Islands Apart: Jersey, Guernsey, Herm, Alderney & Sark

• • Special introductory lecture the legal and political systems of the Channel Islands by a local specialist (Name TBA)
• • Archaeologist Olga Finch will introduce us to the pre-history of the Channel Islands and lead you through some of the major archaeological sites on Jersey
• • Doug Ford, an expert on Jersey’s Norman & English history and author of Jersey 1204: A Peculiar Situation (2004), will guide our visit at Mont Orgueil Castle
• • Rod McLoughlin will lead the group on a special private visit to the Royal Court and State Chambers, and to the Jersey War Tunnels
• • Paul Burnal, a member of the Channel Island Occupation Society (CIOS) Jersey Branch, will lead us through the Batterie Lothrengrin, Noirmont, and introduce us to the fortifications of Jersey, not only during World War II, but throughout human occupation of the island
• • Visit to the unique Glass Church of St Matthew on Jersey where René Lalique designed and produced the extraordinary and beautiful doors, font, screen and altar. This is the only church of its kind in the world
• • Dawn wildlife walk with Mike Stentiford who will introduce us to some of the birdlife that is so abundant in the Channel Islands, particularly Jersey with its favourable position on the Gulf Stream
• • The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, a centre established by Gerald Durrell on Jersey to provide a sanctuary for endangered species
• • Private visit to Les Vaux, Lady Guthrie’s garden at Rozel on Jersey
• • Maggie Moisan, a resident of Jersey who lived through the German Occupation, will take us to visit the Occupation Tapestry Gallery. Maggie shared her wartime experiences with the weavers who created the tapestry, and will again share them with ASA group members during this visit.

• GUERNSEY

• • Archaeologist Philip de Jersey will introduce you to the rich archaeology of Guernsey
• • Visit to Hauteville, Victor Hugo’s house at Havalet Bay on Guernsey where the author lived in exile for 15 years (from 1856 to 1870)
• • Guided tour of the RAMSAR wetland site at L'Eree
• • Richard Heaume, founding member and current chairman of the Channel Island Occupation Society (CIOS) will share his expertise on the German Occupation of Guernsey at The German Occupation Museum at Les Houards, the Naval Observation Tower at Pleinmont and Mirus Battery

• SARK

• • Reg Guille, the Seneschal of Sark, will talk to the group about the history and politics of the island
• • David Synot, an expert on Sark’s 19th century silver mines will explain how this venture failed miserably

• HERM

• • Day trip to Herm, with a guided walk around this island where no cars are allowed

• ALDERNEY

• • Day trip to Alderney, with visits to Roman remains and the beautiful town of St Anne.

Overnights Jersey (4 nights); Guernsey (7 nights)

Visits include JERSEY (La Hougue Bie, Faldouet, Le Couperon, Mont Orgueil Castle, States Building and Royal Court, JerseyWar Tunnels, Batterie Lothringen, St Matthew's Church, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Vaux, Occupation Tapestry Gallery, Maritime Museum) GUERNSEY (Vale Castle, Dehus, La Varde, L'Ancresse Common, Castle Cornet, Millennium Tapestry, Hauteville House, St Martin's Church & the Grandmother of the Cemetery, RAMSAR wetland site at L'Eree, Sausmarez Manor House, NT Folk & Costume Museum, German Occupation Museum, Naval Observation Tower, Mirus Battery) SARK (Seigneurie Garden, Silver Mines via La Coupée) ALDERNEY (St Anne, German Occupation 'slave camps', Roman remains at 'The Nunnery', Fort Albert, Braye Harbour) HERM (Prince Blücher's Castle, Shell Beach)

About the Tour

The Channel Islands are a unique group of five islands that are often overlooked as a travel destination. To do so, however, is to miss out on experiencing a fascinating journey to a place that has a remarkable history and geography.

The islands are the only visible remains of what was once a volcanic crater: Jersey is situated on its southern rim, while Guernsey, Herm, Alderney and Sark were formed from its northern rim. This archipelago is situated in the English Channel. They lie closer to France than England but its inhabitants are British citizens. They are not, however, legally part of the UK, nor are they administered from Westminster. These small islands administer themselves by two separate bailiwicks – the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey – and they have done so since the thirteenth century. Moreover, the two Bailiwicks have no common laws nor do they have a common representative body. This should alert you to the fact that these islands are a bit of an anomaly. They have, in fact, a distinctive history, culture and geography that set them apart not only from neighbouring France and England but also from each other.

To explore the idiosyncratic nature of these islands this tour draws on the specialist knowledge of many high calibre local experts. On our visit to Sark, Reginald Guille, the Seneschal of Sark, will talk on the history and politics of this island. Other guest lecturers will present talks and walks on a variety of themes from the prehistory of the islands to how to read the landscape to distinguish different stages of its development. The favourable climate of the islands, warmed all year around by the Gulf Stream, also means that the Channel Islands have dynamic ecosystems, and each provides a sanctuary for a rich variety of flora and fauna: the 'Birdman of Jersey' Mike Stentiford will introduce you to some of the abundant birdlife on a dawn wildlife walk. We also visit the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, a centre established by Gerald Durrell on Jersey to provide a sanctuary for endangered species.

Positioned as they are between England and France, we explore how the islands’ strategic importance has contributed to its rich history and culture. The islands bear traces and scars of Norman and English occupation, and during World War II they were the only part of the United Kingdom to be occupied by German forces. Mary Ann Shaffer’s recent best seller, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, gives an engrossing fictional account of the islanders’ experience of this period but Jersey resident Maggie Moisan, who lived through the German Occupation, will share her real wartime experiences with you as you view the Occupation Tapestry that was woven to record those memories. One important site on Jersey that remained untouched by the German Occupation is the unique ‘Glass Church’ of St Matthew where René Lalique designed and produced the extraordinary and beautiful doors, font, screen and altar. As befits these islands, this is the only church of its kind in the world.