in
Britain or northern Europe which was never destroyed, although
frequently captured. The Normans took over the Roman fortress
and it was strengthened by Henry II. Richard II had the site
extended and built a fortified palace adjoining the keep. In 1415
Henry V assembled his troops here before setting sail for France.
In the Second World War Portsmouth’s strategic importance as a
naval base led to large parts of the town being destroyed.
After our visit in Portsmouth we take the short ferry ride across to
the Isle of Wight. We arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon.
First of three nights on the Isle of Wight. Parkbury Hotel or similar.
Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3
Sandown
Sandown has a glorious position on sweeping Sandown Bay. It
has a number of lovely parks and gardens, perfect for relaxation
purposes, including Battery Gardens situated on the scenic cliffs
overlooking the bay. The Romans called the island Vectis (this is
now the name of the islands bus company). Not quite a thousand
years later the Isle of Wight became the southern stronghold of
the Danes, and from the 14th to 16th centuries - like all
settlements on these waters - the island constantly feared
invasion from France. The original reason for English forts being
built in places such as Sandown was because of the fear of
French invasion.
Today we will isit Osborne House, where Queen Victoria spent
most of her declining years. This grand house was largely
designed by Albert, and the interior is virtually a shrine to his
memory. The fine grounds contain specimens of every type of
British tree. The house was built from from 1845-51 and Queen
Victoria died here in 1901. The rooms she was using at that time
were left virtually untouched from her death until 1954 when the
house was opened to the public. The Indian-inspired Durbar room
is of particular interest.
We also visit Carisbrooke Castle. The ridgetop castle is two miles
south-west of Newport and dates from Norman times although the
site is Saxon. Charles I was imprisoned here in 1647-8 before his
trial and execution in London. The window in which he got stuck
while trying to escape can still be seen. Another feature of interest
is a donkey treadmill - a team of seven take turns to raise a barrel
160ft up the well-shaft to entertain visitors.
Second night on the Isle of Wight. Parkbury Hotel or similar.
Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4
Isle of Wight
Today we visit the picturesque old town of Shanklin. The town is
characterised by thatched cottages with enchanting little front
gardens, and is favoured by local artisans. You will have plenty of
time to stroll the narrow lanes aligned with their studios. Shanklin
has the edge for its setting of golden cliffs and its scenic "chine",
a steep ravine whose mossy, fern-filled woods have been
embellished with fairy lights and thatched tea shops.
In the afternoon we make a detour from Shanklin to visit Godshill.
This small well-kept village has thatched stone houses, a
Methodist chapel dating from 1838, a small natural history
museum, a toy museum and medieval St Lawrence’s Church, with
the tombs of members of the Worsley family, and a 15th/16th
century fresco in the South Chapel. The painting "Daniel in the
Lion’s Den" is probably the work of Rubens or one of his pupils.
Third night on the Isle of Wight. Parkbury Hotel or similar.
Breakfast and dinner.
Day 5
The New Forest
Today we catch the ferry from Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight to
Lymington, in the County of Dorset; we then drive through the New
Forest. The New Forest was decreed as a Royal Hunting Preserve
in 1079. Its 375 square kilometres of undulating heath, moorland
and woodland are dotted with picturesque cottages and grazing
animals. Extensive reforestation is now in progress in the New
Forest. Encompassing about 92,000 acres, the New Forest is a
large tract created by William the Conqueror, who laid out the
limits of this then-private hunting preserve. Successful poachers
faced the executioner if they were caught, and those who hunted
but missed had their hands severed. Henry VIII loved to hunt deer
in the New Forest, but he also saw an opportunity to build up the
British naval fleet by supplying oak and other hard timbers to the
boat yards at Buckler's Hard on the Beaulieu River. En route,
notice the particularly beautiful wildflowers, and keep a special
eye out for the New Forest ponies. We will stop for lunch along
our route.
Later in our day we arrive in Bournemouth, one of Southen
England's most lovely and vibrant towns. The south-coast resort at
the doorstep of the New Forest didn't just happen: it was carefully
planned and executed, a true city in a garden. Flower-filled,
park-dotted Bournemouth contains a great deal of architecture
inherited from those arbiters of taste, Victoria and her son,
Edward. (The resort was discovered back in Victoria's day, when
seabathing became an institution.) Bournemouth's most
distinguished feature is its chines (narrow, shrub-filled,
steep-sided ravines) along the coastline. It is estimated that of
Bournemouth's nearly 12,000 acres, about one-sixth is comprised
of green parks and flower beds, such as the Pavilion Rock
Garden, which amblers pass through day and night. The total
effect, especially in spring, is striking and helps explain
Bournemouth's continuing popularity with the garden-loving
English.
