I hadn’t heard of Herm Island until moving to Guernsey, and it was such a surprise to find this paradise island on our doorstep. It’s hard to believe that in such a short time (only 20 mins from Guernsey by ferry) you arrive at an island that feels worlds away from where you have come from. With stunning white sandy beaches, crystal clear sea, breathtaking scenery and my girls’ favourite gift shop, Herm is the perfect place for a family trip whether for the day or for a longer stay.
Getting to Herm
Travel Trident is the long-established ferry provider to Herm, departing from St Peter Port and taking only 20 minutes. There is bench seating inside and on the top deck. Tickets are bought from the Travel Trident ticket office at the Weighbridge Clock Tower, Liberation Monument, St Peter Port. CLICK HERE to view the Herm Travel Trident website for sailing times and prices.
Arriving at Herm
There are 2 places the ferry from Guernsey will dock in Herm, and it all depends on the tide. Around high tide you will arrive at the Harbour and at low tide you will be dropped off at the Rosaire Steps, an 8-minute walk back to the main Harbour. We love being dropped off at the Rosaire Steps as this is where we like to start our walk around the island beginning on the south-west cliffs.
Freedom - Walking the Cliff Path
Herm offers stunning white sandy beaches, crystal clear sea and breathtaking scenery that can be fully appreciated by a walk around the island. You can join the cliff path just a minute away from the Rosaire Steps. With the Rosaire Steps behind you, follow the path and look out for a set of stone steps on your right-hand side. Thanks to a new blue sign highlighting the start of the cliff path, it is now easier to spot than in previous years.
From the moment you get onto the cliff path you will be blown away by the stunning views and the feeling that you have left behind everything that was on your mind prior to getting to Herm. I get this sense of relaxation every time I visit Herm, which is why I always feel like I have been on holiday after visiting the island just for a day! The east coast views are stunning and at the start of the walk you can see Guernsey in the distance, which for some reason looks massive when viewing it from Herm!
The cliff path snakes around the Herm coastline with the option to turn inland as you get near Seagull Campsite. You will come across a wooded area on your left-hand side with rope swings and a large tree with low level branches which is a climbing mecca for kids. When you reach this section you are very close to the campsite, and you will see ahead of you the option to take the path to the left, this will lead you inland through the campsite and through the middle of the island offering a shorter route down to Herm’s restaurants and shop, however, we always opt to stay on the coastal path and carry on to Belvoir (around 40 mins walk from the Rosaire Steps) and then on to Shell Beach.
The cliff path is quite uneven in places and there are some sections with a number of steps to climb, it’s unfortunately not the walk for someone with limited mobility, and you would need to keep a close watch on small children as the path does stick quite closely to the cliff edge in places. CLICK HERE for more information about walking the Herm Cliff Path.
The cliff path takes you around the island but it is also possible to cut through the middle, past St Tuguals Church. This is a very steep route and easier walking down than up!
Beautiful Beaches
I thought Guernsey had amazing beaches but I think Herm might have pipped Guernsey to the post on the beautiful beach front. Belvoir Bay and Shell Beach are both absolute stunners, with Belvoir offering a sheltered cove that is a real sun-trap with great swimming and snorkelling making it a popular choice with families. Whereas Shell Beach looked like something from the Caribbean when we first spotted it in the distance from the cliff path. The beach glitters white under the sun’s rays because it is made from millions of tiny shells washed up by the Gulf Stream.
Note that there are no toilets at Belvoir Bay, the toilets are located between Belvoir Bay and Shell Beach and there is a new toilet block situated at the entrance to Shell Beach. On the West Coast, toilets are located outside The Mermaid Tavern.
Belvoir Bay
Belvoir Bay is a stunning sandy cove on Herm’s east coast and it is such a lovely surprise when Belvoir comes into view from the cliff path, the elevated position gives you a lovely view of the whole beach. The beach offers a lovely sheltered cove that is a real sun trap as it can be much less windy than on Shell Beach, making it very popular with families. The soft white sand and crystal clear waters make Belvoir Bay a great spot for swimming and snorkelling. The beach kiosk is open during the summer offering hot and cold drinks, ice creams, snacks and sandwiches. The seating has been upgraded at the cafe, it now offers lots of picnic tables (with umbrellas) spanning the width of the whole area behind Belvoir Bay.
