The Islands of Guernsey are full of opportunities to explore the outdoors and have an adventure, from walking and bike riding to ocean activities and speeding around the go-kart track.
With activities for all age ranges and abilities, the whole family can enjoy the outdoors together. Here's our list of suggestions for thrill seekers, land lovers, wildlife enthusiasts and more.
For Thrill-Seekers
Want to get the adrenaline pumping and have the adventure of a lifetime? There's plenty to explore on our Islands.
Kayaking and Paddleboarding
Outdoor Guernsey, Go Guernsey, Guernsey SUP, the Alderney Wildlife Trust and Adventure Sark all have kayaks and paddleboards available to hire, whether you want a private or group lesson to brush up on your skills or want to hire them to take out on your own adventure. There are also guided tours, where you can explore areas of our coastline with an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide.
Surfing
Vazon Bay, Port Soif and Portinfer are our best beaches for surfing. Guernsey Surf School at Vazon Bay offers private group or one-on-one surfing lessons and surf camps for kids. Or, simply hire the boards and wetsuits and enjoy.
Coasteering
An adventure that is sure to get the adrenaline going, Go Guernsey, Outdoor Guernsey and Adventure Sark have guided coasteering tours around our Island’s coastlines that cater to different abilities and comfort levels, and jumping in is never compulsory.
Rib Voyages
If you want to have an ocean adventure but don’t want to get in, Island Rib Voyages has a range of tours to suit all interests. You can see the Puffins and Seals up close, delve deep into our Island’s past or explore them from a new perspective.
Karting Guernsey
Karting Guernsey offers adventures for everyone to experience as you race around the go-kart track. They have karts for adults, junior karts and even kid racer karts for the littlest racers, so everyone can get involved.
For Wellness Enthusiasts
Wellness retreats are a speciality of our Islands. You can have an adventurous hike or wild swimming experience, or take a more relaxed approach. Whatever you prefer, there are many ways to get outdoors whilst taking care of your body and mind.
Walks
Our cliff paths and country lanes are the perfect backdrop for a wellness walk or hike. Herm and Sark are both completely car-free, so you can walk around these Islands knowing you are safe from traffic. For ideas of where to walk, you can download the VisitGuernsey Walking App, with routes filtered by difficulty and duration, or read this blog.
You can also book a guided walking tour with one of our knowledgeable tour guides from the Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides or Tours of Guernsey. You’ll find nature tours, ghost tours, coastal tours, historical tours and more to suit your group.
Yoga
Beach yoga classes are very popular in the summer, so make sure you visit the websites of local yoga studios, Yoga Elements and BeInspired, for your chance to experience this unique yoga experience. Th
For those of you wanting a more adventurous yoga class, Outdoor Guernsey and SUP Yoga Guernsey offer yoga classes on stand-up paddle boards that you take out on the waters and really test your balance!
You can find out more about yoga year-round on our Islands here.
Venus Pools
These natural pools in the rocks of Lihou and Sark are perfect for cooling off and relaxing after a day of adventures. Take care when exploring as these can be a little tricker to access.
Wild Swimming
Wild swimming is a very popular pastime on the Islands of Guernsey. There are proven health benefits and it is sure to be an adventure that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
If you’re new to wild swimming, we recommend reading this blog to get prepared.
If you're a more experienced swimmer, why not join one of our outdoor swimming groups and let them show you new and exciting terrain? The Wild Swimming Brothers came to our Islands and went on a unique adventure with Guernsey Swim Adventures in the 'Pea Stacks' - you can find out all about that here.
For Wildlife Lovers
For the nature-loving amongst us, you will not be disappointed on a trip to our Islands. With unique species to see, organised tours and birdwatching spots galore, there are many ways to go on a wildlife adventure.
Birdwatching
We have a huge number of birds that are resident to, or travel through, our Islands at all times of the year. Lihou Island, one of our RAMSAR sites, has over 150 species each year. The gannet colonies of Les Etacs and Ortac, situated just 100m from Alderney’s coastline, account for 2% of the world’s gannet population – a spectacular sight which can be seen during a boat or walking tour - and between mid-March and July a vast number of Puffins flock to our Islands to breed, mainly located on the Rocks off of Herm.
You can find out about birdwatching adventures here.
Unique Species
On an Island-hopping trip, you’re likely to see dolphins swimming in our waters or seals resting on rocks. On land, you will find the iconic Guernsey Cow, famous for the dairy they produce, the Guernsey vole, native only to Guernsey and the Orkneys, and the blonde hedgehogs and bats of Alderney, to name just a few.
To see all this wildlife, you can take a visit to one of our many nature reserves or take a wildlife walk to witness the beauty of nature.
You can also take a boat trip around the coasts of Herm and Jethou to get up close to the marine life that call these waters home or, alternatively, those seeking a more active experience can join Outdoor Guernsey on a kayak trip from Shell Beach on Herm.
For Land lovers
For those who prefer to stay on land, we have a whole host of activities to enjoy.
Walking Festivals
Our spring and autumn walking festivals are a great way to see our Islands and have adventures on land. The tours are led by experienced guides who will take you to parts of our Islands that you may have never seen before.
Puffin Parade
The Puffin Parade is a fun challenge to explore and find the 60 handcrafted puffins on display at various places of interest around Guernsey. The handcrafted and painted Puffins will be on display until the end of August before they are auctioned off to raise money for Autism Guernsey and the GSPCA.
Archery, climbing and more with Outdoor Guernsey
With archery, climbing, clay pigeon shooting and more, Outdoor Guernsey has a range of exciting land activities that everyone can try their hand at. They also offer cycling tours, where one of their knowledgeable guides will take you around parts of the Island you may not have seen before.
Bike Hire
You can hire a range of bikes suitable for the whole family from Go Guernsey and Adventure Cycles on Guernsey, A to B Cycles, Avenue Cycles and Bam’s Bikes on Sark and from Cycle and Surf on Alderney. Cycling is a great way to see our Islands, letting you take in the sights while getting to places easily and quickly.
Golfing
Golf is a great way to be outside, and we have some beautiful scenic golf courses to explore on our Islands. Places to try your hand include The Royal Guernsey Golf Club, St Pierre Park Hotel and Alderney Golf Club.
Guernsey has two mini-golf courses for those looking for a more lighthearted game. The 18-hole mini golf course at Oatlands Village is great fun for the whole family and Pirate Bay is a unique pirate themed 12 hole mini golf course at Nineteen Bar and Grill.
Click here for even more ideas for outdoor adventures on the Islands of Guernsey.
