Guernsey

Key Facts

• Location: Channel Islands
• Size: 6500 hectares
• Terrain: a mix of Guernsey’s main coastal roads (which can be busy) and quieter lanes. Mostly flat with a couple of notable ascents
• Height gain: 504 metres
• Map: Bailiwick of Guernsey; States of Guernsey Official Map
• Starting point: main ferry terminal, St Peter Port
• Accommodation/food:

  available throughout the ride

• Island Summary:

  a British Crown dependency, Guernsey is resolutely British yet it feels so much more exotic. Just wander through the particularly pretty St Peter Port with its glittering, cosmopolitan marina and leafy, cobbled streets or explore a coastline that climbs from gloriously expansive golden beaches and deep blue seas to cliff tops dotted with history-rammed fortifications to feel the difference. You can easily justify a longer stay to discover more of what’s on offer here and take your time to sample the delicious local food and envelope yourself in Guernsey’s warm hospitality

• Look out for:
  • Cycling along the Ruttes Tranquilles
  • Steep descent to Petit Bot Valley and Bay
  • Fast, flat route from Grand Roques to Pleinmont
• Route description:

  leaving St Peter Port the first stage north follows a cycle lane most of the way to St Sampson beyond which travel is on Guernsey’s country lanes until joining one of the island’s main coastal roads at L’Islet. The route along the north and west coast passes some of the best bays Guernsey has to offer at Port Grat, Cobo Bay, Port Soif, Rocquaine Bay and Vazon Bay before finally reaching Portlet Beach – there are numerous fortifications along the way if you want to break the tempo of this fast, flat stretch of road. Turning south with a short, steep climb over Pleinmont the route along the south coast uses mostly quiet lanes with the occasional stretch on the main road. The highlight is an exciting descent in to Petit Bot Bay and the requisite steep ascent the other side before joining the main road back in to St Peter Port

• Getting there:

  ferry from mainland UK or Jersey