My Trip to Jersey, UK...the original, "Old" Jersey

Not a Country, But…
While the United Kingdom‘s Jersey island is technically not its own independent country, it is classified as a “self-governing British Crown Dependency.” It’s also one of a handful of European territories included on one of my favorite apps, “Been.” Been is a super simple phone app that lists every country (and a handful of territories) and lets you check each one off as you visit, the whole time displaying a rotating globe with the the countries you have “been” to, colored-in, orange. It’s a great way to visualize which countries still need to be visited. For me, it provides great inspiration. The country list is mostly comprised of the 193 full-recognized UN countries, with a handful of territories thrown in. And well, with my mild OCD, I couldn’t bear leaving those extra places on the map “un-orange,” so after completing 193, I’d begin to tick off those lingering territories, just begging to be colored in with orange.

Furious Five
For whatever reason, Been added five extras to the UK: Jersey, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. I’d already “been” Scotland and Northern Ireland. This time, it was off for a very quick trip to color in the islands of Jersey and Guernsey. The inspiration for the trip was piggy-backed off of a concert in London I had tickets for: R&B singer Alexander O’Neal‘s farewell tour – I’d see him at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London. This would the perfect opportunity to visit both Jersey and Guernsey. I would’ve included the others, but didn’t have the time. Isle of Man and Wales would have to go orange on the next UK go-around.

This was a screen shot of my “Been” a couple years ago, before I finished 193. Sadly, the app did not stick to the K.I.S.S. theory and fixed something that wasn’t broke: “Been” added a bunch of new features and is now much more complicated – I like the original Been personally.

To Car or Not to Car
The big question for me was whether I’d rent a car in either island. I ended up renting a car in Jersey and not Guernsey – which turned out to be the right decision, as Guernsey was much more walkable. Jersey would’ve been tough without a car. I’d have only two nights here – one full day – not enough time to experiment with public transport, even though I’d heard it was quite efficient here.

Jersey was my first stop on this trip, so by the time I’d arrived in the evening – after flying from San Diego to Chicago to London (going into town during the layover) and then finally arriving in St. Helier – I was beat. After I awoke from the usual post-flight nap, almost all of the restaurants in the area were closed. I’d settle for Turkish takeaway, which was right next to my hotel, taking it back to my room to enjoy before lights out.

My Day in Jersey
The first stop the next morning was the nearby Elizabeth Castle. I’d never seen such a difference in tide. The evening before, the castle was separated by the vast St Aubin’s Bay. But this morning, the entire bay had disappeared and you could walk to the castle…and it was so far out! The tide must have receded by more than a mile – it was such a spectacular difference. Amphibious boats with giant wheels shuttled visitors back and forth. You could walk or take the boat when the tide was out. Of course, there was just one option when the tide’s in…unless you want to swim. It’s not recommended.

This was the ocean the night before…and would be again in just a couple hours.

I would enjoy the experience getting to castle almost as much as the castle itself.

Evidence of millions of living things burrowing into the sand.

Elizabeth Castle
Elizabeth Castle was impressive. A historic fortress that has stood the test of time, it was built in the 16th century and has served as a key defensive stronghold, withstanding attacks and sieges throughout its past. I explored the castle’s well-preserved battlements, I climbed the towers to take in stunning panoramic views and I enjoyed an interactive presentation hosted by a master gunner from England’s past: He gave us visitors history of the castle, the island and its battles. He shot off his guns and even fired cannons, throwing in lots of Dad jokes in between. He was a great storyteller and really brought the visit to life. I’m not a huge “castle” fan, but between fascinating tidal changes and the real-life solider taking me back in time, Elizabeth Castle really is a must-see.

I’m definitely getting my steps in today!

Big guns ready to defend against invaders.

No Agenda
I spent the rest of the afternoon driving the island. It’s not very big. Driving on the other side of the road is always a little nerve-wracking for me, and the streets here are so narrow – but I did okay and managed not to cause any accidents nor damage to my rental car. The big cities are tougher, but it was definitely “island life” here, which made driving in the left lane a little less stressful.

Though I missed the famous Jersey cows, I did have my share of Jersey butter and cream, including a cone at the coolest little ice cream shack on the other side of the island. I bummed around a few ruins and old military installations before heading back to St. Helier for dinner at The Southampton Hotel and then bedtime.

It was the rum and raisin for me. What a perfect spot for ice cream.

I think this road goes through when the tide is out.

Over and Out
The next morning I had time for one more castle, so I headed over to Gorey Harbour to climb up into and around Mont Orgueil Castle. This was another winner, particularly because of all the nooks and crannies. I enjoyed poking around this castle a lot – I could only imagine how excited my eight-year-old self would have been to explore every corner of this beauty – so many stairs, and turns and twists. Just as beautiful was Gorey Harbour itself – I’d recommend staying a night or two here if you have more than a couple days here. I really liked the vibe of this little pocket of the island – there were some charming little inns and restaurants just under the castle. You can find a hotel in Gorey HERE.

On top of Mont Orgueil Castle – that’s the Jersey flag.

On top of the castle with Gorey Harbour below.

Jersey, is now Orange!
It was nice to finally fill in my “Jersey” tick box on the Been app. My time here was extremely chill and dare I say uneventful, but it was exactly as I expected. I had a feeling both Jersey and Guernsey would be very laid back but it was actually just what I needed after completing 193, what with all those wild, chaotic and sometimes even dangerous destinations. Jersey might have been a little slow for my pace, but it was a nice change and really good to get to know one of the territories I’d been eying for many years on that app. Next stop, Guernsey.

RAMBLIN’ TIP: I stayed in the capital, St. Helier, at The Royal Yacht Hotel. The hotel was smack dab right in the middle of a cool little area with lots of restaurants. If you have a car, you can really stay anywhere, but in case you’re without wheels, I definitely recommend you stay in St. Helier at The Royal Yacht, or anything nearby is definitely the spot you want if you want to be able to wander on foot. Check out The Royal Yacht’s rooms and rates HERE. Find a list of all hotels in St. Helier HERE.