Unlocking Guernsey’s Story: A Walking Tour from St Peter Port to Castle Cornet

(5 reviews)

Guernsey audio tour: Unlocking Guernsey’s Story: A Walking Tour from St Peter Port to Castle Cornet

This is a 1.1mi walking tour

It takes an average of 40 mins to complete.

Guernsey

The United Kingdom

$5.99

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About the Tour

History has bypassed many places but St Peter Port, the ancient capital of Guernsey, is not one of them. The port played a major role in trade routes from as far back as Roman times and, two thousand years ago, it was Romano-Celtic ships that were anchored in front of the town, instead of the cruise liners that bring thousands to our shores today.

Our tour starts at St Peter Port Harbour, the one hundred year-old addition to the town’s modern harbour. From there, you’ll walk in the footsteps of First World War heroes, down the same stretch of road that led them to the Western Front, on your way towards the infamous Castle Cornet. You’ll also encounter the beautiful and iconic Town Church, and meet one of Guernsey’s most renowned residents, writer and politician Victor Hugo.

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:

Discover the extraordinary military history of Guernsey, including its German occupation
Stroll along the beautiful docks of St Peter Port and uncover the development of its trade and industry throughout time
Visit the famous Model Yacht Pond, built in 1887, located next to the Guernsey Yacht Club
Remember all those that died during the bombing of this harbour in 1940
See where the first troops landed on the island after the occupation
Walk in the footsteps of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who visited the Island in 1846
Learn about Castle Cornet and its curious history of conflict
Stop at the Slaughterhouse Bar and Eatery, built on the island’s former abattoir, one of many opportunities for refreshment along the way
Try Guernsey’s famous Gâche, a local fruit loaf with a unique taste!
Take in stunning views of the harbour and castle from Crown Pier

By the end of this Guernsey tour, you’ll be dazzled by this little island’s big place in history, and entranced by its colourful ports, architecture, and people.

Tour Producer

Antony Brassell

1 tour

My name is Tony Brassell. I was born and have lived in Guernsey for most of my life. For over thirty years I was a civil servant in local government working in a diverse range of areas. This gave me an excellent grounding in local knowledge, which led to me being known as the native guide to Guernsey. When I left the Civil Service, I established a Tour business and started writing. I have produced an annual Guide to Guernsey for many years now. For the last 15 or so years of my working life I gave people advice on howe to start a business, under the Startup Guernsey banner. In 2017 I started to write a novel based on a story my grandmother told me about how they left the Island in the summer of 1940, just before the German Occupation of the Island during World War Two. That inspired me to write other books and I am now busy working on my eighth novel. I also paint in Watercolour, something which I find thoroughly relaxing. Under my Creative Media banner, I also build and host websites for small businesses. I hope you choose to visit Guernsey and enjoy my walking tour of the St Peter Port seafront.

Preview Location

Location 10

Town Church

Stop here, opposite the church please.

In front of the church is a statue of Victor Hugo. He sits on a bench, reading a book, while an Octopus crawls over the back of his seat. Victor Hugo spent many years on the Island, exiled from his beloved France. It's here he wrote To... Stop here, opposite the church please.

In front of the church is a statue of Victor Hugo. He sits on a bench, reading a book, while an Octopus crawls over the back of his seat. Victor Hugo spent many years on the Island, exiled from his beloved France. It's here he wrote Toilers of the Sea which was based on the Guernsey fishermen who worked the often treacherous seas around our rocky shores.

He also wrote most of his most famous book, Les Miserables, while living on the Island. It's worth noting that his house is located up the hill which passes to the left of the church and turns off sharply to the left behind the Terrace restaurant. While you can visit the gardens of his house and admire the property from the outside, you need to book a tour to be able to see the amazing way the property was decorated. It's a steep hill so I wouldn't recommend making the journey unless you are quite fit.

The Town Church itself is featured in the Guinness Book of Records. It's the closest Church to a pub in Great Britain, with the distance being measured at just 18 inches from the nose of the gargoyle you can see at roof level. The first reference to a chapel on this site dates back to 1020 AD and the church, in its current format, was completed in 1466 AD.

The Church is open to visitors most days, so if you have time, please pop in and take a moment to reflect on the history that surrounds you.

Behind the church you will be able to see the Guernsey Market buildings, with their tobacco leaves on the roof.

When you're ready to continue, just keep going keeping the sea on your left. You will need to cross the entrance to the car park until you reach another Marina.

This is the Albert Pier which is watched over by the statue of Prince Albert. On the way you will pass two plaques. A plaque next to the slipway which runs down into the Marina at this point marks the location where the first British troops set foot on the Island after the end of the Second World War. Another nearby plaque commemorates a visit by Queen Victoria in 1846. Read More

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Major Landmarks

St Peter Port Guernsey
St Peter Port Harbour
New Jetty
White Rock Cafe
Guernsey Tourist Information Centre
Crown Pier
Victoria Marina
Town Church
Albert Pier
Town Terminus Bus station
Slaughterhouse Restaurant
Model Yacht Pond
Guernsey Yacht Club
View Of Castle Cornet
Castle emplacement
Castle Cornet

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
Guernsey Harbours - Passenger Terminal, Guernsey
Total distance

2km
Final location
Castle Emplacement, Guernsey GY1 1AU, Guernsey
Distance back to start location

497.92m

Directions to Starting Point

The Tour starts at the New Jetty. It is where the ferries arrive from England, Jersey and France. It is next to the North Beach Car Park, so if you have your car with you, you can park there before setting off on your walk. Just remember you will need to walk back, so give yourself enough time to complete the tour and get back to your car.

The main roundabout with the ships mast at it's centre has a turning off which will take you to the North Beach car park.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

There are plenty of bars and restaurants along the route and you can easily head into the heart of town from the walk if you want to explore the shops. From the bus station you can visit many of the main attractions around the Island and of course, if you have any questions, the Guernsey Tourist Information Office is handily placed in the centre of the walk.

Best time of day

I would suggest making the tour during daylight hours. If you start in the morning, it will give you plenty of time to visit Castle Cornet at the end of your tour.

Precautions

The traffic through the town seafront can be quite heavy at times so please cross roads at the designated crossing points and be aware of what is happening around you at all times. There are drink stations and toilets along the way to help you enjoy the walk in comfort.

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Questions and Reviews

4.2 / 5

5 Ratings

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Unlocking Guernsey’s Story: A Walking Tour from St Peter Port to Castle Cornet

About the Tour

Tour Producer

Antony Brassell

Preview Location

Location 10

Town Church

How VoiceMap Works

Major Landmarks

St Peter Port Guernsey

St Peter Port Harbour

New Jetty

White Rock Cafe

Guernsey Tourist Information Centre

Crown Pier

Victoria Marina

Town Church

Albert Pier

Town Terminus Bus station

Slaughterhouse Restaurant

Model Yacht Pond

Guernsey Yacht Club

View Of Castle Cornet

Castle emplacement

Castle Cornet

Getting There

Route Overview

Directions to Starting Point

Tips

Places to stop along the way

Best time of day

Precautions

Get The App

Questions and Reviews