Starting/Finishing Point: St Peter Port

The walk starts and finishes in St Peter Port, the centre of island life and the vibrant capital. The town is considered to be one of the most attractive in Europe with it’s pretty harbour and patchwork of architectural styles. Sitting proud on a rocky outcrop Castle Cornet stands guard over St Peter Port. It makes a great place to admire the town and the views to the neighbouring islands. 

Guernsey is easily accessible from the UK and Europe with regular flights from many airports and ferries from Weymouth, Poole and Portsmouth.

St Peter Port to Petit Bot Bay– 8.5 miles (13.6km)

Leaving St Peter Port you are immediately graced with bluebell carpeted woods as you head towards Fermain Bay. You will pass the first of many ‘Pepper Pots’, loop holed towers which are dotted around the island to defend the coastline. The cliff top walking is spectacular on the south coast of Guernsey. Please be aware that this day is tough cliff top walking and although the mileage is low the tough terrain can slow you down.

Brightly coloured flowers cling to the cliff face and colonies of seabirds can be seen sheltering on the craggy outcrops.  You will pass the bay of Moulin Huet which was painted by Pierre-Auguste Renoir in 1883.

Overnight: Petit Bot Bay area

Petit Port Bay to Vazon Bay  – 13 miles (20.8km)

Cliff top walking and stunning coastal views remain a feature of todays walk. The views inland are also pretty with patchwork farmland and glimpses of the spire on Torteval Church. The Pleinmont peninsula on the south west point of Guernsey is dramatic with many lookouts and fortifications. Over 150 species of bird have been recorded here making it one of the best places for bird watching on the island.

As you travel round the south west corner of the island the rugged cliffs give way to wide expanses of sand. Standing on the beach looking out to sea gives you a real sense of how vast the ocean is with nothing between you and North America. This is the perfect opportunity to take off your socks and boots and have a paddle or watch the surfers out to sea.

A visit to Lihou Island, the most westerly point of the Channel Islands is a must. Only accessible at low tide it used to be inhabited by and order of Benedictine monks and is now home to an abundance of bird and marine life.

Overnight: Vazon Bay area

Vazon Bay to Vale area – 7.5 miles (12km)

Todays walking starts off quite easy, from Vazon Bay along the promenade bringing you to the headland dominated by Fort Hommet, one of the many coastal forts on the island.

The path then brings you to Cobo Bay with its fine sandy beach which is one of the most popular on the island.  The spectacular viewpoint at Le Guet is not to be missed as you make your way along the coast. A detour to visit the gardens at Saumarez Park is a must to see their Victorian walled garden and to explore this National Trust estate.

Overnight: Vale area

Vale area to St Peter Port –  10 miles (16km)

The north of the island is punctuated by small rocky inlets where you see brightly coloured boats of lobster fishermen bobbing in the sea as they land their daily catch.

The churches of Vale and St Sampson have a long and varied past and are well worth exploring.

The coast path then brings you back around to the start of the walk in St Peter Port.

Overnight: St Peter Port

Choose one of the neighbouring islands to explore

You are spoilt for choice this morning with the islands of Sark and Herm on your doorstep. Both and both of them offer great walking opportunities.   

Sark: Sark has spectacular walking with one of the most admired points  being the knife edged arête La Coupee which connects Sark with Little Sark. You can spend the day exploring the south (9.5 miles) or the north (6.25 miles) or both if you have the time!

Overnight: St Peter Port

Transport: Ferries to Sark operate daily and take 40mins - Sark Shipping Company.

Herm: Herm is a gem of an island with enough to explore to keep you busy for the day.  The walk around the coast path is 4 miles long which gives you plenty of time to take in the fine coastal views or do a bit or puffin spotting at Point Sauzebourge.

Overnight: St Peter Port

Transport:  Daily ferries operate from St Peter Port and take 20mins - Travel Trident.

Walking Direction

We offer this walk in an clockwise direction around the island starting and finishing in St Peter Port.

