The enchanted island of Guernsey has a very special place in my heart. Marla and I were overjoyed to make a return trip in early August with our grandson Paxton who just finished a month of study in Paris. We had to cancel a Guernsey trip last year due to island COVID requirements. Paxton was only one year old on his last visit, so he was really excited to return. We planned a week of wonderful family time with my niece Suzanne, her husband Chris, and my brother-in-law Vic from Guernsey, and my nephew Steven and wife Karen, who came from Edinburgh. Click on this LINK for the romantic story of how my sister ended up on this magical isle. Marla is shown above boarding Aurigny Airlines from Gatwick Airport to the island of Guernsey.

We stayed at the Duke of Richmond Hotel on a hill above St. Peter Port.

Exploring around our hotel.

The restored Victorian Candie Gardens offer spectacular views across St Peter Port harbor and the sister islands of Herm, Sark and Jethou. The Beatles performed at Candie Gardens in 1963!

Everyone gathered in our hotel room to watch a presentation of over 300 photos from our very first trip when Suzanne and Steven were little to our last trip in 2019. Paxton loved seeing photos of himself as a one-year-old in Guernsey.

I want to sincerely thank Suzanne for all her many efforts to make our trip so special! And I must give a huge “thank you” to Steven for driving us all over the island and ferrying some of our group back up the hill to the Duke of Normandy Hotel each night!

We showed Paxton some of the quaint areas above the town.

We had never explored Burnt Lanes, and it was fabulous new discovery!

Mill Street is always a favorite of ours.

We popped into a cute antique store on Mill Street. Paxton is the newest collector in the family and purchased a Meiji Period Imari plate. The owner obtains most of her inventory from family estates.

We love the messages written on the walls of Mill Street.

We then had breakfast outside at Dix Neuf in the Arcade.

Dinner with everyone was at the Octopus Restaurant on the south side of Havelet Bay in St Peter Port.

The views and the cuisine were wonderful!

We spied the neighboring island of Herm and Jethou as we walked home after dinner.

The evening walks up the hill to our hotel after dinner were always refreshing.

Our nephew Steven rented a car and we explored many of our favorite areas of the island. This is near Perelle Bay.

Our exploration list included a visit to Le Trepied dolman, a Neolithic (4000-2500 BC) single chamber tomb on the west coast of Guernsey.

My sister Patty, dressed in Black, showed us Le Trepied with Suzanne and Steven on a 1978 visit. She shared old island folk stories of witchcraft and devil worship at this place.

Guernsey is rich in old stories and legends concerning witchcraft and devil worship. Even in the last century this area was avoided by superstitious islanders. At the beginning of the seventeenth century the dolman at Le Catioroc was noted as being the midnight haunt of the witches and wizards during the witchcraft trials. According to “confessions” of witches, every Friday night the devil, in the form of a black goat called ‘Baal Berith’ or ‘Barberie,’ sat on the center of the dolman. The legends say witches, warlocks and fairies danced around ‘in worship’ and sang “Qui hou hou, Marie Lihou.” This was said to be in mockery of a shrine of ‘Notre Dame de Lihou’ on the nearby island of Lihou.

What a unique and very special place to return to so many years later with Paxton!

Paxton experienced his first Cliff Walk at one-year-old with his mom and dad.

Here we are with him 20 years later. The gang assembled for a Cliff Walk near Jerbourg Point.

I’m with my wonderful niece Suzanne. As a young girl she wanted to “read” astrophysics at Oxford. Instead, she completed her master’s degree in philosophy at the University of Warwick.

On another day we went on a cliff walk near Icart Point. The monument commemorates the famous British commando during World War II, Lt. Hubert Nicolle. Click on the Link to read about his heroism on Guernsey during the war.

I always find Icart Point just exhilarating and the color of the sea on the coast was beautiful!

This is a lovely spot to relax and enjoy the views.

After our cliff walk, we went to Saumarez Manor for a delicious “cream tea” of scones, Guernsey butter, jam, and clotted cream, accompanied by a delicious tea. Generally, “Afternoon tea” is later in the day (3:30 to 5:00 pm) and is lighter fare. “High tea” includes heartier fare from 5 to 7 p.m.

My sister Patty died in the year 2000. We always visit her grave in the Foulon Cemetery.

We walked from the hotel with my brother-in-law Vic to the La Fregate Hotel for dinner.

My sister loved having dinner at the La Fregate on our early visits.

St. Peter Port’s iconic Castle Cornet dates back to the 13th century. At that time, it was part of the duchy of Normandy.

Paxton, the consummate gentleman, helps Marla down a steep lane on our way to my favorite restaurant for dinner, Da Nello.

We loved our dinner at Da Nello!

I love my Aperol Spritz!

Patty first introduced Marla and me to “Cream Teas” on the terrace of Moore’s Hotel many years ago. We had to return, although dressed far more casually than would have been appropriate years before!

Suzanne took us on a cliff walk near Fort George, a posh housing area on a hill above St. Peter Port.

We took the beautiful “Bluebell Woods” path.

Victor Hugo spent 15 years in exile on Guernsey. Paxton does his best Hugo sculpture impression. I’ll post soon on his beautiful “Hauteville House” where Hugo spent his exile.

Walking down a Candie Garden Lane on the way to dinner.

Paxton and Steven are enjoying the evening at the Terrace Garden Cafe.

Look for more fascinating posts soon on “The Victor Hugo House”, “The beautiful Island of Herm”, and “The Little Chapel and the German Underground Hospital.”

Photos: Dick Gentry. Steve richer photo #20. Not to be used without permission.