A Trip to the Jersey Lavender Farm

One sunny summer morning, I started out on a day trip to Guernsey's larger neighbour, Jersey. As I only had a day to spend exploring the island, I decided to ditch the more popular touristy attractions and go for other interesting options.

After arriving on the early morning ferry and disembarking in St. Helier, I took a 20-minute bus ride from the Liberation Station to the Red Houses Shops bus stop in St. Brelade, a parish located at the Southwest part of Jersey. After a 5-minute walk off the main road of Rue du Pont Marquet, I was welcomed by rows of lavender beds adorning the entrance to my first destination, the Jersey Lavender Farm.

The Jersey Lavender Farm is a family-owned business which started about 30 years ago. The farm is open to visitors from Easter to autumn. However, the lavender flowers usually start blooming in late May and are harvested in batches from early June to early-August. I visited the farm in early August by which time most of the year's lavender crop had already been harvested, the last batch being due for harvest the following week.

Among the notable areas inside the 9-acre property are the fields planted with six different kinds of lavender, a mini garden planted with even more lavender varieties as well as various herbs, a distillery with a bottling laboratory behind it, a tea tree field, a sales area, a cafe and a shop that sells the full range of Jersey Lavender Farm products. When I visited there were many chickens wandering freely around the grounds which seemed to be popular with younger children.

I would recommend attending the educational talk conducted by the owner, Alastair Christie, at the distillery. There is a morning session at 11:30am and an afternoon session at 3:00pm. This talk covers lots of interesting information about lavender, the day to day activities on the farm and a demonstration of the distillation process. Mr Christie is clearly passionate about his business and is an engaging and entertaining presenter.

I learned some interesting lavender facts from attending the educational talk. There are 39 lavender species, but the most widely cultivated is the Lavandula Angustifolia which is more commonly known in this part of the world as English Lavender. The colour lavender was named after the shade of this particular species. I also learned that lavender is probably the most versatile essential oil. Though it is most commonly used as a relaxant, it can also be an analgesic and an insect repellant. Surprisingly, it can be found in most household products such as bath gels, hair sprays, hand creams and even in all-purpose cleaners.

If you visit the Jersey Lavender Farm you may be interested in stopping for a bite to eat in the cafe, where you can sample some dishes made with the locally grown crop. For example you could try the lavender cherry pie, lavender scones or lavender shortbread. I was not feeling adventurous enough to sample these dishes so cannot testify to the success or otherwise of these taste combinations! All in all I was pleased at having made the trek to the farm on my day in Jersey.

Recommended Places to Visit for a Vacation in Grand Cayman

Having lived in Grand Cayman for almost two years, I was fortunate to be able to enjoy the pristine beaches and other attractions on the island over a long period. People visiting the island for a short vacation can often be overwhelmed by the number of tours on offer. I thought it would be helpful to list down the places and activities I recommend for someone who, unlike me, only has a few days to spare in this little paradise.

1. If kissing a stingray really does bring seven years of good luck, then a visit to Stingray City is definitely a must! This attraction is located in North Sound and is made up of patches of the shallow sandbar where the water level can go as low as three feet. Here, visitors can swim with the stingrays, feed them and have pictures taken with them. Various companies offer boat trips/tours to Stingray City. Most of them also include stops at several snorkeling spots and some even have lunch included in their tour package.

Stingray City

2. As I have said before, Grand Cayman is a gastronomic paradise and no visit would be complete without trying some of the island's finest cuisines. For a list of my recommended affordable food stops, click here. 

3. Contrary to its name, the popular Seven Mile Beach (SMB) is just about five miles long. This award-winning coral sand beach is dotted with luxury hotels, resorts, restaurants, and bars and is accessible to the public at all times. Various attractions such as the Cayman Turtle Farm and a few snorkeling coves are within close proximity of this long stretch of beach.

4. Rum Point is another popular beach located on North Side and about an hour's drive away from town. At Rum Point, one can swim and snorkel in the clear and shallow waters, laze in one of the hammocks under the Casuarina trees, rent a sailboat, or simply enjoy a relaxing beach massage while sipping a refreshing Cayman Colada. At certain times of the month, Rum Point is designated as the starting point for bioluminescent night tours. For more adventurous visitors, renting a jet ski (or a kayak) is also a fun activity to try here.

5. If you prefer a more sedate experience, you may wish to consider visiting the island's East End. There are several hotels and timeshare options where one can relax away from the hustle and bustle of Seven Mile Beach. Because the east side of Grand Cayman is more exposed to the elements, it makes an ideal base for more daring water sports activities such as kite surfing and windsurfing.

6. If going diving and getting up close to the sea creatures is your thing, then this island won't let you down. It is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world and is known for having amazing diving sites, including some interesting shipwrecks. The USS Kittiwake is a former US Navy vessel that was deliberately sunk in 2011 to create an artificial reef - this makes for an interesting dive location for scuba divers. If you wish to encounter some amazing sea life but prefer not to get wet, you can always take a trip on a real submarine.

7. Last and definitely not the least of my recommended activities is shopping in Georgetown, where an abundance of jewelry stores selling duty-free items can be found. These stores are just a few minutes away from the cruise ship passengers' arrival deck and cannot be missed. Various stores also sell souvenir items including shirts, caps, mugs, toys, and various local products such as beer, honey, distilled rum, rum cakes, and my favourite sticky toffee pudding.

Now, all you have to do is book that flight or cruise, plan your Caribbean vacation and enjoy your perfect island getaway!

Cliff Walking: St Peter Port to Fermain Trail

The last remnants of winter finally seem to be upon us as the weather is gradually becoming milder. Today was a perfect example of this transition from winter to spring, which also meant it was a good day to go cliff walking.

There are lots of walking trails in Guernsey from which you can choose. Since I live in the capital St Peter Port, the cliff path linking St Peter Port with Fermain was a good starting point.

This path offers breathtaking views and a chance to see some of the island's most scenic spots such as the Clarence Battery at Fermain Point and the Bluebell Woods.

There is no shortage of scenic spots along the trail, which takes up to an hour and a half to hike. As the trail is somewhat hilly, the hike could be quite tiring for someone who doesn't do a lot of physical activity. However, benches can be found at various stops where one can rest and relax or simply just enjoy the view.

At the end of your hike, you will most likely have worked up an appetite. Luckily, you will find the Fermain Beach Cafe which serves a variety of snacks and hot dishes for the hungry hiker.

I enjoyed this cliff walking experience and am looking forward to exploring some of the island's other trails in the coming warmer months.