Only a short ferry ride from the UK or France, but with the feeling of escapism, the Islands of Guernsey are the perfect place to enjoy an eco-friendly holiday. From bike tours and outdoor adventures to enjoying the best local produce, here is your guide to a greener holiday in Guernsey.
The Islands of Guernsey are known for their natural beauty, providing a haven for wildlife as well as for visitors who want to unwind and enjoy a slower pace of life.
Supported by a new sustainability charter commissioned by Guernsey’s Tourism Management Board, maintaining this beauty means providing activities, events and accommodation options that allow all of us to tread more lightly.
Here’s what we recommend for your next environmentally responsible holiday in the Islands.
Outdoor adventures
Foraging Tours
Seaweed has played a long and varied role in Guernsey’s history – a fact that is celebrated by local company Guernsey Seaweed, who sell a variety of seaweed-based cosmetics and edible products, and run fascinating seaweed foraging tours.
As part of their sustainability mission, they record the collection and regrowth of plants, and only ever take parts of a plant, to allow for plenty of regrowth. This is because although seaweed is plentiful on the island (and fast-growing), it plays an important role in the marine ecosystem, providing food and shelter to marine life, reducing damage from storms, sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and producing oxygen.
The tours run on selected Saturdays from spring to early autumn. As well as sampling some of Guernsey Seaweed’s products, you can also enjoy some tastings straight from the beach.
Wild Guernsey also runs several workshops, primarily focused on wild food foraging and wood crafting. All workshops are organised by experienced guides, so you can explore the best wild harvests that nature has to offer in a safe and environmentally respectful manner.
Bike Tours
Hire a bike from GoGuernsey Land and Sea and the Island will be your oyster.
Choose from five self-guided tours (available for £10 per tour, with a souvenir guidebook) from GoGuernsey, or try one of our free self-guided cycling routes (all available in app, free to download for Apple and Android).
From the Neolithic north coast to the occupation secrets of the south coast, there’s plenty to discover.
If you would rather have a local guide, Outdoor Guernsey offers three guided tours, exploring the monuments and fortifications of the west coast, as well as northern beaches and inland lanes.
Hiking
Guernsey provides a huge selection of walking routes, whether you want to wander the country lanes and cliff paths or embark on a guided walking tour.
To make the most of a walking holiday, time your visit for the Spring and Autumn Walking Festivals, which see unique guided walks taking place daily. Themes vary from nature and horticulture, to history, folklore and famous figures like Victor Hugo.
Beach Days
With golden beaches and clear blue seas, a day at one of Guernsey’s beaches is not to be missed.
For the kids, Mim’s Kiosk at Cobo and The Kiosk at L’Ancresse both have Beach Toy Borrow Boxes; great for the environment as well as your budget.
If wild swimming appeals to you, head to one of the Island’s best swimming spots, such as Moulin Huet, Fermain Bay, Cobo Bay, or Petit Bot. You could even follow in Victor Hugo's steps and venture to Havelet Bay or La Vallette Bathing Pools.
Sark Stargazing
The world’s first Dark Sky Island, there is nowhere better to admire the natural beauty of the night sky than in Sark.
Head to the observatory, featuring a sliding rooftop, and use their state-of-the-art telescope to view Sark’s incredible planetary displays. Visits need to be booked in advance and are accompanied by a member of the Sark Astronomy Society, who can share their local expertise.
Wildlife
Nature Trails
In Herm, explore the hiking trails, featuring six nature trail boards with information about birds, marine mammals, butterflies, insects and plant life that can be spotted around the island.
Kayaking Tours
With no noise or fuel pollution, this is the perfect way to explore our coastlines and caves.
Outdoor Guernsey offers several options, including a puffin-watching kayaking tour from Herm’s Shell Beach, as well as their ‘Herm Humps Seal Patrol’, which will take you to the incredible Humps Archipelago to see the local seal colony.
Go Guernsey also run customised, small group kayaking trips, accompanied by an instructor. Get in touch for options and availability.
Local Produce
Guernsey's edition of fast food means fresh produce making its way from farm (or field or sea!) to table in record time.
