Havelet Bay is a sheltered spot in Guernsey’s capital, St Peter Port. A great place for an ice cream and a walk along the sand whilst taking in the stunning view of Castle Cornet in the distance.
Location
Havelet Bay is located in St Peter Port, south of the main harbour and within easy walking distance of the high street.
There is ample on-street parking behind the bay, though during low season this is 10hr parking so it fills up quickly with those working in town. In the summer months parking is restricted to a few hours so spaces become available. There is also parking along Castle Pier, on the far left side of the beach.
The Beach
Havelet Bay offers soft sand and beautiful turquoise clear water. The beach has easy access with a wide cobbled slipway at either end.
A note of caution, at high tide the seawater can cover the slipway making the lower section very slippery, so I would advise not letting young children run down to the beach. Also, there is a safety rail at the top part of the slipway however, there is no rail at the bottom part and there is still quite a drop to the beach.
We like visiting Havelet Bay because it is a well contained beach. With only 2 entry points (that are clearly visible) kids can have the freedom to explore the beach without fear of them wandering off.
The view from Havelet Bay is beautiful with Castle Cornet at its northern shore and Sark in the distance.
Low Tide
A lovely expanse of soft sand is exposed at low tide with a splattering of small rocks that are great for kids to climb.
High Tide
At high tide there is often no beach at Havelet Bay with the seawater crashing into the sea wall. However, you will still see lots of people sitting on the sea wall with an ice cream or a cuppa taking in the view.
For those more daring, people have fun jumping into the water from the high stone wall that leads to the castle (on Castle Pier).
Facilities
There are no specific facilities on the beach however, there are numerous restaurants and cafés within walking distance, thanks to its location in town. During the summer months, an ice cream van parks next to the entrance of Havelet Bay (at the end of Castle Pier) which is always a hit with families.
Octopus Bar & Restaurant overlooks the bay and has a great kids menu, and they give the kids an activity pack, makes it a hit with us!
Dogs on the Beach
Dogs are allowed on Havelet Bay year-round. We like taking our little dog to the bay because it is well contained.
Havelet is a great town beach, giving people the chance to unwind and to take in the stunning views of Castle Cornet. It’s not a beach that we would head to for a swim and beach day, however, the kids enjoy having a play on the beach whilst enjoying an ice cream.
Address
Havelet Bay, St. Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1AX
Bus Routes
Havelet Bay is located a few minutes walk from the Town Bus Terminus.