Additional Nights and Extensions

Many of our clients choose to add extra nights along the walk to sample more of the wonderful walking and attractions available on Guernsey. Extra nights can be added anywhere along the walk although we would recommend an extra night in St Peter Port as there is an abundance of inland walks which can be accessed by local bus from here.

Fewer Nights

If you wish to reduce the number of nights we can tailor your trip to your requirements.

Tailor Made Holidays

We are always more than happy to tailor our standard itineraries to suit. Just let us know what you would like and we will be happy to arrange a tailor made walking holiday.

Grade

This route is graded as easy to moderate, it is mainly walking on existing pathways, bridleways and some minor roads. Beach walking is an option depending on the tides.

Navigation

The route is not extensively waymarked but is easily navigated with the guidebook and map that we will provide. It is always useful to be able to navigate with a compass in case of adverse weather.

Accommodation

One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of the accommodation. We specifically choose the Inns, Guesthouses and B&B’s to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay.

They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We always try and book your accommodation as close as possible to the line of the trail.  

Due to limited accommodation availability for one night stays we may have to accommodate you in one location for more than one night. If this is the case, Guernsey has an excellent local bus network which can be used to travel to the start of the walk.

Single Rooms

If you require single rooms we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable.

Solo Walkers

We welcome solo walkers on Guernsey although you should of course take extra care in the outdoors when walking solo. A supplement will apply to baggage transfers.

Meals

A hearty breakfast is included each morning. Lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Most accommodations are more than happy to provide a packed lunch - this can be booked on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby pubs or restaurants.

Baggage Transfer

Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

Getting to and from Guernsey

By Air: You can fly direct from London Gatwick and Stansted or a number of regional airports. Flights from the UK take as little as 45mins. You can also fly from some European destinations to Guernsey. Flight operators include Aurigny , Blue Islands and Flybe. There are regular buses from the airport to St Peter Port (20mins)

By Car: We don't recommend that you take your car to Guernsey as using public transport is by far the best way to get around the island. Long term parking is expensive. There is limited unsecure on street parking in the outlying residential areas.

By Ferry: There are regular direct ferries from Poole (3hrs), Weymouth (2.5hrs) or Portsmouth (11.5hrs). All routes are with Condor Ferries.

We are often asked the following questions and hope that you will find the answers useful.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more advice or specific questions about the walk.

How fit do I need to be?

The Guernsey Coastal Path is an easy and accessible walk. That said there will be a number of ascents and descents.  It helps to have done some multi day walking before and regular cardio vascular exercise prior to your holiday will increase your fitness levels and therefore your enjoyment of the walk.

How far in advance do I need to book?

We suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised as this route is very popular. Given its easy accessibilty from the UK and the sunny climate the trail can get busy - especially in the summer months. To ensure you have quality accommodation, on or near to the trail its best to book as soon as you know your available dates.   

What personal equipment do I need?

You will need good walking shoes/boots (ideally waterproof), comfortable walking clothes, waterproof jacket and trousers, a daypack and hats/gloves etc. You can download a full equipment list from the downloads page of our website. 

When is the best time of year?

This walking holiday can be enjoyed from March to October.  Summer can be hot on the Channel Islands and very busy especially over the school holidays.  We would advise walking in the spring to see the wild flowers that border the fields you walk through. Check out a beautiful video of A Full Day in Guernsey.

Am I able to take my dog?

Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate walkers with dogs as many of the accommodation providers we use do not accept pets.

What happens if I can’t walk a stage?

You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop. In some cases the baggage transfer service that takes your bags on to your next accommodation may be able to assist. Our office can assist with helpful advice should you need to arrange transport for yourself or anyone in your party.

You can start your walking holiday on any date in the months coloured green, subject to availability. To make a provisional reservation select "Book" for the itinerary you are interested in.

Option prices will be displayed as part of the booking process.

Because every holiday we book is unique availability changes from day to day and our booking process works as follows:

• You provisionally book the tour you are interested in for your preferred dates and pay a 20% deposit online or by phone.
• We confirm availability and book all your accommodation and options and send final confirmation as soon as everything is confirmed (max 5 working days).
• If we are unable to accommodate you on your confirmed dates/tour or an alternative of your choice your deposit is fully refunded.