As well as giving you an insight into local cuisine and flavours, eating local supports the Island’s traditional farming and fishing industries, meaning less environmental impact from shipping, distribution and packaging.
Self-catering
If you fancy cooking for yourself, Surf and Turf sell a range of fresh fish, including crab and lobster. They are located on Castle Pier.
Newly opened in May 2025, The Farm Shop also offers a range of fruit, vegetables, meat and pre-prepared meals, or you can pick up fruit and veg from roadside stalls all over the Island, known as ‘hedge veg’, with cash.
Dairy
Don’t leave the Island without sampling some of our dairy products, courtesy of Guernsey’s world-famous dairy cows.
Enjoy everything from Guernsey milk in your tea, to delicious Guernsey butter on your gâche and cream on your scones – and perhaps even some Guernsey ice-cream for dessert!
Seafood
There are plenty of restaurants boasting everything from crab, lobster, scallops and oysters, to seabass, mackerel and turbot, so expect to be spoiled for choice.
Some of the most popular restaurants include Hook, Red, Puffin and Oyster, Pier 17 and La Fregate.
Sark
In Sark, locally focused eateries are equally easy to find. Some of the best include Sark Time & Tide, Hugo’s Bar & Bistro or The Bistro at Stocks. Look out for crab, lobster, Herm oysters, mackerel, scallops and mussels, as well as organic, locally reared beef and pork.
The Bistro at Stocks even has its own permaculture garden, a thriving oasis of fresh, organic produce just 250 metres from their kitchen – as well as homemade wines and wildflower liqueurs.
Beverages
From fresh apple juice to cider, brandy, gin and rum, there’s something for everyone in Guernsey’s local drinks cabinet. Even better – there’s a chance to find out more about the products, how they’re made, and perhaps even see the magic in action.
Rocquettes Cider Tours
Book a tour of the enchanting orchards at the Rocquettes Cider farm.
Tours are available most days of the week, and will take you around the picturesque fields where 5,000 apple trees are organically nurtured. Learn more about the innovative partnerships with local farmers to utilise waste and keep the orchard healthy, before rounding off the tour with some delicious tastings.
Castle Pier
In addition to Guernsey’s traditional cider making, Island-made spirits, particularly gins and rums, are also on the rise.
A visit to Channel Islands Liquor Company, which occupies Vivier Bunker on Castle Pier in St Peter Port, offers a unique setting for gin tasting, as well as a shop selling products from other local producers.
Left image: Etienne Laine
Sustainable Shopping
Creative Sark
From homemade jams, chutneys and cakes, to liquors and homemade apparel, the handful of shops in and around Sark’s main avenue have a range of handcrafted goods available for purchase, courtesy of the Island's skilled bakers, makers and creators. Stop by and pick up a taste – or stitch – of Sark to take home with you, and support local crafters.
Creative Sark also offer classes and workshops throughout the year, so get in touch to find out more about everything from chocolate-making and hand-weaving to pottery-making and watercolour painting.
Guernsey Jumpers
Guernsey jumpers are the opposite of fast fashion: they last for generations.
The Island has two manufacturers: Guernsey Woollens and Le Tricoteur, both of which have decades of experience in creating sustainable fashion.
Guernsey Woollens’ jumpers and sweaters are made from 100% pure British wool, and are now shipped in compostable postage bags.
When visiting Le Tricoteur, look out for their new REMADE collection, which utilises remnants of the Guernsey-making process to create additional, limited-edition pieces. Examples include laptop cases and hot water bottle covers (made using sleeves from rejected guernsey sweaters), cushion covers and tote bags (made from the body panels of guernsey jumpers that didn’t quite make the grade).
By making use of their offcuts, the company have reduced their waste and, in the process, developed a truly unique range of products.
Book Your Trip
Whether you’re on the lookout for an eco-friendly holiday or are just starting to learn about more sustainable travel, add Guernsey to your list and enjoy a holiday that is gentler on the environment.
Keep an eye out for our upcoming blog on the best eco-friendly accommodation options.
