July 16, 2012: Vazon Bay to Beaucette Marina
On the path to Fort Hommet
Our good weather was still in evidence as we made preparations for a third day on the Guensey Coastal Walk. I was happy to observe that my walking companions seemed to be doing quite well on what was, for them, an entirely new occupation… Naomi had a few leg and foot problems (one occasioned by a slip as she was descending an interior stairway in the Pandora Hotel) but Adrian was undiminished in his energies. So, with a day of flat beachside walking ahead of us, we seemed to be in good shape as our taxi let us off on the highway opposite the Grand Mare Hotel at 9:20
A surfing school had just offloaded a bus full of teenagers in wet suits as we marched along the promenade behind Vazon Bay. Our immediate objective was the projecting peninsula (an island joined to the mainland by sand dunes) on which there stood the solid edifice of Fort Hommet. Adrian revels in military history – so while he explored the many additions and improvements to this 1680 establishment I followed along taking pictures of the rocky shoreline and a wonderful display of sculptural pinnacles. Naomi paused for a rest and lost track of the direction taken by her husband and there were words about keeping in touch when we were reunited after fifteen minutes or so.
We returned to the shoreline of Cobo Bay, passing the site of Albecq, a medieval settlement, and returned to the highway for passage along pavements leading into Cobo village. Here we sought a place of refreshment and located the Bay Diner, where we had a nice rest among touring families. I had a hot chocolate and Adrian ate some local pastry. A copy of the Guernsey Post was available and, since it contained an extensive write-up of yesterday’s Olympic torch parade, Adrian asked where we could buy our own copy. This turned out to be the store attached to the service station next door and so I secured a copy for Rob and Linda, whose torch-bearing friend was featured in a photograph.
Rousse Tower
Adrian had a close look at the Les Grandes Rocques peninsula as we continued on to Port Soif and Portfiner. The headland at the end of the latter beach was clearly in the service of some shooting enterprise but it took me a while to figure out that the quarry here was the clay pigeon. After reaching the back of the Baie de Port Grat out next objective, the Rousse headland, appeared on our left. This we circled slowly, emerging at last in the Le Grande Havre. On our right was the stolid Peninsula Hotel and it had been proposed that we might have lunch here. But I could see that straight ahead was the red-roofed Houmet Tavern and we decided, at 1:00 or so, to head here. I was posed for a photograph next to a large statue of a dog at the entrance.
I pose with marble dog at the Houmet Tavern.
It was now quite warm outside and the first thing I did when we had been seated in a very busy dining room was to take off my sweatshirt. Then I dived into my pint of lager while we waited for our food – I had a double steak burger with cheese and bacon but I had to leave some behind. Adrian paid for all of our meals on this trip (since I had advanced him money for our travel arrangements) and, while he went through the ritual of letting the waiter know that the Americans have yet to introduce the chip and pin system in their credit cards, Naomi and I used the loos. The Peninsula Hotel had been the pickup point suggested by our walk organizers for this day – but it was obvious that we could now make a deep incursion into tomorrow’s 12-mile total with additional walking this afternoon.
In front of us, as we emerged into the bright light, was the distant steeple of the Vale Parish Church. We did not actually approach this building on our route, which kept to the coastline as we neared our next headland, this one bearing Mont Cuet at its highest point. Adrian got well ahead of us here and, though he occasionally paused to point out the best route forward to those who followed, it was hard to get him to stop. Naomi, after some furious arm waving at a kiosk, finally succeeded – because I had noted that there is an alternate route over to Baie De La Jaonneuse, and perhaps Adrian did not know this.
In the event it was decided that he would cling to the coastal path itself while Naomi and I, saving our energies, would take to a paved roadway on the south side of the Mont and that we would meet therefore at the parking lot on the other side. For the first half of our journey there was no traffic at all on this winding road and the only excitement came when a huge black bull (definitely not a Guernsey) spotted us and charged forward (as though he were just arriving in Pamplona) – staring malevolently at us behind a fortuitous fence.
When we reach our bay Naomi and I had a bit of a rest on a grassy bank and I ate my portion of trail mix from the small plastic sack that my sister-in-law prepared for each hiker every day. After about ten minutes Adrian arrived – but again we split up so that he could visit Fort Pembroke on the next headland. Naomi and I walked past another loopholed tower (this one with a Pisa-like lean) and continued on to L’Ancresse Bay. When Adrian caught up with us we penetrated a beach café in order to do some quiet work on the telephone. Unfortunately the signal was poor inside the café and Adrian had to go outside and sit on some steps to make our call to Island Taxis. I had been puzzling over a likely spot for a 5:00 pickup at the end of this day and had chosen the Beaucette Marina – since the guidebook had suggested there here there was a restaurant where we might find shelter.
In fact this spot was only a mile or so ahead of us but once again we took differing routes after clearing Fort Le Marchant. Adrian wanted to visit Fort Doyle off to our left and Naomi and I had lost our enthusiasm for more battlements. I was studying the map closely and improvising a route that would take us in an easterly direction. First we passed behind the last of the northern beaches at Fontenelle Bay and then used paths in the bracken to approach the east coast of the island. Much of this was done on instinct but I seemed to guess right and after a little climbing we reached some suburban streets and the sight of dozens of tall masts convinced me that we must be near the marina. We had walked some eleven miles – well this was my total and Naomi’s – who knows how many additional miles Adrian had walked.
It was 4:20 and there was plenty of time for a nice cup of tea in the empty marina restaurant. On this occasion I also ordered a portion of Guernsey gache, a form of bread with the thickness of Texas toast – if you added raisins and sultanas. (With butter and jam it was delicious.) Adrian arrived after twenty minutes and he had tea too.
Our taxi arrived on schedule at 5:00 and we were soon following roadways that would, tomorrow, recapitulate our own route on the last day of our walk – through St. Sampson Harbour and along the coastal road into St. Peter Port. Again I had a nice nap and again we headed at dinnertime for the Cornerstone Café. They were serving food tonight – and Adrian spent some time trying to decide whether to pre-order some Guernsey lobsters for a subsequent visit. (He decided not to do this in the end.) I had a quite mild curry this evening and another pint and once again it was an early night for all of us.
To continue with the next stage of our walk you need: