She brings the sunlight

Our first trip to Jersey was long overdue, especially considering we have friends who made this wonderful island their home nearly thirty years ago. It was time to put that right, reconnect with old acquaintances, and bag one of the UK’s most stunning lighthouses.

La Corbière lighthouse, Jersey

The small airport of Jersey sits on the island’s western side, and with Jersey measuring only nine miles by five, we decided to split our visit into two parts. The plan was to explore the western half on day one, then shift our focus east the following day.

Sorel Point Lighthouse, Jersey

We'd been advised to hire a small car to navigate the island’s famously narrow, hedge-lined lanes. They are an iconic feature of Jersey’s patchwork countryside, but we quickly got used to the more considerate driving etiquette. From the airport we headed to the wild north coast and Sorel Point. Perched above chalky cliffs, the small lighthouse here isn’t one of Britain’s grand sentinels, but its setting is rather special. The weather, unexpectedly glorious sunshine for early November, turned the English Channel a deep teal and lit up the rugged coastline.

View from the Devil's Hole, Jersey

One of the pleasures of exploring Jersey quickly became apparent: Nothing is ever more than a ten-minute drive away. So before long we were a few miles further along the coast and walking through woodland towards the Devil’s Hole. This collapsed sea cave, carved out over millennia by erosion, has long inspired myths and maritime tales. A fantastic statue of a devil-like creature is an old mascot of the Priory Inn where you park up and welcomes you en route to the dramatic cliffs. The viewing platform offers one of the most dramatic panoramas on the island.

The Devil himself, Jersey

Continuing to the island’s far northwest, we reached the windswept ruins of Grosnez Castle, a 14th-century fortification once used as a refuge during French raids. Its solitary arch still stands watch over cliffs and below it sits another small, resolute lighthouse. Reaching it means descending a set of intimidating steps and we decided our bravery had its limits.

The lighthouse at Grosnez Castle, Jersey

Driving the beautiful coastal roads of Jersey, you pass a myriad of defensive naval towers from across the ages which stand guard like stone sentinels. The earliest are the British-built Martello towers, stout granite cylinders with sweeping views. Standing alongside them, though from a far darker chapter stand the stark, concrete German wartime towers when the Channel Islands were the only part of the British Isles to fall under Nazi control.

Together, these British and German towers form a striking historical partnership to remind us of more troubled times. Thankfully they now appear more contemplative than combative as they watch the Channel in quiet retirement, some enjoying a second life as excusive holiday getaways.

Faulkner Fisheries, Jersey

We'd been recommended grabbing lunch at Faulkner Fisheries, a wonderfully rough-and-ready seafood shack. Here, in the autumnal sunshine, the simple prawn sandwiches tasted like the very essence of the sea. From our outdoor table we could see our next destination, La Corbière Lighthouse.

Nothing prepares you for La Corbière up close. Completed in 1874, it was the first concrete lighthouse built in the British Isles and sits on a tidal island reached via a causeway exposed only at low tide. The tides here are among the largest in the world, sometimes shifting by more than 12 metres so we’d timed our visit to arrive at low tide. Being able to walk out to the lighthouse was a highlight of the trip.
It is easily one of the most striking lighthouses we’ve ever seen, and we've seen a few.

La Corbière Lighthouse, Jersey

After a fabulous night out in a rowdy St. Helier catching up with dear friends, our second day on the island had to start with a solid fry-up. The Gun Site Café, a former WWII gunnery position serves excellent breakfasts right on the beach and the full English absolutely hit the spot. 

We set off to explore more of the island with our friends and Roland the dog as our personal guides. Defensive towers once again punctuated the eastern shoreline, then Mont Orgueil came into view, a wonderfully traditional-looking leviathan of a castle towering above pretty Gorey Harbour. Even from the outside it’s spectacular. A stone crown rising above pastel houses and a sweep of golden sand.

Tower at Archirondel, Jersey

At Archirondel, Roland enjoyed the rocky shoreline, while we admired the distinctive red-and-white tower built in the 1790s as part of the island’s coastal defences.

Further north, at the end of St Catherine’s Breakwater sits a modern lighthouse and radio tower and as the sun dipped we finished the day at Rozel Harbour which is one of Jersey’s prettiest fishing villages, curled around a tiny beach and colourful boats.

La Grève d'Azette Lighthouse, Jersey

On our third and final morning we woke to heavy rain but it soon relented enough for us to mop up the remaining lighthouses on our list. First was the modern La Grève d'Azette light, slightly more utilitarian than romantic and this was followed by a quick dash to the Maritime Museum, where a lighthouse-themed memorial stands outside.

Maritime Museum Lighthouse, Jersey

The marina at St Helier is a great place to explore and enjoy sunlit views across to Elizabeth Castle. This fortress, built on a tidal islet, replaced Mont Orgueil as Jersey’s main defence in the 16th century. During the English Civil War, Charles II once took refuge here, later granting Jersey its famous royal recognition in gratitude. Good historical fact.

In Liberation Square there is a memorial to the war in front of the Pomme d'Or Hotel which was used as the Nazi naval headquarters during the occupation. British Soldiers famously climbed the hotel balcony to remove the Nazi flag and replace it with the Union Jack, an act that is celebrated every year in St. Helier.

War memorial in front of Pomme d'Or Hotel, St. Helier, Jersey

We expected a lot of Jersey and it's famous lighthouse, and it delivered. The abundance of beaches, coves and picturesque fishing villages and its history layered from medieval sieges to wartime bunkers meant we crammed a lot into our three days. But there’s still so much left to discover, museums, fortifications, walking trails, and more quiet bays than you could reasonably visit in one trip.

La Corbière lighthouse, Jersey