All visitors to Guernsey should aim to fit in a visit over to Sark, the crown jewel of the Channel Islands. Spending a day on Sark feels like stepping back in time with its unpaved roads and no traffic aside from a few tractors, bicycles and horse drawn carriages. The first thing you’ll notice is the utter peace and quiet, the only noises being the chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves and the sounds of the gentle lapping of the waves. Totally free of pollution, the air is wonderfully fresh too.
Getting there:
The Isle of Sark Shipping Company operates a year round ferry service between Guernsey and Sark. I highly recommend spending an entire day on the island taking the 10.15 a.m. ferry from Guernsey harbour. Located 8 miles from Guernsey the journey takes around 55 minutes. Passengers can either sit in the saloon or out on the sun deck if the weather is good.
During the crossing, the boat passes the neighbouring islands of Herm and Jethou. Look out for wildlife including puffins, dolphins and cormorants on the rocky outcrops.
Getting around:
On arrival at Sark’s Madeline harbour head through the archway tunnel which leads to the bottom of Harbour Hill. From there, you can either walk up the steep hill to the small village centre or preferably ride up the hill on the island’s tractor bus, locally referred to as the ‘Toast Rack’, its an experience not to be missed. Single fares £1.50 (cash only).
The island is small in size measuring 3 x 0.5 miles and is easy to explore on foot or by bicycle. Cycles and e-bikes can be hired from the village centre and with no traffic to contend with it’s an ideal way to get around.
For a taste of nostalgia take a horse drawn carriage ride along the narrow lanes. Sit back and enjoy the scenic views whilst the driver points out places of interest and gives you interesting information about island life. The carriages can accommodate up to six people so you can share a ride with other visitors if you prefer, making the ride more cost efficient.
Sark Visitor Centre
I suggest starting off by calling into the visitor centre where you can pick up an island map and a self-guided walks leaflet before setting off on your island adventure. Staff are welcoming and ready to answer any questions you might have.
Sark Museum
Located adjacent to the visitor centre stands the island’s small museum. This is free to visit and contains a collection of cultural and heritage memorabilia with one section covering the Second World War and how the island coped under German occupation.
Sark Prison
Located next to the tourist information building stands Sark Prison. This tiny, barrel roofed two cell prison was constructed in 1856 and is one of the world’s smallest that is still in use to this day. Judicial powers allow a prisoner to be held for a maximum of two days and if the crime is severe enough to necessitate further punishment the offender will then be taken by boat to the larger prison on Guernsey.
Walking
The island is a walkers paradise with its traffic free roads and scenic beauty around every twist and turn. Follow endless trails along leafy lanes leading to cliff top paths with stunning views of the crystal clear water below.
La Coupée
A high ridge causeway that is just 3 metres wide and links the main island to Little Sark – a peninsula that forms the island’s southern portion. Beneath La Coupée lies the stunning La Grande Grève beach. It takes around 25 minutes to hike to La Coupée from the village centre so it’s a good idea to go there first. The scenic causeway is definitely one of the ‘must sees’ on the island. Please note that if you go there by bicycle or horse and carriage then you will need to cover the last section on foot.
Beaches
Soak up the sun on Caribbean like beaches with white sand and sparkling, blue sea. Spend time exploring rock pools at low tide.
Caragh Chocolates
In a delightful setting not far from La Coupée, enjoy tea and cakes in the cafe or gardens. Visitors can view the chocolates being made and browse the shop to stock up with some sweet treats to take back home.
Sark’s Gold Post Box
The island has only one post box and it’s a very special one as it’s painted gold. To celebrate the success of British gold medal winners at the London 2012 Olympic Games it was decided to paint a post box gold in each of the winner’s home towns. Carl Hester from Sark won gold in Olympic dressage and the commemorative post box can be spotted on the island’s main avenue.
Sark Dairy
Visit the island’s purpose built dairy and farm where you can climb up to the viewing platform to watch live milking taking place. There’s also a self-service milk vending machine and milkshake station on the lower level. Admission free.
La Seigneurie Gardens
Set within the grounds of a 17th century manor house, the home of the Seigneurie of Sark since 1730. This RHS recommended garden is considered one of the finest in the Channel Islands. Explore the various gardens, chapel and find your way out of the maze. The beautiful walled gardens overflow with delicate flowers and shrubs that would only be able to survive under glass in other parts of the British Isles. La Seigneurie Gardens
Enjoy a leisurely lunch
Surprisingly there are numerous restaurants, pubs and cafes dotted around the island for lunch or afternoon tea. We dined at Hathaways which is located next to La Seigneurie Gardens and has a lovely outdoor terrace.
There’s a varied menu that includes crab salad sandwiches, burgers steak etc. with an attractive indoor dining area alongside the terrace.
The Window in the Rock
The Window in the Rock is a 15 minute walk from La Seigneurie Gardens and a particularly photogenic spot on the west coast of the island. A square hole has been cut in the cliff face framing the stunning view, with a sheer drop and dramatic cliff views on the other side. Nearby, wander down a flight of stone steps to the stunning Port du Moulin beach below.
Shopping along The Avenue
There are several small shops and cafes lining both sides of The Avenue, many offering local handicrafts such as ‘Sark Threads’, a weaving studio where you can see the loom in action creating hand woven shawls, scarves and homewares.
Old Island Hall
The hall was used during the Occupation for village gatherings and was where the islanders listened to the radio broadcast of Winston Churchill declaring that the war was over. The hall now contains an exhibition covering the war years and life up to the present day. Through documents and photographs the exhibition relates the story of the people who were on Sark during the Second World War, enduring deportation and hardship whilst at the same time going about their lives as best they could. (Admission free).
Churches
The island is home to two churches, St Peter’s Anglican and a small Methodist church. There has been a church on the island since the first Seigneur. St.Peter’s has stood in its current position since 1821 with a chancel added in 1877 and a bell tower built in 1883 to give Sark access to a clock. Both churches are open to view with their traditional oak pews and tapestry embroidered kneelers and cushions.
Go star gazing
Sark’s 600 residents protect the island from light pollution and the lack of street lighting contributes to the starry night skies. In 2011, Sark was designated the world’s first Dark Sky Island. Visitors staying overnight can experience some of the best conditions for star gazing within the British Isles. If you plan to stay overnight do remember to pack a torch to help you find your way around after dark.
With accommodation available ranging from hotels to self catering cottages and campsites you may wish to linger longer. Clearly labelled luggage is transported by trailer tractors to accommodation direct from the boat so you don’t have to handle it yourself. Having visited for the day, I’d definitely like to experience an overnight stay on Sark next time.
Rather than taking the ‘toast rack’ tractor bus back down to the harbour at the end of the day, we opted to walk as there is a path through the woods that runs parallel to the dirt road. It’s quite steep but much easier to walk down than up.
I hope you have found this travel guide to Sark helpful as along with a visit to Herm it creates a lovely island hopping holiday on Guernsey.
