“Beautiful Jersey, Gem of the Sea” as the island’s national anthem goes. In this blog, I’m going to take you to my home, Jersey, and hope to give you good guide to life on the island.
Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands. The island is roughly 45 square miles (9 miles east to west, 5 miles north to south). Situated in the English Channel off the coast of France. Our main language in English. Jersey is a Crown Dependency, technically not part of the UK but part of the British Isles. We have our own government and laws. We also have our own currency, the Jersey Pound, but we do accept British Pounds too. The island is divided into 12 parishes and has several smaller island groups (such as Les Minquiers and Les Ecrehous) as part of its territory. Jersey is famous for its cows and Jersey Royal potatoes.
Population
As of 2021, Jersey has a population of 103,267. The population is made up of Jersey-born islanders, British, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian, French and so many more nationalities.
Climate
Jersey experiences mild winters and mild to warm summers. This small but beautiful island is famous for being the sunniest and warmest place in the British Isles. Snow is very rare in Jersey, be warned – if and when it does snow, everything shuts down, we just don’t cope with snow well.
5 Wonderful Things about Jersey’s Coast
Beautiful Beaches
Jersey has plenty of beaches for you to visit. It is a matter of island-wide pride that you are never more than 5 minutes from the beach. Swimming, snorkelling, rockpooling, beachcombing, diving, sunbathing – how many beach activities can you think of? Growing up, we spent so much time on the various beaches building sandcastles, bodyboarding and swimming. There was nothing better than a day spent down the beach with an ice cream or two!
Curious Caves
There are many caves around the island. Some you can access by land, others only by sea (join a Jersey Seafaris tour, book via www.jerseyseafaris.com). If you do check out any caves by land, do check tide times first (very important!!) because Jersey has one of the biggest tides in the world and you could get into trouble if you’re not careful.
Clamber along Cliff Paths
With 43 miles of coastline, you can walk the entirety of the island’s coast, this would take at least 12 hours for a fit walker. Much of the north coast is cliff path with stunning views of France and the other Channel Islands. See if you can spot any dolphins along the cliffs.
Diving
Jersey is home to the oldest dive shop in Europe. Bouley Bay Dive Centre has been operating for over 70 years and is the main diving hub on the island. The dive centre offers a whole range of courses and dives as well as other activities such as paddleboarding, boat trips and yoga. You can read more in my Diving in Jersey blog.
Incredible Views
On clear days, you can see France from the North and East coasts of the island (in fact, on the clearest days you can see the beaches and wind farms). From the North and West coasts, you can see most of the other Channel Islands (Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and sometimes Alderney if it is extremely clear).
A Brief History of Jersey
The Channel Islands have a fascinating and unique history. Humans have lived on Jersey since at least 12,000BC. Evidence of early human life, Neolithic, the Bronze Age and early Iron Age settlements can be found around the island. In the 9th Century, Jersey was invaded by Vikings and in 933AD it was annexed to Normandy, France (becoming French). In 1066, when William the Conqueror became King of England, Jersey became part of England. There were many wars between the English and French over Jersey and while we are definitely British now, there is still a French influence in the islands as many road names are still in French. In the 1640s, King Charles II gave extensive land in the American Colonies to Jersey Governor Sir George Carteret. He promptly named that land New Jersey. From July 1940 to May 1945, German forces occupied the Channel Islands (you'll read a bit more about this later).
4 Activities to Experience our Unique History
1) Check out Mont Orgueil Castle where you can walk in the footsteps of Sir Walter Raleigh who was Governor of Jersey from 1600 to 1603. Be King or Queen of the Castle and head to the roof for incredible views of the surrounding area and on a very clear day, you may even see the wind farms in France.
2) Elizabeth Castle sits proudly in St Aubin’s Bay. Learn about The Battle of Jersey (1781). Read about Major Peirson and how he led his army to victory after the French captured the island. After visiting Elizabeth Castle, why not head to Royal Square and the Peirson Pub (named after the Major) and check out the bullet holes and canon blasts still visible in the side of the pub.
3) If you’re curious about life during the German Occupation, you should pop down to the War Tunnels and experience what Jersey was like during wartime. The tunnels were built by prisoners of war and slaves and were left unfinished when war ended. Over the years, the stories of islanders have been gathered into this thought-provoking museum.
4) During the German Occupation (1940-1945), bunkers and other fortifications were built around the island to search for Allied Forces creeping up to take back the islands. Why not head out for a coastal walk, particularly the west of the island, and see them for yourself.
3 Island Events that you shouldn’t miss
Liberation Day is celebrated on May 9th (Hello, Bank Holiday!). Liberation Day commemorates the arrival of British Troops to the Channel Islands on May 9th, 1945, and the end of German Occupation. In Jersey, Islanders gather in Liberation Square for the re-enactment and hoisting of the Union and Jersey Flags. There is music and a parade of bands, military, and old cars. For special years, we sometimes even have a Royal visit (in 2022, the Earl and Countess of Wessex). Events were scaled back during COVID but are back to full scale from 2022.
Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held on the second Thursday and Friday of August. The Battle of Flowers first ran in 1902 to mark the coronation of King Edward VII. It was called Battle of Flowers because floats would be dismantled after the parade to provide floral ammunition for battle between participants and spectators, but this aspect of the carnival no longer occurs. Today, two parades (Thursday Day Parade and Friday Moonlight Parade) see magnificent floats designed and decorated with real and/or paper flowers with a team of dancers alongside. Bands and entertainers march between floats keeping the buzz of the crowds going. The Moonlight Parade is spectacular (my favourite) due to all the floats and acts being lit up. The Moonlight Parade is usually followed by a fireworks display. No events were held during COVID but Battle is back in 2022.
Jersey Air Display is held at the beginning of September. Acrobatic displays of some of the fastest and loudest planes zoom around St Aubin’s Bay. The most famous of all these are the incredible RAF Red Arrows. At West Park (nearer the main town), there are often stalls and military vehicles for you to look at. Before COVID, RAF helicopters would land at West Park for you to visit and sit in but no word yet on whether this will return post-COVID.
Special Mention: Jersey Zoo
If you are coming to Jersey, you must visit the Zoo. Opened in 1959 by Gerald Durrell, Jersey Zoo is home to many endangered species. Durrell started his career as an animal collector for other zoos but decided to set up his own zoo when he realised that facilities needed to concentrate more on conservation than entertainment. The Durrell Conservation Trust works locally and worldwide (Madagascar, India, Mauritius, the Caribbean and more). The work carried out by Jersey Zoo has inspired me throughout my life and I’m proud to have such a fantastic facility in my home island.
So why not come to Beautiful Jersey and experience The Gem of The Sea for yourself.
Thanks for reading!
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