Islands View

History of La Vallette

From here you can see over the harbour and beyond. The fortifications of this area that were built to protect the harbours include Castle Cornet (protecting St Peter Port harbour), Vale Castle (protecting St Sampson's harbour) and the Brehon Tower (protecting the shipping channel).

Castle Cornet

The principal castle of Guernsey, built to defend the harbour.

1204 — King John lost the duchy of Normandy to Philippe Auguste, the French king. The Channel Islands were the only parts of the duchy that John managed to retain. The islands were now vulnerable to French raids. A decision was made to fortify the rock to defend the town, and work began on Castle Cornet soon after 1204, although the castle itself may not have been built until 1275. It was then extended and strengthened many times.

Vale Castle

Archaeological excavations have shown that the origins of the castle was as an earthwork from the early Iron Age, but the earliest parts of the stone-built castle that we see today dates to the 15th century. Barracks were added in the 18th century, but several were later demolished.

Brehon Tower

The role of the Brehon Tower was to guard the shipping channel between Guernsey and Herm and help protect the harbour of St Peter Port. A review of Guernsey's coastal defences in 1852 — when there were increased tensions with France — recommended several improvements, including the construction of Brehon Tower, to replace an earlier simpler structure. Work on Brehon Tower commenced in 1854 and was completed in 1856.

In World War II, German forces installed a coastal defence gun and two anti-aircraft guns on the roof of the tower. The German guns were credited with shooting down several aircraft, notably two Spitfires.

Literary Route

Dawn O'Porter — Honey Bee

I'm starting to really appreciate the medicinal qualities of island life. When it all gets too much, I can walk to see my aunty with the sea next to me almost the entire way.

I roll with the ups and downs of the cliff path, the other Channel Islands hovering in my periphery. Jersey sits confidently to the right, with Herm and Sark hogging the foreground with all their tiny might. Alderney sits quietly in the distance, and on a clear day like today, the outlines of French shores wink cheekily back at me, reminding me that my little island is a mere blob in the grander scheme of the planet. I wonder if anywhere else could offer me the moments of reprieve that Guernsey does. I never thought I'd admit this to myself, but I love the moments of calm I can find here. They are restorative. I feel a bit sorry for people who can't come here and take deep breaths of island air.

Walking for Health

Stride out

Walking is a fabulous exercise for all sorts of reasons. However, it needs to be at a brisk pace for maximum benefit. Swing your arms rhythmically with your steps to increase cardiovascular benefits. One way of knowing if you are walking fast enough is called the talk-sing test — you should be walking fast enough to be just able to talk, but not to sing.

Walking helps with bone density, cardiovascular health, reducing the risk of diabetes, promoting weight loss, improving blood flow, and has even been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers.