FAMOUS for its Jersey Royals, honey-coloured cows and international finance industry, Jersey is perhaps less well known for its rich history and distinct culture. Evidence of human activity dates back 250,000 years (the caves at La Cotte de St Brelade are associated with mammoth hunting) and its more recent Norman links give it a very French feel. Electric bikes, available to rent, are an ideal way to explore the landscape, as you lookout for a glimpse of a bottle-nosed dolphin, red squirrel or puffin, or you could simply take to your feet to stroll around the island and drink in the magnificent views.
Seymour Tower
Off La Grande Route des Sablons, Grouville ( facing page)
Completely surrounded by the sea twice a day, this granite tower stands on a rocky outcrop a little more than a mile off the south-eastern corner of the island. Visiting it involves a walk across an almost lunar landscape, although tide times must be consulted —many have been caught out, as the tide rushes in along gullies ‘at the speed of galloping horses’, as the saying goes. The tower was built in 1782 after the Battle of Jersey (when French forces tried to gain control of the island) and is the only square fortification out of the 23 built, five of which are lined up along the coast facing Seymour itself. For the adventurous, it sleeps seven people (plus a guide), who can view the low-water flora and fauna or simply enjoy the solitude before the receding tide once more reconnects civilisation.
La Hougue Bie
La Route de la Hougue Bie, Grouville
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 14, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
