Amanda Johns is a local history guide with a deep knowledge of Guernsey’s history, from the Napoleonic era to Guernsey's occupation by the Germans in World War II.
Join Amanda as she shares a preview of some of Guernsey’s coastal fortifications, from the MP4 tower at Pleinmont, to the Batterie Dolman.
“Guernsey is a small island but we have so much to discover. And what makes us unique is our heritage; hundreds, thousands of years of history."
"Even if history isn’t your number one priority, come to Guernsey, enjoy the beautiful coastline and walk around the cliff paths. You can stumble across our history and I’m sure that will spark an interest for you.”
Amanda has lived in Guernsey all her life, but it wasn’t until eight years ago when she discovered her family’s letters from the Occupation in WWII, that her interest in history was really sparked.
“These are personal family letters written between different family members who were either here on the island or who had evacuated. Until I started this research, I never knew all these different family members had such an important connection with the Occupation.”
“Guernsey’s history is so fascinating because there’s tangible evidence. You’ve got all these bunkers dotted around the coastline and you can literally go into them and explore them.”
There are lots of places to visit all over the island, but these are some of Amanda's favourites.
MP4 Tower - Pleinmont
“This south west corner of Guernsey has many different fortifications in such close proximity. This one is the most imposing…. It’s hardly changed at all in 80 years. All this just 30 minutes from St Peter Port.”
This unique five-story naval observation tower was built and used by German forces from 1942-1945, as part of their sea defence system during their Occupation of Guernsey in World War Two. The original rangefinders are still on site and in working order, and are well worth exploring.
“We have so many fortifications from World War II and in such good condition because there was no fighting here. You will not be able to access fortifications like this anywhere else in Europe.”
To get here you can take the 91, 92 or 9, 94 bus to Pleinmont, or walk from the car park on La Rue du Chemin le Roi.
Control Tower & Batterie Dolman
“A short walk along will take you to the control tower, even shorter is a straight walk to the restored gun at Batterie Dolman - you can walk that in next to no time. This particular route has fantastic photo opportunities.”
Follow the coastal path south, enjoying the views out across the sea, and you will reach Batterie Dollman, a German Coastal Artillery Base, which contains a French 10 tonne gun that was restored by Guernsey Armouries in 1997.
When restoration started, the bunkers within the battery were remarkably intact, with armoured doors and a bunker telephone still in situ. An estimated 1,000 tons of spoil was removed using an excavator, although many tons had to be shovelled out by hand. All steelwork was shot-blasted and repainted, the original wiring in the bunkers replaced, and the walls repainted. All work has been carried out as authentically as possible to return the site to its wartime appearance.
“You’ve still got some of the original camouflage here. And you’d never know all this was here from above.”
Refreshment stops
After a hike along the coast, it’s time for a cup of tea. From Batterie Dolman and the Pleinmont Headland, head down to Portelet Bay or take the 91, 92 bus further around the coast for more cafes and pubs with a view.
“There are so many places you can stop off for refreshments... beach kiosks, restaurants, great pubs; nowhere is far. And just around here at Pleinmont, you can just walk down the hill to the beach kiosk and restaurant - everything close by, dotted along the coastline. You’ve got range finder towers, control towers, and restored guns. You just wouldn’t get that anywhere else in such close proximity.”
Some spots to refuel at nearby include:
- The Imperial Hotel & Restaurant
- Portelet Kiosk
- Guernsey Pearl (at Rocquaine)
The Local Insight
“When [visitors] see the bunkers, they want to know about the social side. They want to know what happened to people. What happened to families? How did people live during the Occupation?
It’s special to be able to share my story and my family’s stories with them.”
As well as having letters from her family from the time, in her research Amanda found out that her great great uncle was on the Controlling Committee responsible for maintaining Guernsey government as much as possible during the occupation. Her family connection to the period makes her interest in the tangible reminders around the coastline even stronger.
Learning More
Museums
“If you’ve been here before and explored around the headland but you want to learn more, Guernsey has some amazing museums that you can go into, with such great artefacts from that period. The information just brings it all to life.”
To learn more about the Occupation you can visit:
Tours
If you would like to explore Guernsey’s unique coastal fortifications, Amanda runs guided tours around our Islands. She has set and bespoke tours, including some that allow you access to sites not usually open to the public.
“I absolutely love my job. What better career could you have than taking visitors around the island showing them all the beautiful landscapes?”
