Discover the beauty and variety of the Channel Islands on foot with 25 inspiring walks across Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm, offering walkers the chance to explore a unique blend of British charm and Norman-French heritage. Enjoy magnificent scenery, discover ancient castles and prehistoric sites, and encounter a rich diversity of wildlife, with the sea never more than a short distance away.

Ideal for beginners and experienced walkers alike, this comprehensive Cicerone guide features 25 routes ranging from 5 to 17km (3 to 11 miles), with options to combine shorter walks for longer adventures, including the spectacular 61km (38 mile) Guernsey Coastal Walk. For those seeking an even greater challenge, the guide includes an overview of the Channel Island Way, a 182km (113 mile) island-hopping route that links the best walking on Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm, and Jersey. This is provided as inspiration and general planning advice, rather than as a detailed stage-by-stage guide.

• Experience the best of the Channel Islands, from the historic harbour at St Peter Port and the Table des Pions to Alderney’s bird-rich reserves, Sark’s coastal paths, and Herm’s unspoiled beaches.
• Enjoy year-round walking in Guernsey’s mild climate, warmer than mainland Britain. Spring and autumn offer ideal conditions for peaceful exploration, while summer brings vibrant wildflowers and a lively island atmosphere.
• Choose from 25 well-planned routes, each with a 1:15,000 States of Guernsey map extract, downloadable GPX files, information on refreshments, accommodation, public transport, route highlights, and practical planning tips. Each walk is easily accessible by public transport, and cars are not needed, especially on the car-free islands of Sark and Herm.
• Discover Guernsey’s rich heritage as you visit castles, museums, prehistoric sites, churches, and fortifications, with fascinating notes on history, geology, and wildlife along the way.
• Walks can be linked for longer circuits, including the Guernsey Coastal Walk, or enjoyed as shorter circular routes that reveal contrasting inland and coastal scenery.
• Experience the varied landscapes of Guernsey, including flower-filled headlands, golden sandy beaches, wooded valleys, and peaceful country lanes, where birdlife is plentiful and every walk offers sweeping sea views.

Plan your Channel Islands adventure with confidence and see these beautiful islands from a new perspective. With the definitive Cicerone guidebook in hand, discover why Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm are truly a walker’s paradise, where every path reveals a new adventure and the spirit of the islands is never far away.

Walking on Guernsey – Quick Facts

Location: Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Herm (Bailiwick of Guernsey)
Number of routes: 25 walks across coastal paths, valleys, lanes, and countryside
Distance: 5 to 17km (3 to 11 miles) per walk. Includes 61km (38 mile) Guernsey Coastal Walk. Overview of the 182km (113 mile) Channel Island Way
Duration: 1.5 to 5 hours per walk. Longer options possible by linking routes
Areas covered: Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, Herm. Highlights include St Sampson, Table des Pions, historic sites, and nature reserves
Route type: Mostly circular walks with options to combine for extended journeys
Difficulty: Suitable for most walkers. Gentle to moderate terrain, with some rugged coastal paths
Terrain: Cliffs, sandy beaches, wooded valleys, quiet country roads, flower-filled headlands
Navigation: 1:15,000 States of Guernsey map extracts for each walk. Downloadable GPX files
Best season: Year-round walking. Spring and autumn are ideal, summer can be busy and hot
Highlights: Coastal scenery, castles, prehistoric monuments, museums, wildflowers, birdlife, historic towns, and car-free islands
Equipment: Comfortable walking shoes or boots, layered clothing, map, and weather protection recommended
Refreshments and facilities: Information on cafés, pubs, public transport, and attractions provided for each walk
 

Author Highlight

"Walkers will find magnificent cliff and coastal paths, golden sandy beaches, wooded valleys and quiet country lanes. Flowers will be noticed everywhere and there is rich birdlife. There are castles, churches, ancient monuments and fortifications to visit, as well as a host of other attractions. There are efficient and frequent bus services, and easy onward links by air and sea between the islands.” 

- Paddy Dillon, author of Walking on Guernsey

CONTENTS

Overview map

Map key

Route summary table

Introduction

Location

Geology

Turbulent history

Government

Wildlife

Protected areas

Getting to Guernsey

When to go

Accommodation

Health and safety

Food and drink

Parlez-vous franglais?

Money

Communications

Walking on Guernsey

What to take

Waymarking and access

Maps

Getting around Guernsey

Travel to Alderney, Sark and Herm

Tourist information

Emergencies

Using this guide

The walks

Walk 1 St Peter Port Town Trail

Walk 2 St Peter Port and Fermain Bay

Walk 3 Fermain and Jerbourg Point

Walk 4 La Fosse and Icart Point

Walk 5 Le Bourg and Pointe de la Moye

Walk 6 La Prévôte and Torteval

Walk 7 Portelet Harbour and Pleinmont

Walk 8 Rocquaine Bay and Lihou Island

Walk 9 Perelle Bay and St Saviour

Walk 10 Vazon Bay and Cobo Bay

Walk 11 Cobo Bay and Saumarez Park

Walk 12 Portinfer and L’Islet

Walk 13 L’Ancresse and Vale

Walk 14 St Sampson and Belle Grève Bay

Walk 15 Beau Sejour and Le Friquet

Walk 16 St Martin and La Villette

Walk 17 St Andrew and Castel

Walk 18 King’s Mills and Fauxquets

Walk 19 Rocquaine Bay and Quanteraine

Walk 20 Guernsey Coastal Walk

Alderney

Walk 21 Alderney – East

Walk 22 Alderney – West

Sark

Walk 23 Sark – South

Walk 24 Sark – North

Herm

Walk 25 Herm

Appendix A The Channel Island Way

Appendix B Contacts

Seasons

all year round, but particularly good in spring when the wild flowers are at their most colourful; busy during the summer, with long, sunny days; quieter in autumn; sometimes bleak in the winter

Centres

St Peter Port; St Sampson

Difficulty

good paths and tracks are used, along with quiet country roads, avoiding main roads wherever possible; gradients are often gentle, but there are some rugged cliff paths and occasional steep slopes and flights of steps; short walks can be combined to make longer ones

Must See

excellent cliff coastline, rocky and sandy beaches; nature reserves and public gardens; absorbing historical features – prehistoric sites, castles and churches, as well as concrete reminders of the Nazi occupation; trips to the smaller islands of Alderney, Sark and Herm are especially recommended

June 2025

Ferries

April 2025

Walk 2

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