Overnight Bournemouth. Round House Hotel or similar. Breakfast
and dinner.
Day 6
The Channel Islands
We travel today from England to the Channel Islands. The Channel
Islands enjoy a unique and interesting status-they are not
sovereign, nor are they colonies; they are not part of the United
Kingdom, rather they are a British Crown Dependency; and they
are only partly admitted to the European Union. In fact, the very
name itself-"Channel Islands"-is misleading, as they are not
situated in the English Channel, but lie scattered along the Gulf of
St Malo, off the coast of Normandy in France. The Channel
Islands have a combined population of just 135 000 over all of the
islands: Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm and their
smaller brethren. Known as les Îles Normandes in French, the
islands have a strong French flavour to them. In fact, during the
Hundred Years' War between Britain and France, the islands were
subject to frequent invasions. The most recent invasion however,
was by Germany during the Second World War. The islands were
held for almost five years.
We arrive in St Helier, on Jersey, the largest of the Channel
Islands. St Helier, the chieftown, is magnificently situated on the
wide St Aubin's Bay. It is a lively town, full of atmosphere and
charm having kept its Victorian character. The town's name has
an ancient heritage: it commemorates the hermit Helerius, son of
a Belgian nobleman who came to Jersey seeking an isolated
location where he could devote his life to prayer. In the town,
archaeologists have found evidence of habitation dating to the 12th
C. Today the town is home to a resident population of some 30
000.
First of four nights on Jersey. Berkshire Hotel or similar. Breakfast
and dinner.
Day 7
Samares Manor and Mont Orgueil Castle
Today, we will enjoy a full tour of the island. Feudal chic prevails
today in the Channel Islands as it has been throughout history. To
get a good sense of the history and character of Jersey we will
have a visit to two of the island's most notable landmarks. We
travel to Samares Manor where the Seigneur led a very different
existence. Here we will visit the house and grounds to see how
the other half lived. Noteworthy features inside the manor include
the fine French walnut panelling in the dining room and the
drawing room, with its specially woven carpet of sage green. The
Steinway piano, in its ornate case is often used for concerts given
by both local and internationally known musicians. The intricately
carved staircase to connect the dining and drawing rooms was
specially ordered by the Dame of Samarès to be in keeping with
the two restored rooms.
In the past there were certain services that not only the Seigneur
had to give the king but that tenants had to give their lord of the
manor. In Samarès tenants in the fief had to defend the person of
their Seigneur in times of danger with their own body, even stand
hostage for him. Each tenant had also once in his life to ship his
lord and master to any one of four Norman ports whenever he
wanted a free trip to France. Four ‘voluntary’ journeys per vassal!
As late as 1763 tenants had the menial tasks of making the
Seigneur’s hay and cleaning out his colombier.
The rector of St Clement had his own special duty too, though this
by its very nature occurred quite infrequently. If the Dame of
Samarès happened to have a baby while living in the fief du
Hommet, a subsidiary of the Samarès fief, then it was the rector’s
task to make sure that the dame had a white horse on which to
ride to church for her church service.
The present Dame of Samarès no longer has the privileges her
ancestors enjoyed, such as chasing rabbits over the Town Hill, but
she still has a duty in common with some other Seigneurs. Once
a year she has to attend L’Assize d’Heritage. This is a sitting of
the Heritage Division of the Royal Court, which certain Seigneurs
attend and when the name of their fief is called affirm their
allegiance to the Queen. This is the oldest court still attended in
Europe.
Today we will also visit Mont Orgueil Castle. When King John
lost Normandy to France in 1204, work started on the castle.
Mont Orgueil meaning "Mount Pride" was named by the Duke of
Clarence, brother to Henry V. The French made many attempts to
take the castle, but Mont Orgueil remained invincible until the
advent of the cannon. In the 17thC. it served as a prison; William
Prynne, whose writings incurred the censure of Charles I, was
incarcerated here and fined £10,000. In addition, his ears were cut
off and his face was branded with the initials s.l. (seditious
libeller).
To begin with, the castle was simply known as Gorey Castle,
which it is still called today, but, at the beginning of the fifteenth
century, Henry V’s brother, the Duke of Clarence, was so
impressed by the castle’s unique position and great strength that
he called it Mont Orgueil (Mouth pride), a name which it also
bears, for this medieval island defence was one of the finest ever
built. It was constructed on the concentric principle, with each
stage of the fortification independent of the rest. For even greater
impregnability, the walls wherever possible come straight out of
the rock, so that the combination of stone wall and rock presented
any would-be attacker with almost insuperable obstacles at every
level. Moreover, there is not just one but five gates to breach, each
one higher up than the last, with drawbridges to cross to the first
two, until the keep itself is reached.
Mont Orgueil’s ten towers and two machicolated
bastions—where boulders and pitch could be poured through
holes in the floor onto the invaders coming up from below—were
not in place or complete in the twelfth century. They were
gradually added and modified through the next three centuries in
increasing efforts to defend the island against the French.
Second night on Jersey. Berkshire Hotel or similar. Breakfast and
dinner.
Day 8
Visit to La Hougue Bie + the Jersey Zoo
Often described as "one of Europe’s finest prehistoric
monuments," this remarkable site is dominated by the massive
burial ground dating from 3800 BC. La Hougue Bie has been a
focal point for religion in the island for nearly 6,000 years. The site
is a large burial ground topped with two chapels, the Norman
chapel of Notre Dame de Clarté and the Jerusalem Chapel.
The huge mound which covers this ancient burial place has given
it its name, as ‘Hougue’ is a corruption of haugr—the Norse word
for mound. The meaning of the adjective ‘Bie" is harder to trace,
but the legend which purports to give its origin, shows the
continuing religious tradition surrounding La Hougue Bie down to
Christian times.
Apparently, way back in the Dark Ages, the parish of St Lawrence
was being devastated by a fire-breathing dragon and there seemed
no-one on the island able to stop its devastations. So the
Seigneur of Hambye across the water in Normandy came over to
pit his strength against the monster, bringing with him his trusted
squire Francis. After a great battle, Hambye slew the dragon and
cut off his head as a trophy of his victory but, unfortunately,
decided to rest awhile before making the return trip to Normandy.
Then his servant, Francis, showed his true colours. He killed his
master and set sail for home, hoping to win the hand of the now
widowed Dame of Hambye. Kneeling in front of her, with the
dragon’s head to prove his bravery, Francis persuaded the stricken
widow that it had been her husband’s last wish for her to reward
him with her hand in marriage.
Reluctantly the Dame of Hambye agreed to marry Francis but
soon afterwards she learnt the true story of her first husband’s
death. Francis spoke in his sleep and revealed himself at his
master’s traitorous murderer. Immediately the Dame of Hambye
had Francis hung for his heinous crime and gave orders for the
body of her first husband left behind in Jersey to be covered by a
mound so high that she could see it from where she lived in
Normandy.
In order that there could be masses said for the soul of her
murdered husband, she also had built, on the very top of the
mound, a chapel which was dedicated to Notre Dame de la
Clarté—Our Lady of the Dawn. It could be that from this lady’s
faithfulness to her husband comes the name of the mound which it
is known today, La Hougue Bie—from La Hougue Hambye.
Certainly both the mound, covered with wild daffodils and
primroses in the spring, and the tiny chapel are still there, over the
site of the prehistoric grave.
Our sightseeing today will also include a visit to the world famous
Jersey Zoo started by writer and naturalist Gerald Durrell as a
conservation and breeding center for endangered species. The
idea behind the zoo is to aid in the preservation of animal life, and
The Durrell scientific trust has affiliates in the US and Canada.
Unlike your 'standard' zoo, the Trust has set up a mini-university
next door to the zoological gardens to instruct students from all
over the world in methods of caring for the wild in captivity. Here
you won't find your usual elephants and giraffes, but instead will
find animals such as guerrillas, gold lion terminus, ring-tailed
lemurs and Jamaican boas. It's a fascinating place to visit.
Third night on Jersey. Berkshire Hotel or similar. Breakfast and
dinner.
Day 9
Jersey
German Underground Hospital Today we visit the underground
hospital, used by the Germans when they occupied Guernsey
during WWII. Having been renovated and researched, the hospital
has been turned into a huge and impressive museum. A map
detailing the planned extent of the tunnel complex shows that only
about half of it was even completed and is a reminder that the
Germans intended the Channel Islands to be permanently fortified
outposts of the Third Reich.
Fourth night on Jersey. Berkshire Hotel or similar. Breakfast and
dinner.
