Oh, the places we will go!: The Channel Island of Herm

Friday, October 28, 2016

The Channel Island of Herm

I don't know about you, but I often dream of just escaping. Running away from all of the stress and responsibilities of life. At times I simply desire to be dropped off on a deserted island. But that's a bit extreme, isn't it? Some might even accuse me of being dramatic. (Ha! Me? Dramatic?) But what if that island was only a little bit deserted? And what if there was a pub? And puffins?

Here's your chance to hide away on peaceful, quiet and only slightly deserted island. Herm is another Channel Island just a 20 minute ferry ride from St. Peter Port on Guernsey. We popped over for a short visit on a cloudy afternoon.

The island is only 1.5 miles long and .5 miles wide, full of flora and fauna. The character of the island is carefully protected by the 50 or so residents. No cars or bicycles are allowed. Locals use tractor and quads to haul stuff.

They welcome visitors but only of the genteel sort, polite and respectful. You can only arrive by ferry and you can only stay overnight with a reservation. There is one hotel, The White House where you will not find any phones, clocks or televisions. There are also self-catering cottages and even a campsite.

The island is recognized as a place of great natural beauty and history. You can spend hours roaming the island on foot. You'll find beautiful sand beaches, a shell beach, cliffs and even remains of chamber tombs from the Bronze Age.

Matt was feeling more energetic than I so headed across the island in search of sand beaches. I decided to just stroll along the coastline. It was so beautiful and quiet. There were views of the ocean from every point and only the sounds of nature. We met up later at the one pub on the island before heading back to Guernsey.

I really want to go back during the heat of the summer and stay on the island for a few days. I think if you had young kids this would be the ideal getaway. You could just let them play and explore.

Because of the unspoilt beaches and fresh air, Herm is a really popular spot in the summer. It's supposed to have terrific snorkeling and it's a bird-watcher's dream. Depending on when you are there you can spot puffins (between mid-March and July). Herm is also sometimes home to a colony of seals. We didn't see any sea life but I did spot some fat and happy chickens.