The Channel Islands
My love affair with these beautiful islands stretches back to 1971 when, as a young 19 year old traveller eager to taste what life had to offer, this location was my first port of call on my planned mini ‘Grand Tour’ of Europe. I came, I saw, I stayed!! Michael Knighton was smitten by the crystal clear turquoise sea, silky white beaches and the exotic animals such as the Island Fox and the Snow Goose – not to mention – some of the prettiest of young girls one could possible imagine.
With such geographical delights – you would be forgiven for thinking of these islands as some kind of exotic South Pacific location, when, in fact, as every amateur geographer knows – the English Channel Islands are an archipelago in the English Channel off the Normandy coast of France.
These glorious small islands are divided into two British Crown Dependencies, the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey. The former also includes the islands of Alderney, Sark and Herm. My time was devoted to the charming islands of Alderney, and, latterly , the smallest jewel in the group – the tiny and exquisite island of Sark. Indeed, Sark was my home for more than a decade.
My time on these islands was one of the happiest and most contented in all my life. I would spend my days roaming around the dramatic cliff tops, sketch pad and paints in hand and just relaxing in the serene peace of it all.
I would heartily recommend any of these islands as a wonderful tourist destination and a taste of life in a world long since lost on the Mainland.
