Never mind the warnings to beware the ‘Herm burn,’ enjoy the ‘Guernsey glow’ on a trip to the Channel Islands.
And don’t forget the afterglow you’ll get from being able to enjoy Duty Free again as one of the unintended consequences of Brexit means Guernsey, as part of the UK, is now out of the EU.
Aurigny airlines, the Channel Islands’ own airline, has recently expanded its schedule from Dublin and it offers the perfect chance for more of us to enjoy the delights of Guernsey.
Guernsey is the second largest of the Channel Islands, after Jersey, but according to the natives - they may be biased of course - it’s by far the classier island.
But after my trip I wholeheartedly agree, it truly is a hidden gem, but it’s got a lot in common with Ireland, more of a home away from home feel to it.
Like us, the Guernsey natives in particular are fond of good food and drink and the tempo is laid back, almost horizontal in fact.
And they’re as fond of the arts as we are too, it’s no wonder the famous French Les Miserables author Victor Hugo spent 15 years of a 19 year exile here after being turfed out of France by Napoleon.
History too is a big attraction too and anybody with even a smidgen of interest in history will be fascinated that the World War II armaments and weapons from Nazi Germany remain pretty pristine and untouched.
The Germans literally upped sticks and left when they knew the writing was on the wall in 1945, and the Guernseyians let them off, glad to see the back of them.
Finally, by way of introduction, one of the best parts about the jewel of the Channel Islands is that it can all be enjoyed on foot, on a bike or by a short taxi ride because the whole island is just nine miles long by three miles wide.
But let’s get back to where we started above, you must be wondering what is the Herm Burn.
Herm is a tiny little island just 15 minutes from St Peter Port, Guernsey’s capital.
It is officially one of the five channel islands, along with Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark, but it’s so small they don’t even have any cars on it.
But that, of course, is one of its charms, it’s so peaceful it is the perfect place to get away from the bustle of a Dublin, Cork, Galway or any town or city in Ireland.
The Herm Burn I speak of above is a special phenomenon that the locals will remind you of.
Our brilliant tour guide, Gill Girard, (book her and she’ll make your trip) described it, the ‘Herm burn’ as almost a supernatural occurrence.
Herm has a micro-climate, warm, but more often a bit windy, so if the sun doesn’t burn you, the wind will, even if it’s cloudy.
It reminded me of the reddening you get if you forget to put on the suncream when golfing or walking among the dunes of the West of Ireland.
One final bit of Herm advice, don’t fall foul of the local law, there’s a small stone cell that looks like an Irish monastic beehive, it’s the old Herm prison and was still in use until very recently, we were told.
Back on Guernsey, another Irish connection is the Copenhagen restaurant, let me explain.
Not everybody knows it, but the Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley was a Dub and the famous chestnut horse he rode into the Battle of Waterloo, where he met his death, was called Copenhagen.
The restaurant is a shrine to the great steed and his rider, but the food was the best I had on the island, don’t miss the scallops and prawns main course if it’s on when you visit.
After being well-fed each evening it was always back to the Fermain Hotel, named after the beautiful bay it looks over.
Breakfast is a highlight here as you can have it on a terrace that looks out over the beautiful blue seas of the natural cove that is Fermain.
As I mentioned above, walking and cycling is the best, and fittest after plenty of eating and drinking, way to get around Guernsey.
But don’t worry, like I said, it’s easy, the walks are leisurely and we’re told even the most committed US couch potatoes that come off the cruise ships have no problem with the cycling.
On the history front, with Gill again as our guide, it was like stepping back in time to World War II, but after the Germans had left.
The island is an open museum, with a German underground hospital, huge bunkers that are like icebergs, in that only 10% is visible above the ground, and massive cannons and guns that you can sit up and play out Boys or Girls Own stories on.
The days are full in Guernsey, you earn your hunger from the fresh sea air coming from the coast of France which is only 27 miles away, and you definitely earn your thirst in the evenings.
I won’t go into the antics of what the press team got up to every night, I was never a squealer at school, but you will definitely not be going to bed early and you may just have sampled some of the local gin the night before if you’re feeling a little Guernsey groggy the next morning.
Aurigny operates three flights a week from Ireland, please see more at www.aurigny.com
The 4* Fermain Valley Hotel offers rooms from £120 per night.
Gill Girard leads a variety of tours in Guernsey, for more information visit https://gillgirardtourguide.com/
Copenhagen Bar & Grill https://restaurantcopenhagen.com
Bella Luce Hotel (Gin Tasting is £25pp) https://bellalucehotel.com/
For more information on the Islands of Guernsey visit https://www.visitguernsey.com/
