< L'Ancresse and Pembroke Bays from near Fort Le Marchant>

L'Ancresse and Pembroke Bays from near Fort Le Marchant.

Walk R18.   L'Ancresse to St Sampsons Harbour and back

Time:  2 hours.

A map of the walk can be found here.

This walk starts from a fine viewpoint over L'Ancresse and Pembroke Bays, passes Forts Le Marchant and Doyle and Beaucette Marina, then passes the fishermen's harbour of Bordeaux, and the Vale Castle, to reach some of the commercial areas surrounding St Sampsons Harbour, before heading back along quiet lanes and footpaths.

Parking is at the east end of L'Ancresse Bay at the foot of Martello Tower number 5. (Note that the labelling of L'Ancresse Bay on Perry's is misplaced. Locally the east end of the main sandy bay is called L'Ancresse, not the little stony bay that Perry's has labelled) . There is a refreshment kiosk and public toilets (both closed out of season) not far from the car park. If you travel by bus you will need to walk across L'Ancresse Common to get here. Routes are 6 and 6A, or (may be summer only) 7 and 7A.

Leave the car park on the good path passing to the left of the Martello Tower and heading towards Fort Le Marchant. You reach another little car park.

If the rifle range is in use, which it will be on at least Saturday afternoons during the summer, you will have to divert here. (Usage is indicated by red flags as described on the information board. An online calendar of range bookings can be found here, though there are occasional minor changes to this.) Walk up the metalled road to follow the signed diversion. The road bends left and then right. Just after the right hand bend you pick up a good gritted path on your left. This is signed on a granite block, but you will have to look back to see this as the sign faces away from us. The path runs in a north easterly direction, soon crossing another tarmac road, to rejoin the coastal path at Fontenelle Bay

Alternatively, you can if you wish cut the corner and avoid the tarmac, by simply walking up half right along the wide grassy strip that runs to the right of the line of bramble and gorse bushes and the mound with the rocks and bunkers, and to the left of the houses. This route is not so easy to follow as the 'official' diversion, but is otherwise perfectly safe. After 100 metres or so, you continue straight ahead (slightly right) between gorse bushes and brambles, and just to the right of another old German bunker, to reach the 'official' diversion route part way along the good gritted path. Turn left (north east) down this path, which regains the coastal path at Fontenelle Bay just to the left of a solitary two storey house which at the time of writing is painted pale yellow. (In case of doubt do not walk towards the higher ground on the left of the grassy strip, or towards the Fort Le Marchant headland itself past any further danger notices).

Otherwise, if the range is not in use, continue along the path which runs above the bay and soon reaches another car park. Pick up the path again at the other side of the parking area. It's worth making an optional detour (not included in my timings) to visit Fort le Marchant. Then continue along the path towards Fontenelle bay. The Platte Fougere light house comes into view. On a clear day you may glimpse the outline of the Cherbourg peninsular behind. Further left is Alderney, and further left still the lighthouse on the Casquets rocks.

The path contours around Fontenelle Bay towards Fort Doyle. The wind sock on the horizon belongs to Beaucette Marina. It can be seen that several of these bays have quite pronounced storm ridges of pebbles, even though they don't face the main brunt of the Atlantic waves as the west coast bays do. My personal explanation (not necessarily right!) is that, because these beaches are little frequented, the ridges have not been worn down over the years by the passage of many feet. Between about half two and half three, except on Sundays, you will probably see the traditional car and passenger ferry (Commodore Clipper) heading down from between Alderney and France in the final stages of her journey from Portsmouth (very occasionally you won't, as sometimes she has to head first to Jersey to avoid a low tide at St Helier Harbour).

At Fort Doyle continue along the path on the right of the house towards Beaucette Marina. It is possible to make an optional detour on the left to the mouth of the marina if you wish. Otherwise, when you reach a track turn right to pass through the marina car park on the right of the Marina Restaurant (which is open to all, not just boat owners). At the marina entrance ignore the immediate left and right turn-offs then at the three way junction turn left (La Ruette de St Magloire). At a cross roads turn left (Rue des Chapelles), then at a T junction turn left again to arrive at the stony bay of La Miellette.

It is just possible to have arrived here from the south side of the marina along the top of the beach. However the way ahead is now definitely blocked by the quarry belonging to Guernsey Sea Farms. At low tide you can continue along the beach, though there is an outflow from the quarry to be crossed.

