Take a walk: Mont Orgueil Castle, Jersey

With a visit to Mont Orgueil Castle either before or after the walk and a break for lunchtime refreshments within the castle, at the Gastro Pub at Castle Green or at one of the many restaurants and cafés on Gorey Pier, this will make a pleasant whole day outing. Take the No. 1 bus to Gorey Pier and walk up the hill to Castle Green or park on the road adjacent to Castle Green.

Mont Orgueil was built after 1204 when King John of England lost mainland Normandy to the French King Philippe Augustus. King John, who was also the Duke of Normandy, recognised that the Channel Islands were strategically important and wanted them to remain loyal to the English Crown. They were a useful toe-hold in the region from which to re-establish his authority in Normandy and, if they were to remain in his hands, would mean that French troops who could otherwise be used in the Aquitaine border areas or threatening England had to be kept in the region. The harbour in St Peter Port, Guernsey was also a useful staging point to gather the wine convoy before starting on the most dangerous leg of the journey from Bordeaux to Southampton.

The Channel Islands' harbours also provided a southern base from which English ships could patrol the English Channel. With all this in mind, John ordered money to be raised for the defence of the islands, the main fortress of which was built at Gorey because of its prime position.

The castle was built on a promontory so that the sea and cliffs protected it on three sides. The granite outcrop provided it with firm foundations so it was virtually impossible to undermine. It dominated the Bay of Grouville which, with its gently shelving beach sheltered from the prevailing winds, was the best landing beach in the island. Throughout the medieval period whenever the English held Normandy the Islands enjoyed peace. When the French were in control, the islands were placed on a war footing and the castle defences were updated.

The castle's position as the main fortress in the island was eventually lost when cannons were introduced into warfare as this meant that the castle became obsolete. Although attempts were made to upgrade its defences, Elizabeth Castle in St Aubin's Bay became the main Island defence.

This jewel in Jersey's crown is one of the best preserved castles in Britain and one of the most photographed sites in the island. It is a five-star attraction which should be visited. 

At the start of the walk follow the road north, keeping the castle on your right. Just round the first bend (by La Rochelle) cross to the left of the road and join a footpath running parallel to it. On the sea side of the road is Geoffrey's Leap or Le Saut Geffroy. The story goes that Geoffrey was convicted of a crime against a woman and was condemned to be thrown over the cliff. The sentence was carried out, but he fell into the sea and swam ashore. There followed a dispute as to whether he should go free, but out of bravado he rather foolishly leapt over the cliff again. By this time the tide had receded and he fell on to the rocks and was killed. A less interesting explanation of the name ‘leap' or ‘saut' is that before the road was built, the accumulated rain from the land above made a waterfall over the cliff. Follow the main road down to Anne Port Bay and then continue up the hill where ahead is Archirondel Tower.

Archirondel Tower was built in the 1790s when General Conway was Governor of Jersey. He had planned for 30 defensive towers to be built around the Island and when he died in 1795, 22 had been built - Archirondel being the last. It later had a platform added which formed the pattern for La Rocco Tower in St Ouen's Bay. It is now part of the Island's Forts and Towers project which allows for such buildings to be used for holiday accommodation.

Just past Archirondel, take the footpath on the right into a car park, and then turn right down some steps. At the bottom turn left and walk along the sea wall until you reach St Catherine's Lifeboat Station. Here turn left and then right along the road towards St Catherine's before turning left up a grass footpath leading to the upper road. On the left of the footpath is a coppice, planted in 2004 by the Men of the Trees to celebrate 800 years of allegiance to the English Crown. Turn around and you have a good view of St Catherine's Breakwater. This was planned as a ‘Harbour of Refuge' in the 1840s with the other arm coming out from Archirondel.

