Herm Island

 Tuesday 15th July

The No.11 bus took us down to the pier and we were soon on the 10.15 ferry to Herm.  It was a bit cloudy, but very warm and it didn't take long before the sun was out and we'd landed in the harbour (20 min trip).  After a cuppa at the Mermaid Tavern Val and Bernard set off to the west, hoping to find the path to Shell Beach was wheelchair-friendly and we went east to walk on the coast path around the island.  We were soon up high on the cliff-top, looking out firstly towards St. Peter Port, then Jethou, the small conical-shaped island next door, then out to Sark.  After a geocache find in some rocks, we sat on them to eat our lunch and chatted to a young French couple who were looking for the kayaking beach - they had come the long way round to Shell Beach!  The path inland that goes over the spine of the island took us on a grassy path between fields of jersey cows, up to the campsite and Manor Village.  It was lovely to see the village because Peter and Hannah and the children will be staying here for a week next month.  The little St. Tuguals Church is a gem, with bunches of fresias tied to the aisle chairs.  Fresias are grown locally - we had a vase of them on our kitchen windowsill when we arrived here. 

The path then took us down to the northern coast again and we looked down on Belvoir Bay - beautiful sand and large rocks to the side where people were climbing up and jumping into the sea.  There had been 2 groups of school children and a scout group on our ferry and one of these was having great fun in the sea here.  Next we came to the famous Shell Beach and although the tide was well out it looks amazing from the cliff path.  We found Val and Bernard there - they had taken their time as the path was quite sandy and therefore a bit of a challenge with the chair, but they were delighted to have made it.  We said a thankyou to those jersey cows as we tucked into their creamy ice cream and enjoyed a paddle in the sparkly water. Val and Bernard set off back the way they'd come and we continued over the heathland to the obelisk.  Sadly the geo there had been trashed, but we were asked by a chap on a buggy where the person with a broken leg was.  We then spotted the small group of ladies at the same time as he did, and we hope he was able to get them back to the ferry without too much discomfort.  Not really an ideal place to fall.  We followed the sandy path above Bear's and Fisherman's Beaches back to the harbour and met up in the gift shop.  The tide was so low this afternoon that they had to miss out one of the ferries, but the 4.35 one was to come into the Rosiere Steps -a long way down.  V & B got a lift on the tractor from the harbour to the steps and then took it slowly down them to wait for the boat.  It was all quite a challenge for them but it was all very worthwhile - a very memorable day for us all.