Rugged and unspoiled, the tiny Channel Island of Sark boasts azure bays, night skies studded with stars, and a gentle pace of life with not a car in sight
ASTHE PASSENGER ferry cruises steadily westwards from St Peter Port in Guernsey, a small dark dot on the horizon emerges from the heat haze, gradually revealing the isle of Sark: a rocky refuge encircled by the swell and surf, waves, and whims of the sea. Throughout the centuries, the sea has shaped much of island life, suffusing the souls of those who live here, sharing its bounty, and sculpting the cliffs.
As the ferry draws ever closer, the landscape gradually unfolds to reveal craggy hillsides clad in golden gorse, dense bracken, and grassy slopes descending steeply into yawning fissures and coves that have been chiselled out by the sea as it rises and falls. Undeterred by the breakers beneath, Herring gulls nest in crannies on the cliffs, while the seascape is punctuated by numerous rocky outcrops; the preserve of Peregrine falcons, razorbills, guillemots and puffins.
The ferry slows its pace as it warily weaves around a line of jagged, tooth-like rocks before turning towards Sark Lighthouse and then nosing into Maseline Harbour to moor at the jetty. Sheer cliffs corral the sheltered bay, so it is via a short tunnel that visitors walk to the bottom of Harbour Hill. From here, a tractor bus chugs its way up a leafy lane for approximately half a mile to La Collinette: a village settlement at the heart of the island, comprising an excellent visitor centre, independent shops, churches, eateries, bicycle hire and a horse-and-carriage park.
Chances are that there will be a cob called Willow harnessed to a vintage Ferrari Victoria carriage; its owner, Helen Magell, with reins in hand, ready to take visitors on a leisurely tour of the island’s tranquil byways that meander through unspoiled rural countryside. Having spent childhood summer holidays on the island with her grandparents, Helen has long loved driving horse-drawn carriages. “They have been on the island for centuries and are still used today because cars are banned. Although there are tractors, they are largely restricted to agricultural use,” she explains.
Bygone era
This is but one singular aspect of the isle of Sark; a community that is
