Guernsey Walker
Walk R3. Jerbourg to Moulin Huet and back
Time: 2 hrs. 15 mins. to 2 hrs. 45 mins. (depending on return route).
A map of the walk can be found here.
This is the first of our south coast cliff walks, starting to head down towards the south west tip of Guernsey at Pleinmont, where the cliff part of Guernsey's coastline effectively ends. Parking is as for walk 2, and so benefits from the same fine views over the other islands at the start.
Take the road that runs from the south west corner of the car park along the top of the cliff, signed "Access to properties only" (La Moye Lane). You have a view down on the left to the square white light-house/fog horn at St Martins Point, and across to the other islands.
When you reach the last house (Seaplane Bungalow) the road bends around to the right, at which point continue straight along the cliff path (signed on a granite block: Petit Port). You pass two or three small concrete bunkers lower down the cliff dating from the World War Two German occupation, and can see the Pea Stacks rocks down on your left.
At a right hand bend there is a sign to the left saying "RSPB Hide". At this point the more agile, if you don't mind a bit of use of your hands and a touch of exposure in places, may wish to make an optional detour to the first of the Pea Stacks. If there are any RSPB members in the hide (which I presume to be the small WW II concrete German look-out) please respect their bird watching and omit this detour (personally I have yet to find anybody in there). Otherwise a faint and rather rocky path can be found leading down the fairly broad shoulder from the hide towards the first Pea Stack. If you penetrate far enough you will eventually find that there is no way to the second and subsequent Pea Stacks because this is barred by a channel of water which cannot be safely crossed. Retrace your steps to the main path.
Otherwise just carry on along the main path. (Don't go up steps on your right which just lead back to the car park). At another right hand bend, a short path on the left leads down to a seat with another closer view of the Pea Stacks. Continuing along, you start to get views across to Moulin Huet (pronounced locally as Mool-in-wet). Further to the left are the "Dog and Lion" rocks, though these are seen to best advantage from their other side (on walk R4).
The path rises to the top of a little rocky outcrop where there is a stone stating that these cliffs were given to the States of Guernsey in 1959. Continue straight on (signed: Petit Port) to drop down some steps and traverse below a small bungalow. Except at high tide when the sand becomes covered, you can see Petit Port Bay below on your left. The path rises to meet a metalled lane, where you turn left.
After a few paces the lane bends to the right where you turn left onto another path which passes to the left of two mobile phone masts, after which you take a left turn (signed: Petit Port). (The path which continues straight ahead here goes to a small public car park then joins La Route de Jerbourg at the Doyle Column.)
You can see the cliff path stretching ahead along the top of the cliff. To get to it turn left at the next junction, and reach the top of the Petit Port steps.
You can make an optional detour to Petit Port, which is a fine sandy beach except when the tide is very high when the sand is covered. Take note though of the States "danger" notice and disclaimer. In recent years these steps have been made impassable on two separate occasions by rock falls. The steps have been reinstated and are currently (at the time of writing) open, but I don't suppose they are totally immune from further rock falls in the future.
Our walk continues by turning right along the still quite level cliff path (signed: Moulin Huet). After a fairly straight stretch there is a cut-back to cross a little stream. Turn left across the stream to regain the cliff path. (Alternatively at this point you can shorten the walk by going straight up. This path bends left then reaches a metalled lane. Just before the lane a path heads up on the right to reach La Route de Jerbourg which you can then follow back to the car park. Having come this far though, it would be a pity to miss out the rest of my route!).
Our path eventually curves right, and after half a dozen steps with a little metal handrail reaches a metalled lane. Turn left, then after 75 paces turn down sharp left ("No through road. Pedestrian access to cliff path only") to pass a "wishing well" and cattle trough (Fontaine et Abreuveur). Continue down this wide path, which turns right at a seat then narrows and starts to descend with Moulin Huet below on your left.
Reach a road and turn sharp left back down a metalled path which soon arrives at Moulin Huet Bay (1 hr. 15 mins.). On the way down to the bay you will have passed Moulin Huet Tearooms (open in season). (Just below the tearooms - where there is a plaque about Renoir - is the turn off to the right along the main route of walk R4).
Leave the bay by returning back up the metalled path, and then follow the road as far as the public car park, where there are public toilets (open in season). Immediately on reaching the car park, turn right to ascend alongside the stream (signed: Water Lanes). Walk up pleasantly through trees alongside the stream (parts of this path get quite muddy after rain). At another wishing well and trough (Fontaine et Abreuveur) turn right just after the house along a path initially enclosed by walls (Ruette Fainel).
At the end of the lane walk up the left hand drive of the house (Le Vallon), through the open gate, and turn right on the public road. The road bends sharp left (don't turn right here) and arrives at a four cross roads at La Route de Jerbourg. Continue straight across (Calais Lane). The road bends left, and then right and left again. After Marsden Cottage and Wycombe Grange, at another left bend in the road, turn right along a path (Gypsy Lane).
[Alternatively, if you have not done walk R2, a worthwhile variation at this point is to follow the outward route of R2 back to the car park. If you wish to do this then continue along the tarmac road around the left hand bend, turning immediately right into the road with the 5 mph speed limit signs which also say "Private Road - Residents only. Access to cliffs for pedestrians". Continue straight down and then when you reach the driveway with the white fence posts ("Le Montfrie"), take the path which runs gently down to the left of the drive and to the left of a small stream. (Or you could follow the higher level return walk of R2 at this point, though the lower level route described here is more picturesque).
At a granite block (signed "Marble Bay / Bec du Nez") turn right and down a few steps to reach the cliff path. (If you get to a viewpoint over Fermain with two seats you have gone too far and need to retrace your steps about 40 paces). After this the route finding is straightforward, except at one point where, after the four-cross of paths above Bec du Nez the path bends to the right to cut back around Marble Bay. Soon after this right hand bend you need to turn left at a granite block to continue down some steps towards the Pine Forest. The sting in the tail of this alternative return route is the 200 ft climb back to the car park at St Martins Point.
This variation probably adds around 30 minutes to the walk time.]
Otherwise continue along Gypsy Lane. This runs above the return route of walk R2. The Doyle Column soon comes into view ahead, and you get views back over the other islands. Soon after the path becomes a metalled lane you get a choice of routes at a fork. You can turn right to reach La Route de Jerbourg within 50 paces. Or for a bit more path, turn left past La Bouvee Fontaine et Abreuveur. At a fork keep straight ahead (half right). At the steps going up on the right marked by the stone plaque "National Trust of Guernsey" you have reached the return route of walk R2. Go up the steps to reach La Route de Jerbourg. Either way, turn left on Jerbourg Road to arrive back at the car park (2 hrs. 15 mins.).
For those who wish to make an optional detour to miss out Jerbourg Road altogether, keep straight along the path at the National Trust sign to drop down to the lower cliff path at the Pine Forest. Follow this path around to the right, and at St Martins Point up the nose of the cliff to arrive at the car park.
(Revised October 2010)