Autumn on the Islands of Guernsey is milder than in the UK, with warmer temperatures and bright skies. It is a wonderful time of year to get outside and explore.
The Autumn Walking Festival is the perfect opportunity to embrace the fresh air and discover new places, history and heritage on Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Lihou.
We’ve gathered all of the information you’ll need to know about this year's Autumn Walking Festival, from what and when the festival is, to details on the kinds of walks you can expect and the guides who will be taking you.
What is the Autumn Walking Festival?
The Autumn Walking Festival is one of the best ways to explore the Islands of Guernsey on foot. An annual event, the festival is a series of organised daily walks, led by experienced guides from the Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides. Whether you’re looking for an easy amble or a more challenging hike, want to walk the cobbled streets of St Peter Port or traverse the cliff paths in Herm, there are walks to suit everyone. You'll find over 35 walks taking place over the course of 16 days.
When is it happening?
This year’s festival is taking place from the 16th September - 1st October, and there will be walks happening daily.
What are the walks like?
Each walk in the festival is rated from 'easy' to 'hike', depending on difficulty and the ability required. They range in duration and length and cost £10 (not including travel and ferry fees). Each walk starts and ends close to a bus stop and car park, making getting there easy.
There are walks on Guernsey, Sark, Herm and Lihou, and each walk will explore a different area or theme, expertly discussed by your guide. Whether you're interested in flora and fauna, find local folklore fascinating, are a history aficionado or literary lover or just want to see some spectacular scenery and views, there will be a walk for you.
Your guides
All of the guides for the Autumn Walking Festival are accredited by the Bailiwick of Guernsey Guild of Accredited Guides. The guild has more than 60 experienced guides, each with their own specialities. Silver and Gold accreditations are awarded to Guides following a stringent training and assessment programme, so you can be sure of a knowledgeable and experienced guide leading your tour.
How to book
Space on each walk is limited, so pre-booking is recommended and in some cases required. To book your space on one of the tours, download the brochure from the dedicated Autumn Walking Festival page on our website. From there, find the walks that you want to take part in and contact the guide directly to make sure your place is secured. Contact details are on each walk listing.
A new walk for 2023
A new and exciting walk for this year, 'A Literary Tale Told in 10 Parts - a Guernsey Tale', is being led by Silver Accredited Guide, Bryan Pill, on Saturday 16th September.
Literary icons have loved, lived in and written about Guernsey for centuries. Walk around Candie Gardens and beyond and experience a taste of Guernsey’s literary legacy. There will be 10 stops on the walk, with 10 extracts from 10 famous writers. Perfect for literary lovers who want to walk in the footsteps of legends such as Victor Hugo and more.
Date: 16th September
Guide: Bryan Pill, Silver Accredited Guide
Meet: Outside Victoria Cafe, Candie Museum
Start: 10am | End: 12pm
Contact: bryan@pilotsnotebook.gg | 07911 735208
What3Words: ///grower.bleach.chair
Bus routes: Any (starts just above the main St Peter Port town)
Ability: Moderate
Cost: £10
Length: 2 miles
Nine walks to get you started
There are over 35 unique walks to choose from at this year's festival. They each range in theme, difficulty and length. Here are a selection of just 9 of the walks available to get you started.
Town walks
Explore St Peter Port, known locally as town, on a guided tour every day throughout the festival. Learn about its history, hear stories about famous visitors, see parts you won't have discovered before and uncover secrets of the places you thought you knew.
Date: Every day
Guide: Dependent on the day
Meet: Outside the tourist information centre
Start: 10:30am | End: 12pm (Additional tour starting at 5:30pm Wednesdays)
Contact: townwalks@hotmail.com
What3Words: ///section.string.legwork
Bus routes: All
Ability: Easy
Cost: £10
Length: Dependent
Hidden Gems of Guernsey
A captivating tour of Guernsey’s natural gemstones, as well as some other hidden gems. Hear about our volcanic past, how our rocks were formed and see genuine precious and semi-precious gemstones.