Although the Admiralty was warned by Admiral Martin White, an authority on local waters, that the proposed harbour would quickly silt up, work commenced on both arms in 1847. Work on the Archirondel arm was abandoned two years later, but the Verclut breakwater, which is 2,300 feet long, took nine years to complete. Finally the project was abandoned - after enormous expenditure - as Admiral White was found to have been correct. In 1876 the breakwater was transferred, free of charge, to the States of Jersey who accepted it with reluctance. On reaching the upper road, turn right passing Gibraltar House on your right.

Keep walking up the hill, past the road leading to the little bay of Fliquet. Eventually leave the main road and walk straight on down Rue du Scez, marked ‘Dead End'. Follow the signs to Saie Harbour, while enjoying good views of the Ecréhous Reef. Les Ecrehous are a group of Islands some six miles north-east of St Catherine's Breakwater. France and Jersey have long argued about their ownership, but this was eventually settled - in Jersey's favour - by the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the 1950s. However it still rankles with some Frenchmen and as recently as 1993 a group of French nationalists replaced the Jersey flag with a Tricolor. However the incident passed off peacefully and with some humour.

Once down in Saie Harbour, take a moment to examine the Rozel Conglomerate or ‘pudding-stone' rock, laid down around four hundred million years ago and peculiar to the area. This consolidated coarse mixture of pebbles and boulders has, in the past, been quarried and used to build such structures as St Catherine's Breakwater. 

On reaching the bottom of the hill, turn left up La Rue des Fontenelles. On the right is the gallery grave of Le Couperon. This was inaccurately restored in 1868 and again in 1919. The only other gallery grave in Jersey, Ville-ès-Nouaux, is in St Andrew's Park, St Helier. They probably evolved from the earlier passage graves around 3,000 BC and were essentially parallel sided chambers covered by a mound and used for collective burial. Follow the path until it meets the road. Turn left and cross the road to walk into the traffic. At the next junction turn left (signposted to Fliquet and St Catherine's). Follow this road as it bends round to the right and eventually turn right down Rue des Mares. On your right is Rosel Manor, one of several fine Seigneural manors in the Island. The walk now leads into St Catherine's Woods. At the bottom of the hill, turn left and follow the main path, keeping the stream close until it is crossed (twice) by stepping stones.

Soon La Masseline Reservoir is reached. This was built by the Germans during the Occupation, and is a popular venue for members of the Jersey Fresh Water Angling Association for coarse and trout fishing. Keep walking through the car park. At the T-junction when the track meets the road, turn right, then right again, signposted to St Martin's Church. Take the first left up Rue du Champ du Rey. At the stone engraved L‘Oasis 1891' turn sharp right and up a steep hill. At the top follow the road (La Rue de la Solitude) round to the left, then keep straight on over a crossroads. Then, at the T-junction with the main Faldouet Road, turn left. For the next five minutes or so you will be walking down this busy road, so cross over and walk into the traffic. Take the next turning left, down Rue de Guilleaume et d'Anneville. Follow the road round to the right, passing La Mont de la Crête on the left. After a while you will see Victoria Tower, a National Trust for Jersey property built in 1836 ahead and slightly to the left.

Keep straight on past junctions to the left and right. Eventually, at the T-junction, turn right to visit La Pouquelaye de Faldouet, just some 15 yards up the road. This Neolithic dolmen, approached through an avenue of trees, has been so changed by ruthless searchers and restorers over the centuries that it is impossible to say for certain how it looked originally. A passage of 17 stones leads to a roughly circular chamber surrounded by the remains of four cists, and beyond there is a horseshoe chamber of seven uprights covered by a huge capstone weighing about 24 tons. 

When coming out of the dolmen, turn right, retracing your steps and keep straight on round a bend in the road. Eventually, as the road bends round to the right, turn left after Pilot House and take the path down the hill which says No Entry and leads, with yet more amazing views, back down to Castle Green and Mont Orgueil. 

Walk designed and compiled by Beth Lloyd, Jersey Heritage Holidays
www.jerseyheritageholidays.com.

Click here for more Jersey walks

You might also like...

Take a walk: La Hougue Bie, Jersey