Day 10
Jersey - Guernsey
Today we travel from Jersey to Guernsey, the second largest of
the Channel Islands. We arrive in St Peter Port, the capital of
Guernsey. This, the most ancient town in the Channel Islands, is
also the most attractive. Its antiquity, setting and sense of vitality
are qualities visitors remember long after other island attractions
have faded from the memory. There is an agreeable blend of old
and new which, on the whole, pleases the most fastidious. The
combination of aged buildings, modern shops and perhaps most
important, the remarkable blend of town and harbour lift St Peter
Port far above the ordinary.
It has been of importance for centuries. Guernsey was a staging
post in the wine trade, when ships bound from England and the
Mediterranean used it for shelter and replenishment. Later in its
history, wine was laid down here to mature.
Doubtless, St Peter Port started life as a fishing village. It lacked
the physical features to provide a natural harbour, but its
roadstead, protected by the nearby islands, attracted mariners
and, therefore, traders, and the fishermen were joined by
merchants, resulting in the growth of a seaport from a humble
fishing haven. The narrow streets and alleys climb steeply from
the harbour to the highest point of the town. The architecture of
the town is mainly Regency-style, which gives St Peter Port an
old-world air.
This afternoon, we visit the award winning Guernsey Museum, set
among the green lawns and camellias of the Candie Gardens, high
above the town. The Museum has engrossing displays on the
island's history-from neolithic man onwards
First of five nights on Guernsey. Peninsula Hotel or similar.
Breakfast and dinner.
Day 11
Guernsey
This morning we visit Cornet Castle, dating from 1150. There are
close to eight centuries of fortification here within the castle.
Today the castle is home to several museums: the Royal
Guernsey Militia Museum, the Guernsey Maritime History
Museum, a Royal Air Force Museum, and the Art Gallery and
Armoury. We will have ample time here to explore these
museums.
We also visit Hauteville where we see the decorative house that
Victor Hugo lived in. A French writer famous for Les Misérables,
Hugo spent fifteen years in exile on Guernsey. His house was
largely furnished from the spoils of island privateers and contains
mementoes of the poet.
Hauteville House, also known as Maison Victor Hugo, is not so
much a memorial to an exile and writer as a museum to an
eccentric but nevertheless inspired interior decorator. Some
knowledge of the man makes a tour of his house all the more
meaningful.
Hugo was just one of over 200 political refugees who fled to the
Channel Islands in 1852 following the coup of Louis Napoleon III in
France in December 1851. He started his exile in Jersey and
might never even have made it to Guernsey had not that same
defiant spirit so boisterously expressed in his house led to his
expulsion from Jersey. In 1855 the newspaper for the exile
community, L’Homme, criticised Queen Victoria for having made a
state visit to Paris. The people of Jersey, more than a little
angered at this defamation of their sovereign, succeeded in getting
the newspaper closed down and three of its senior staff expelled
from the island. Victor Hugo led a petition signed by himself and
35 fellow refugees in protest. The petition ended: "And now expel
us!" The lieutenant-governor of Jersey obliged and all the
signatories were quickly hustled off the island.
Hugo’s single-mindedness is all around you when you take a tour
of Hauteville House. He lived here from 1856 until 1870. During
that time he created an interior that is nothing less than a triumph
of the imagination. Here are just a few of his furniture innovations:
ornate wooden chests and commodes dismantled and turned into
wall panels; backs of chairs turned upside down and used as
curtain pelmets; tapestries cut up and rearranged to line high and
broad ceilings; and an enormous stately bed (intended for an
expected visit by Garibaldi) made out of 25 other pieces of
furniture.
The catalogue of eccentricities extends beyond the decor. Hugo’s
personal habits are just as revealing. He was, for example, fond of
hanging a small flag outside his bedroom whenever he’d slept well
so that his mistress, installed in a street nearby, could rejoice at
his restful night. The guided tour finishes in Hugo’s study where,
aided by a panoramic view over St Peter Port, he wrote his
prodigious output of novels, poems and essays.
Second night on Guernsey. Peninsula Hotel or similar. Breakfast
and dinner.
Day 12
Guernsey - Rocquaine Bay
As part of our sightseeing today we travel through Guernsey; our
destination is Rocquaine Bay. At low tide the bay stretches for
more than three kilometres. Towards the southern end of the bay,
sitting squat against a flat rocky shore is Fort Grey, one of the
islands true Martello towers. Fort Grey’s location situated on a
small islet and connected to the shore tower on the wide
battlements has earned it the nick name of "the cup and saucer."
