Key Facts

• Location: Channel Islands
• Terrain: paths and island lanes; rocky sections in the detours
• Access: Ferry; 
• Map: Bailiwick of Guernsey, States of Guernsey Official Map
• Starting point: Creux Harbour. Lat/Long 49.4314, -2.3429; GR XD 752 478
• Facilities: Café at the Harbour and refreshments at various points on the walk (marked on the free tourist map). Public toilets at the Harbour, Island Hall in the centre of the island, and at the information centre
• Special notes:  Huge tidal range of 10m so take care and keep an eye on tide times when exploring beaches and caves. 

Sark Coast Path Overview and Highlights

After arriving in Sark by ferry walk through Creux harbour’s old rock-tunnel before making a steep ascent of the wild cliff tops.

Within a short distance, both Derrible and Dixcart Bays are relatively easy to access to explore the arch, caves, and beaches or to go for a safe swim. Between the two bays, Hogsback, the memorial to Major Appleyard who in 1942 led a commando raid to liberate the island, is a reminder of German occupation during World War II.

Further south, the route to Little Sark via La Coupée features an 80-metre drop down to Sark’s most extensive sand beach, La Grande Grève. A challenge for those with vertigo, the causeway is just three-metres wide, which seems to accentuate its spectacularly steep sides. At Port Gorey to the south, teams of Cornish miners once worked the four underground shafts, some extending under the seabed, for copper, silver, and lead deposits.

Today, only derelict ventilation chimneys remain and these are slowly crumbling away. Nearby, a clamber down the rocks at the southernmost tip of Little Sark reveals the Venus Pool, a spectacular natural rock pool deep enough to swim and dive. The best time to swim is two hours either side of low water.

After walking around Little Sark and re-crossing La Coupée there are myriad unmarked paths and optional diversions to explore Great Sark’s best stretches of coastline. Gouliot Headland, a lovely spot to watch the sun go down, is an internationally important wetland site with particularly rich animal and plant life. Above ground wild flowers, including the rare sand crocus, bloom in the spring meadows, while the accessible sea caves below are carpeted with anemones, sponges, soft corals, and sea squirts.

Beyond the headland, opposite the smaller island of Brecqhou, the route heads inland on one of the main tracks, passing the island store and the numerous cafés and restaurants that dot the iconic tree-lined Rue de Rade. Here you’ll see horse-drawn carts taking visitors to island highlights, including La Seigneurie, home to Sark’s feudal head, the Seigneur, since 1730. It boasts one of the best formal gardens in the Channel Islands. For spectacular views of Sark’s coastline, take a short detour and follow the signs to ‘Window in the Rock’. Nearby, Port du Moulon is a great place to swim; go through the rock arch on the right to find the tiny cove beyond.

Continuing north, the day-trippers thin out and you reach the open common at Eperquerie where a range of paths lead around the headland. For the adventurous, the Boutique Caves can be reached from the Eperquerie Landing via paths and steps in the cliff. There are various tunnels, shallow pools and wet and dry caves with beautiful light throughout. The small pebbly bay just north of the landing is also good for a swim.

Heading back south along the east coast, towards Pointe Robert lighthouse perched on the crags overlooking the nearby islets, you then descend back to Creux Harbour. For well-earned refreshment, head into one of the Village’s taverns to meet more of the islanders and chat about life on this unspoilt isle.

Although the walk can be completed on a day trip from Guernsey, there is so much to see and do that spending a few days here is recommended and an overnight is a must. With little pollution and no cars or street lights, Sark became the world’s first dark-sky island – an accolade taken very seriously by islanders who cover their torches at night with red cellophane to reduce light pollution. Comets, meteor showers, and bright constellations dazzle in the dark velvet sky and this is one of the few places in the UK where the Milky Way can still be seen in its full glory.

Sark Coastal walking route highlights

Sark Coast Path Directions 

Leave the harbour (1) on Great Sark (2), go through the tunnel, pass toilets and Harbour Café (3) on left and start walking up the hill. After 95m take the signed footpath to left and continue uphill parallel to road. After a further 75m follow the footpath signs uphill to Les Laches through the woodland.

At the small shack keep left along the track and after 200m reach the crossroads then follow the track to right through the stone gateposts and head inland. After 160m follow the sign on left through the wooden gate to Derrible Bay (4) and Hogsback. Continue above Derrible Bay to a T-junction and turn right, inland. (Path on left leads to the Hogsback and the memorial to Major Appleyard (5). After 220m continue on the track as it bends to the left and heads downhill.

Take the small path around the back of Dixcart Bay (6), down through the woods past a house then keep the stream to the left. Take the right fork, climbing uphill towards the vineyards and turn left along the hedge between two vineyards towards La Coupée.

Join the main track between the Village and La Coupée (7), turning left along the track to cross the causeway onto Little Sark (8). Pass the beach of La Grande Grève (9) on right and after 1.3km, at La Sablonnerie, take the track left to head south through a collection of small cottages and towards the two mine ventilation shafts (10). The Venus Pool (11) is a scramble down the headland at the southernmost point of the island and the perfect spot for a wild swim.

Return to the mine chimneys and continue on the coast path around Port Gorey (12) back to La Sablonnerie tea-rooms. Turn left to rejoin the track, cross back over La Coupée, and continue north to cross the Gouliot headland (13). The caves (14) can be explored on very low spring tides (less than 1m). To reach them, just before the path starts to head out onto the headland take the path to the right along the top of a sea gorge on the right. Where this path ends on the promontory turn left and after a few metres the chimney entrance of the cave can be spotted. Descend into the main cavern, The Chimney, from where the other caves can be then explored. Take a torch.

Return to the coast path and continue around the headland to reach the main track, Rue du Sermon. Pass the Sark Methodist church on the right and the island store (15).

At the crossroads turn left towards La Moinerie, Port du Moulin, and the Island Hall. Walk through the tunnel of trees on Rue de Rade, pass La Seigneurie (16) and 70m beyond follow the signpost to the ‘Window in the Rocks’ (17) for an optional detour. Further on, at the right-hand bend in the Rue de Rade, start the headland loop by walking straight ahead to follow signs to L’Eperquerie (18). Once on the common, choose any one of the paths that circumnavigate the northern tip of the island for great views and to explore the Boutique Caves near L’Eperquerie landing (19).

Return to the start of the headland loop and turn left (walking away from La Seigneurie) then, after 210m bear right and continue along the lane for 800m to a staggered crossroad.

Turn left towards Pointe Robert lighthouse (20) and La Grève de la Ville. After 160m, turn right at the junction and walk past the historic granite building. Continue on the track following signs to the Village. After 210m, where the track bends right, take the smaller track straight ahead with the stone wall on the left. Turn left, and on reaching a metal gate on left go through and follow ‘Footpath to Harbours’ signs to return to the start of the walk.

For more details about Sark, read our Islandeering book or download the gpx and route description below.

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Download Sark coastal route gpx