So our walk will now head inland from La Miellette by continuing along the road, which curves around to the right and runs uphill for a short while (Hougue de Noirmont). This route also benefits from views at the top of the hill over the other islands, and across to Vale Castle with St Peter Port behind. The road then runs gently down to reach a T junction. At this point you can make a short optional detour to the right to visit Le Dehus passage tomb. Otherwise turn left then after 75 metres left again, now heading back towards the coast. Continue straight down (Le Parc Lane) past four granite gable ends from greenhouses which have themselves long since disappeared.

Arriving at the end of the tarmac, turn right along the track that runs along the top of the shoreline. The little grassy island is Hommet Paradis, where we parted company with Gilliatt at the end of Hugo's Les Travailleurs de la Mer. Continue along the track, keeping left, and it soon becomes a path running above the rocky and stony Petils Bay.

If you have one of the old Ordnance Survey maps, you will see that there is a quarry marked on your right here called "Cocagne". In my childhood this was one of two quarries still exporting granite from Guernsey (the other being Longue Hougue on the south side of St Sampsons Harbour next to St Sampsons Church, which is now a reservoir). Landfill has now transformed Cocagne into a grassy mound.

The path reaches a little car park overlooking Bordeaux Bay and fishermen's harbour (1 hour). Bear right along the path that skirts the shoreline next to the road. A couple of the fixings for the Cocagne blondin cables can still be seen on the beach. Reach a main road and turn left alongside the sea wall. You pick up a path again at the grassy area after the pier, and soon reach Bordeaux Refreshment Kiosk (Woodies) and public toilets (both open in season and possibly at other times).

From here it is worth crossing the road and paying a visit to the Vale Castle, whose ramparts give good views of the surrounding area and across to the other islands. You can then descend southwards to reach the car park at the end of the coastal path.

Otherwise continue along the coastal path at the left of the kiosk, until you reach the end of the path at a car parking area. Continue straight ahead along the road (the turn off to the left is a dead end). The boat yard on your left was a stone working yard where the stone from Cocagne was processed. The granite buildings on your right were part of the stone processing yard belonging to John Mowlem and Company, and the rather ornate tower (mimicking the Victoria Tower in shape) was built to accommodate the chimney from the steam engine. Mowlem's were large quarry operators in Guernsey until about 1929, when they left the island. An interesting article on John Mowlem and Co in Guernsey can be obtained from The Guernsey Society (Spring 1985 articles).

Continue along past the north pier of St Sampsons Harbour, with its two remaining cranes, and the now disused granite weighbridge building. St Sampsons is our main port for bulk incoming cargoes such as coal, oil, gas etc., and most of the associated commercial operations surround the harbour. (Containers, including ro-ro, and exports, pass through St Peter Port).

Continue alongside the marina. As you reach a shipyard on your left, cross the road and go up the metalled lane that runs between Guernsey Electricity's premises on the left, and the oil storage tanks on the right (La Hougue Jehannet). Reach a crossroads and go straight over (Juas Lane), then turn left at a T junction (behind the metal railings is the large Juas Quarry - known locally as "Queen's Quarry" - which is now a reservoir).

At another cross roads go straight over again (Tertre Lane). This winds a little, but keep straight along until you reach a further cross roads. Go straight over into the narrow metalled lane opposite with the dead-end sign, also signed "public footpath" (Lorier Lane - Cuckoo Lane). After a few paces the Vale Church spire can be seen over on your left, and the lane soon becomes a footpath. Keep left at a fork, and when the path widens out into a lane again keep straight ahead until you reach a T junction with a main road (Routes des Landes).

Turn left along the road for 150 metres then, just as the road bends to the left, turn sharp right (La Rue des Landes). Keep straight ahead into a lane with a dead-end sign. At the end of this lane go down the footpath on the left. When you reach a metalled lane you have joined up with the return route of walk R17. (This carries on straight ahead along La Vielle Marais.)

However we turn right here along the short bit of pavement on the right of the lane, then keep right at a fork to reach the main coast road at L'Ancresse Common. Keep straight over on the metalled road which runs across the common to rejoin the car parking. (2 hours).

A winter panorama over Bordeaux Harbour can be accessed from this link.