Like all of the Martello towers in the islands, Fort Grey was built
as a defence against French invasion: it was erected in 1804.
There was, however, a much earlier stronghold here. From the
17th century onwards there are references to a small castle
known as Château de Rocquaine having stood on this site. The
sea surrounding Guernsey’s western tip is a ship’s graveyard
which has seen countless vessels founder on the notoriously
dangerous rocks of Les Honois.
Third night on Guernsey. Peninsula Hotel or similar. Breakfast and
dinner.
Day 13
Sark: Pedestrian Paradise
We travel today to the unique island of Sark-the smallest
independent state in the British Commonwealth. To a certain
extent, Sark remains in a time-warp. It is the last bastion of
feudalism, and enjoys both peace and tranquility as it is
completely free of cars (a handful of tractors do exist). The island
has a population of approximately 500. When we land at its tiny
harbour, we have tractor drawn "buses" to take us up the steep hill
to the village. Sark is only 6 kms in length, but it boasts some 54
kms of coastline, cliffs and superb views. To an extent Sark
remains in its famous time-warp. At its best the island can still
give you a feel of what it must have been like to have lived, not
only in the Channel Islands, but in almost any rural community on
France's Cotentin peninsula 100 years ago; to taste life as it was
before the peace of the wooded countryside was shattered forever
by the internal combustion engine and metalled roads. The
Victorian poet Swinburne would probably continue to find Sark his
"small, sweet world of wave-encompassed wonder". Lat in the
afternoon we return to Guernsey for our overnight.
Fourth night on Guernsey. Peninsula Hotel or similar. Breakfast
and dinner.
Day 14
St Peter Port, Guernsey
Today gives us a chance to enjoy the market area, finely arched
and ablaze with colourful fruit and flowers. Today’s Market Halls,
to the west of the Town Church, are all more than a century old.
The Fish Market was completed in 1875, the Meat Market was
designed in 1822 and the Vegetable Market was built in 1879.
Across from the lowest exit on the north side of the Market Halls,
an even older building is the French Halles, a market hall
completed in 1782. John Wesley preached here in 1787 in the
Assembly Rooms in what is now the Guille-Allès Library. St Peter
Port is the most ancient town in the Channel Islands. It has been
important for centuries and was at one time a staging post in the
wine trade when ships bound from England and the Mediterranean
used it for shelter and replenishment.
Fifth night on Guernsey. Peninsula Hotel or similar. Breakfast
and dinner.
Day 15
Guernsey - London
Today we travel from St Peter Port in Guernsey to Weymouth on
the southern coast of England, and transfer to London.
Overnight in London. Ibis Hotel or similar. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 16
Today we return home.
Optional London Sightseeing Day
As many people have already visited London and seen its main
sights, we do not include a tour of London in our itinerary. If,
however, you would like a tour of London, you can arrive in London
one day before the tour starts or leave from London one day after
the tour finishes. Below is the itinerary of the optional London
sightseeing day we offer. Please call for prices.
Today, we will see Westminster Abbey, the location of royal
coronations. The Abbey contains numerous monuments, statues
and memorials including St. George’s Chapel, the Tomb of the
Unknown Warrior, and slabs dedicated to Winston Churchill,
Neville Chamberlain and David Livingstone. We also have a
chance to see the glorious Buckingham Palace, royal residence of
Elizabeth II. Since Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837,
Buckingham Palace has been the London residence of the royal
family. If the queen is in residence, the royal standard flies over
the palace; the "changing of the guard" occurs daily. The image of
London is, perhaps, always associated with the Tower of London,
the old fortress and former prison, is situated on the banks of the
River Thames. Built by William the Conqueror, the site now ranks
as one of London’s most visited attractions. The history of the
Tower is one of famous prisoners and bloody deeds: the Scottish
kings David II and James I, Sire Walter Raleigh, William Penn,
and Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I) were among
those confined; Edward V, Thomas Moore and Henry VIII’s wives
Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were executed here. We will
have a chance to explore the Tower to see its attractions including
the Royal Chapel, the Bloody Tower, and Jewel House, home of
the Crown Jewels.
From here, we visit the British Museum. Founded by an act of
parliament in 1753, the British Museum is based on private
collections of Sir Robert Cotton, Sir Hans Sloane, and Robert
Harley, Earl of Oxford; it houses one of the most comprehensive
art collections in the world.
This evening you may wish to attend a show in London’s famous
Wed End (optional).
Choose Other Itineraries or Highlights