Date: 17th September
Guide: Korinne Le Page, Gold Accredited Guide
Meet: Cobo (Iceland car park)
Start: 10:30am | End: 12pm
Contact: korinne@guernseytourguide.co.uk | 07839 200553
What3Words: ///reheat.unrealistic.hidden
Bus routes: 41, 42, 91, 92
Ability: Easy
Cost: £10
Length: 1 mile
Lihou Island Adventure
Lihou Island is our smallest Island and is only accessible via a cobbled causeway at certain low tides. It is full of history and fascinating natural sites. It is one of our four RAMSAR sites, with superb natural wetlands and over 150 species of birds passing through each year. Wear suitable footwear for crossing the slipway, which may be slippery.
Date: 18th September
Guide: Bryan Pill, Silver Accredited Guide
Meet: The MV Prosperity monument at the Lihou Headland car park
Start: 1:30pm | End: 4:30pm
Contact: bryan@pilotsnotebook.gg | 07911 735208
What3Words: ///parabola.volume.particle
Bus routes: 62, 91, 92
Ability: Hike
Cost: £10
Length: 3 miles
Occupation Heros
An Occupation-themed tour of St Peter Port. Hear stories of bravery, defiance and kindness as you make your way around our main town. The tour focuses on the stories of real-life, everyday Islanders who helped make a difference during the occupation.
Date: 20th September
Guide: Soo Wellfair, Gold Accredited Guide
Meet: Town Church (harbour side)
Start: 2pm | End: 4pm
Contact: soowellfair@yahoo.com | 07839 202058
What3Words: ///fraction.spice.useful
Bus routes: All
Ability: Easy
Cost: £10
Length: 2-3 miles
Walking in the Footsteps of Renoir and Victor Hugo
This stunning walk will take you to the spots that Renoir painted during his stay on Guernsey and that Victor Hugo saw on his frequent visits to Moulin Huet. There will also be a visit to the normally inaccessible cottage that Renoir painted and where Hugo picnicked. The cottage is now privately owned by your guide, Korinne’s, family. There will be an optional tea stop during the walk.
Date: 24th September
Guide: Korinne Le Page, Gold Accredited Guide
Meet: Old Mill Triangle Bus Stop, St Martin
Start: 2pm | End: 4:30pm
Contact: korinne@guernseytourguide.co.uk | 07839 200553
What3Words: ///bookie.glittering.booklet
Bus routes: 81, 91, 92, 93
Ability: Hike
Cost: £10
Length: 2 miles
Hermlore: The Folklore of Herm
Enjoy walking around the stunning Island of Herm whilst hearing fascinating tales of the Island’s folklore and history. From ghostly monks to wandering wallabies, this tour will give you an insight into the mysterious little Island.
Date: 24th September
Guide: Soo Wellfair, Gold Accredited Guide
Meet: The Old Crane, Herm Harbour
Start: 11am | End: 1pm
Contact: soowellfair@yahoo.com | 07839 202058
What3Words: ///undervalued.showcased.detonated
Bus routes: Any (get the bus into town and take the Herm trident to Herm)
Ability: Moderate
Cost: £10 (ferry tickets not included)
Length: 2 miles
Ifs & Buttes
Meander through Guernsey’s rural lanes with stories of mills and menhirs, courts and cattle, farms and fiefs, with a stop at one of the most stunning viewpoints in Guernsey.
Date: 27th September
Guide: Andy Walker, Silver Accredited Guide
Meet: St Saviour’s parochial cemetery car park
Start: 1:30pm | End: 4:30pm
Contact: andrewwalker@suremail.com | 07911 729731
What3Words: ///glimmer.appealing.mitten
Bus routes: 71
Ability: Hike
Cost: £10
Length: 4 miles
Panzers over Petit Bot
A gentle ramble through the lanes of the oldest and most peaceful Canton of St Martin. The walk will take you past beautiful traditional Guernsey Farmhouses and cottages. This tour is wheelchair friendly.
Date: 29th September
Guide: Korinne Le Page, Gold Accredited Guide
Meet: La Trelade Hotel
Start: 2pm | End: 3:30pm
Contact: korinne@guernseytourguide.co.uk | 07839 200553
What3Words: ///contract.perceptions.lolly
Bus routes: 91, 92, 93, 94, 95
Ability: Easy
Cost: £10
Length: 2 miles
For more information on the Autumn Walking Festival click here.
