This morning i have some work to do - someone has to pay for this trip so it means i have a late start. I decide to go into town just for a simple Lunch and a stroll around St Peter Port after the last few days exertions. First step then, the bus into town. With that reminder not far away.


Arriving in town and walk down to the Albert Pier. Prince Albert visited here in 18-something and it was named after him.


A seafront view. Without the scaffolding i think it;s quite a pretty view. Even better with a nicer reflection



The Albion pub with the Church just 75cm away (if you measure from the gargoyle) is apparently the closest you get between heaven and Hell. But it's disputed. And still fun


Victor Hugo lived here for a while in the 19th Century and this bench is a fun tribute. His house is now a museum you can visit and i believe it is French Territory with the same kind of status as an embassy. It's just there up the hill in the direction of [points left and up].


Right next to Victor Hugo's bench is a post box with a knitted hat. Not sure the reason, it's not cold out.


Onto the harbour quay and a seagull waits...


Some boats.


Working and walking has built up an appetite so while i am on the Victoria Pier i decide to go to the Boathouse for Lunch. I must have walked past this place a hundred times at least but never eaten here. So...


Liberation is one of the other brewers in the islands but i believe they're in Jersey. To start then a bottle of their principal brew - only lagers on tap here. To start i also chose the Duck and Brandy parfait. The beer took a little time to arrive, barely enough time to pour and get a picture of the lonesome beer before the start arrived itself.

And very nice it was too. Smooth, not too rich, and i was surprised how much could be piled on the wafer thin toast before it crumbled. The fat on the top is a very thing layer; i tried scraping it off for the first dive in, but then realised it was so thin as to not bother. By the time i finished it was getting quite soggy.

Next up and to continue the fishy theme, scallops in bacon.

Not sure what i was expecting with this. While the scallops were nice the bacon was a little undercooked i thought and not very bacon-y. Presuming the 3 parcels were cooked pre-assembled, i guess cooking the bacon more may spoil the scallops. It wasn't bad, the rice was well cooked and not soggy and the salad fresh and crispy with a nice dressing.

With the Liberation glass empty, i moved onto a glass of sauvignon blanc. Not knowing my white wines from my elbow, I just work through the list progressively and start with the one at the top. And it was very nice, not too dry or acidic as i fine too many whites to be. Maybe i should stop buying the cheap stuff


While that started to be digested, i just sat in the sun watching the other tables fill up. Across the way i could see a man enjoying his lunch on the sea wall, while a seagull anticipated his.

I considered desert, but to be honest i would be waddling around for the rest of the day as it was, so just paid up and left.

Coming out and looking towards the seafront there are many sets of steps going up to the Pollet. I do like my vanishing points such as this. There are brightly coloured flowers all over the town, very pretty.


And then when you get to the top, these archways framing each other. Reminds me of a time when this was a proper little port, fishermen and stuff, y'know?



Into the Pollet then, the main shopping street. Down the hill about 100m away is the Moores Hotel. The Bank here is comparatively famous as it was pictured with a German band marching past it not long after the occupation with bemused onlookers.

Such as, the image shown at the top of this page.
So far as i can see the bank is pretty much unchanged externally, the green copper dome can be seen from miles away as you approach on the water.

Guernsey has an unusual traffic control system, at junctions each entering road is marked with Filter and waiting vehicles alternate through the junction from each road in turn. Works quite well.


Castle Cornet. Apparently it used to have a high tower which one bright spark (ahem) decided to use to store gunpowder. Which was all well and good. Until there was this thunderstorm and, well, you can guess the rest.... It;s been rebuilt several times


Fort George on the headland housed a... Georgian fort... you can still see some of the armaments there but not a walk for today. The Germans had a radar station there and was bombed by the allies on 4th June '44. No coincidence about that date i guess.
Just below the fort are the bathing pools, useable at low tide and i've seen them frequently used.


Cannon on the Castle, which fires every day at noon. Gives some waiting for the ferries a bit of a start.


Nothing special, just a lighthouse at the entry to the port


On the Albert Quai there's a kind of boating pond at the end. Seeming to have been invaded by Nessie. (This one's remote controlled though)


The southern end of the seafront, the start of a twisting turning road going up quite a steep hill. Several times a year they use it for a hill climb, about 900m with the record being around 28sec i think.


There's a gin distillery on the quai where you can see the stills and taste. And buy, of course. I had a nose inside but as a non-spirit drinker not a lot there for me.
On the side of the distillery is a mural. And a helpful key to know what's what



Onto the North beach quai and the Guernsey Liberation monument - just opposite the ferry to Herm.


Plaques commemorating some nastiness during the occupation including the tomato truck bombing and weighbridge in '40


After that little stroll, i've become quite thirsty. So I head to the Ship and Crown to rehydrate, this time a pint of liberation from a pump. This pub overlooks the victoria quai and the Boathouse where i ate earlier. A nice refreshing pint. Inside as well, as i was starting to overheat. One of the warmest days of the year here, 24C shown in some places. Positively tropical...


Time fore the bus back. Another executive order and i have an actual roll to fill. Concrete everywhere you look...


Greenhouses and their produce used to be a huge export for Guernsey, with their comparatively mild climate. Then the oil crisis came in 1973 and i'm told it ended the industry almost overnight. Now they just lay in ruins all over the island.


Back at the hotel, a little time for the TR before i have to get ready for tonight.