Tower off Noirmont Point dates from around 1810 (Walk 3)
Emergencies
The police, ambulance, fire and coastguard services are all alerted by dialling 999, free of charge, from any telephone. Alternatively, the European emergency number of 112 can be used. Jersey has two police forces, having retained an ‘honorary’ police force dating from the 15th century, whose officers are attached to the island parishes, www.jerseyhonorarypolice.org.
The emergency services sometimes call for the assistance of the Channel Islands Air Search, a voluntary organisation that maintains a light aircraft, available on stand-by 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, offering an ‘eyes in the sky’ capability around the islands. See www.ci-airsearch.com.
Using this guide
The walks in this guidebook start with a town trail around St Helier, allowing visitors to become acquainted with some of the heritage features and services of the largest town in the Channel Islands. Walks 2 to 16 are arranged clockwise round the coast of Jersey, and most of them are circular, made up of a coastal stretch and an inland stretch. They are all fairly short and easy, with the most rugged being along the north coast. As all the walks are arranged side-by-side they can be linked to form longer walks. Walk 17 is different, and is entirely dependent on a favourable tide; therefore it might not be possible to attempt while you are on the island. Walks 18 to 24 explore the inland parts of Jersey, though as has already been observed, no part of the island is more than 3.5km (2 miles) from the sea.
All the walking routes are accessible by bus services, and if any other bus services cross them, these are mentioned. Places offering food and drink are mentioned, but as opening times vary it is wise to carry something to eat and drink. If there are any visitor attractions on the routes, these are given a brief description, and if contact details are provided, opening times can be checked. Bear in mind that some attractions take an hour or two to explore properly, and this eats into the time spent walking. A very short walking route with two or three major attractions and a good restaurant can take all day to complete if walkers really want to make the most of these opportunities!
Some walkers visit Jersey simply to walk all the way round the coast, and this is an admirable plan. Walk 25 explains in very brief detail how to do it, by referring readers back to Walks 2 to 16. Each of these walks includes a stretch of coast, but at the point where these routes head inland, it is possible to link directly with the next walk in the book and the next stretch of coast. An annual sponsored walk aims to cover the coast in one long day, while average walkers would take three or four days to walk round the island. During the Jersey Walking Weeks, a guided five-day circuit is offered.
Walkers who have also obtained a copy of the Cicerone guide Walking on Guernsey can combine coastal walks around Guernsey, Alderney, Sark and Herm with a coastal walk around Jersey, thereby completing the ‘Channel Island Way’ (see Appendix A). The full distance is around 178km (110 miles).
WALK 1
St Helier Town Trail
| Start/Finish | Liberation Square, St Helier |
| Distance | Variable |
| Terrain | Urban roads and pavements, as well as parks. |
| Refreshments | Plenty of choice around St Helier. |
| Transport | All bus services on Jersey operate to and from Liberation Station. |
St Helier is the largest town in Jersey and the Channel Islands, with several features of note. A rigid route description is hardly appropriate, and in fact there is no need to dedicate a whole day to a tour. Simply explore a different area of town any time you are passing through. There are so many places of interest, many of them apparent even if you are not particularly on the lookout for them. Lots of little plaques and memorials are fixed to all sorts of structures. The best approach is to visit the museum first, then explore some of the interesting streets and green spaces in town. Free town plans are easily obtained, and there is an excellent one on the back of the 1:25,000 Official Leisure Map of Jersey.
The focal point for starting explorations around St Helier is the wide-open space around the Weighbridge, and, more precisely, Liberation Square and its striking bronze memorial. Carts laden with potatoes and other goods for shipment used to be weighed, then weighed again unladen at the Weighbridge. The difference between the two weights was the weight of the goods, for which payment would be made. Within easy reach of the Weighbridge are three fine museums, all of which have entry charges. The award-winning Jersey Museum, tel. 01534 633300, is in the Ordnance Yard. It explains all about Jersey’s development from its most ancient bedrock to the flickering Reuters screens which offer constant news updates for the world of commerce and high finance.
The Maritime Museum, tel. 01534 811043, is situated on the harbourside. It covers everything from the nature of the weather and tides to sea-life and the lives of fishermen and boat-builders, with plenty of hands-on exhibits. The museum also houses the Occupation Tapestry and details how it was made in the 12 parishes of Jersey.
There are several interesting streets clustered around the Weighbridge. The Esplanade no longer runs beside the sea, as harbour developments have pushed further and further seawards. Following the Esplanade launches straight into Walk 2 around St Aubin’s Bay. Both Mulcaster Street and Conway Street lead directly from Liberation Square to the town centre, and both run close to the ancient Parish Church of St Helier.
The centrepiece of Liberation Square is a striking bronze sculpture
If following Conway Street, a left turn leads onto Broad Street, where the head post office is located, and enquiries can be made about Jersey stamps and first day covers. There is onward access to King Street, Queen Street, New Street and other pedestrianised shopping streets. The old Market Hall, one of the busiest retail spaces in the Channel Islands, is an imposing building on Halkett Place.
Following Mulcaster Street from the Weighbridge leads to the States Offices, with access to Royal Square and its fine buildings.
The name Peirson is forever associated with this square, where the last pitched battle with French forces took place in 1781. Major Peirson won the day, but lost his life, as did the French leader Baron de Rullecourt (see the end of Walk 17 for more information).
By now, several tall buildings associated with commerce and high finance will have been noticed, and these now dominate the town centre.
Looking across the harbour towards the centre of St Helier, with Fort Regent rising to the right
Also dominating the skyline, and named on many signposts, is Fort Regent. Although an old stone wall can be seen encircling this whaleback ridge, once enclosing a 19th century fort, the structures beyond are quite modern. Fort Regent is now a large and varied leisure centre full of attractions and entertainment. What appears to be a mast and rigging rising over the site is actually the last working signal station to be used in the British Isles.
There is no need
