I got back just a week ago from a holiday in Guernsey in the Channel islands. My sister has lived there with her family for over 26 years and loves the island. It's very different from Orkney, and when I bought a house here, she jokingly asked "Couldn't you find anywhere further in the UK from me?" - I replied that yes I could have moved the Shetland ;-)
Guernsey has over 65,000 population in an area of 30 square miles. Apparently with a density of 2,166 per square mile!! Er - that's a much higher population density than Orkney! There's very little "wild space" on Guernsey, though there are commons, woods, and lots of shoreline to explore. Most of the houses are stone built, many are plastered/rendered and painted. It's very pretty and everywhere feels very "ordered". I prefer the wildness of Orkney! But then I never did very well with being "ordered". ;-)
This holiday was about spending time with family, my sister, niece and nephews and great-niece and nephew. I've had plenty of time over recent years to visit the "tourist" places so we just pottered around, some walks on the beach, sitting in cafes chatting over coffee, a little shopping. And of course some partying as it was S.'s birthday so there was lots of cake and celebration. Guernsey is supposed to be the sunniest place in the UK - well technically Guernsey is a domicile of the UK but not part of it - it gets complicated! Anyway we did have a couple of days of sun and warmth, but mostly it was like the rest of the summer in the UK - changeable! Anyway it that didn't matter we still had fun.
I got to see my great-niece's new pony, Alfie. Oh he's gorgeous and reminded me of my old pony, Badger.
We also went to visit Castle Cornet on an island just off St Peter Port in Guernsey. My wee great-nephew enjoyed wandering around and wanted to help the soldiers make "soup"!.
Guernsey is a popular place for sailing - folk arrive in yachts for holidays and most locals have boats too. This old quarry has been turned into a marina, with a lovely hotel nearby which sold excellent tea and cake!
And lots of sandy beaches to walk along (with nearby cafes for more tea and cake!)
I also had a flying visit (literally) to meet up with my brother and his family (including another great-niece who has just turned 1). They are scattered around the South of England. But we all met for an afternoon in South London before I headed off home to Orkney.
Lots of lovely memories till the next time.
How nice to be able to spend time with family - especially when you both live on islands so far apart! Just curious, do any of them ever come to visit you? (I ask because that is a perpetual problem with my family where I seem to do all the travelling)
ReplyDeleteUm....I do most of the visiting! It is easier for me as it is "just me" and it's more difficult for the family to travel up en-masse. Plus some other travel difficulties for them. But I do hope one day at least my siblings get to visit!
DeleteMy friend is from Guernsey and we went there for her wedding a couple of years ago. I totally agree with you - I found it very pretty and genteel, and whilst I really liked it my heart is much more with the wild Scottish islands (where I dream of retiring, or even moving before retiring if I can. Might contact you about that sometime!).
ReplyDeleteOh do get in touch! I just had a quick look at your blog (about to go out) and I think we have similar research interests. I love visiting Guernsey but I know I couldn't live there for just the reasons you give. The wildness and even the weather in Orkney speak to something deep within me that "genteel" never could!
DeleteI'm trying (and failing) to find an email address for you. I'm best contacted at jackie [dot] kirkham [at] googlemail [dot] com, having read your profile it looks like you're living my dream, so I'd love to chat/correspond/pick your brain!
DeleteLovely photos, Sian and it sounds like you had a great time AND some sun! My mother-in-law had a short trip to Jersey in early June and the weather was fairly awful. :-(
ReplyDeleteSigh - yes the weather even in the Channel Islands has not been good this summer. Such a shame for everyone. But at least they haven't had the extremes of weather that elsewhere in the UK has suffered.
DeleteBeautiful holidays , i hope to visit Guernsey one day :)
ReplyDeleteIt is a lovely place! Very different to most Scottish islands though.
DeleteOh Sian, I had to check with Ms. Google to find the Guernsey Islands. Heck, they're right next to France.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny (in a sweet way) that you and your sister ended up on two islands, just about as far from each other as possible.
'course, by Canadian standards, you're just about next door to each other. ;-)
LOL - yes distance is relative (excuse the pun!). And yes Guernsey is closer to France than the UK. Much of their laws are a mixture of French and British. All the place names are French, and there are no doubt other cultural similarities too.
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