| SHORT BREAKS - Jersey
Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands and gives its name to a type of pullover and to a breed of light brown dairy cattle that originated on the island. The capital of the island is St. Helier. Stunning, unique scenery, a rich and varied heritage and a wide variety of tourist attractions make Jersey an appealing place to spend a holiday. If you shop around, it is possible to find some really good travel deals, especially with affordable flights being introduced from places like Southampton airport, and it is often cheaper to fly than get the ferry.
There is a beach for everyone in the island, from crowded, entertainment-rich bays to wild, secluded bits of coastline. All the beaches are very clean. St. Brelade's Bay is the most 'touristy' bit, with places like Anne Port, Beauport, and Petit Port being smaller and more secluded. St. Ouens is very long, but in the summer the surfy stretches by El Tico can become very crowded, and if you don't want to surf it's more advisable to look further down or up the beach. Dogs are banned except early in the morning and in the evening, unless they are on leads. St. Helier, Jersey's town, is relatively small, although in recent years many smaller, family-run shops have had to make way for Accesorize, McDonalds, and more. The central indoor market is a spectacular and not to be missed, closed on Thursday afternoons and Sundays. It is packed with a multitude of flower, fruit, and vegetable stalls, with a perimeter of small craft and gift shops.
Parking can be a problem in the island, especially in the summer. The bus service is good, although rather expensive, to main tourist destinations, but you will really need a car if you want to get off the beaten track without having to stick to rather inflexible and limited timetables. In recent years a number of lanes have been designated as being 'Green Lanes', which means a speed limit of 15 mph to make them more accessible for walkers, horse riders, and cyclists. This can be frustrating, although for a visitor who is not used to the granite walls that seem to lurk in even the most innocent hedge, it isn't always a bad thing. It is worth spending a bit of time walking in the island, and there are a number of good booklets with recommended walks. The north coast is a very rewarding, although quite tough, walk; for the less energetic, there are equally nice walks around parishes like St. Lawrence and Grouville. If you plan on doing a bit of walking, it's worth going to the tourist information office in Liberation Square (next to the bus station in St. Helier) and paying a few pounds for a guide book.
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