Take a walk through a beautiful and isolated place that is lost in time, where there are many things to do and to see. Stay overnight and enjoy the stunning dark skies because this is one of the best places to see the night sky as the levels of pollution are low. These are some of the characteristics that make up the incredible Sark island, which is the smallest among the Channel Islands that are located between England and France.
One of the ways to travel to the island is by ferry, therefore you will have to take one either from Guernsey or Jersey. Once you arrive on Sark, the first thing that you will notice is the fact that there is no motorized transport, the only exception being tractors that transport supplies from the tiny harbor and take tourists bags to visitors’ accommodation. For this reason, you won’t have to worry for your bags and suitcases, just talk with the baggage handler, tell him where you are staying and your luggage will arrive there in a couple of hours.
There are several horse-drawn carriages that take tourists to different places, where you can do some sightseeing and admire the breathtaking landscapes that this place has to offer, but it’s important for you to know that they don’t work on Sundays. Also, if you want to move from a place to the other on your own, you can hire a bicycle.
Sark is made up of two islands, Big Sark and Little Sark, both connected by a vertiginous causeway known as La Coupé, built in 1945 by German prisoners of war. Even though it has railings, cyclist have to dismount and wheel their bicycles all over it, also those who go by carriage have to get out and walk. As you walk, you will see that on one side a cliff drops sharply to Convanche Bay; while on the other side, you will see the slope down to Grand Grêve which is one of the most popular beaches on the island.
Much of Sark consists of farmlands and almost no roads, and those that do exists usually run between high banks peaked with hedgerows. Additionally, in some places, there are lines of trees whose branches join together to create shady canopies.
The Village is the main settlement and it’s up from the harbor, its highest street is called “the Avenue” and here you will find some cafés, shops, and the only post office with the postbox of the island. On the other hand, you will find one of the most popular attractions of this place in the Seigneurie, which was built in 1675 on the site of a 6th-century monastery on the northern side of the Village. The best part of this place is its astonishing gardens which are open to the public.
There are different walks that you can take around the island. Also, you can take one of the boat trips around Sark run by George Guille, whose ancestors were among the original sarkense who arrived there in 1565. Whatever you do or the decision that you make, be sure to truly enjoy the island and use your time there not only to explore, but also to relax.
Just for you to know
Sark can be reached by regular ferries from Guernsey or Jersey. The only airline that links the island with a number of airports in the United Kingdom is Aurigny Air Services. They also, fly to France so you can link your travel to Sark with one to Mont-Saint-Michel if you have time.
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