Shell Beach
The sand on Shell Beach stretches as far as you can see to your left, all the way to the most northerly tip of the island at Alderney Point, and then curves around to dune-flanked sandy bays on Herm’s north coast. The beach really is a stunner, with crystal clear water and soft sand underfoot. The biggest surprise is that the beach is never busy! It can be quite windy, but we never let that stop us enjoying a good few hours on the beach. For those who want an adventure, in the summer there are kayaks to rent near the entrance to the beach.
Shell Beach cafe was refurbished during 2021 and now boasts a lovely seating area and is generally open from 1st April to 30th Sept. For 2023 the new toilet block at the entrance to Shell Beach is a much welcomed addition.
Fisherman’s Beach
For those who do not want to venture to Herm’s east coast beaches, Fisherman’s Beach is a popular choice due to its soft sand, endless rock pools and views of Guernsey and the harbour. The beach sits only a few minute’s walk away from The Mermaid Tavern, White House Hotel and the Herm Gift Shop making it an ideal stop-off before getting the ferry.
Herm Nature Trail
As you walk around Herm you will come across 6 Nature Trail boards which feature information about the birds, marine mammals, butterflies, insects and plant life that can be spotted on and around the island, which makes a great talking point with kids to see what they can spot. There is also a Herm Nature Trail Quiz that can be purchased from the gift shop, with 2 to choose from, either the shorter route (£3) or the full trail (£5) where kids need to read the Nature Trail boards to find the answers and once completed they are rewarded with a certificate.
Staying on Herm
There are 3 options when staying on Herm;
- The White House Hotel: Herm’s only hotel and there are no telephones, televisions or clocks!
- Holiday Cottages: Numerous holiday cottages available however they can be hard to get hold of as they book up super fast!
- Camping: Seagull Campsite offers equipped tents that have everything you need for a family camping trip in Herm. Note that it is no longer possible to pitch your own tent at Seagull Campsite (except for those that have a seasonal pitch).
Seagull Campsite
We have stayed on Herm a number of times and we have always camped, my girls absolutely love it and it is always so relaxing that I feel like we’ve been on holiday when we return! The campsite is located in the middle of the island and offers 19 equipped pitches offering 6 and 8-man tents and is geared up for families. The tent comes with airbeds, cool box (freezer packs free to use), all cooking equipment including a gas cooker and a picnic table. This makes packing really easy as you only need bedding, towels, clothes, £1 coins for the shower, and a small amount of food however, there is a well-stocked grocery store onsite so you can pick up milk etc as you need it.
The beauty of the campsite is the freedom kids have to explore the site and the wooded area next to it with rope swings and dens built from tree branches. My girls are forever running off with friends they have made to play ball on Moss Field or climb the trees and we never have any worry about their safety. If you have younger children then the grassed area in the middle of the equipped tents offers a lovely place for them to play whilst still being visible from the tents.
Aside from equipped tents the campsite has a number of permanent pitches that are rented out each year so the campsite is quite busy but it swallows up people and we always have a thoroughly enjoyable time.
Food and Drink
If we are visiting Herm for the day we often pack a picnic as there are ample places to stop for lunch with stunning views, however, during our recent camping trip we had a lovely meal at The Mermaid Tavern, Herm’s popular spot for grabbing food and drink (amazing chips!). The courtyard is the perfect place to sit in good weather and the flower wall at the back of the courtyard is stunning. We also discovered what a good choice The Ship Inn (at The White House Hotel) is for families. Their kids menu is an A3 activity sheet with colouring, word search, spot the difference and join the dots. This was a massive hit with my girls and was enough for them to claim it as their favourite restaurant before they even tried the food! Both The Mermaid Tavern and The Ship Inn are located a few minutes’ walk from Herm Harbour.
Herm Gift Shop
We were told about the Herm Gift Shop before making our first trip to Herm, particularly the fact that it is so popular with children. As soon as I walked inside, I knew why, it has the most ridiculous amount of pocket money toys I have seen and it makes kids want things they didn’t even know they ‘needed’. I guarantee you will not make a trip to Herm with kids without visiting the Herm Gift Shop. I had to chuckle on our last visit as a mum was constantly telling her kids that they didn’t need to buy another soft toy, slime etc etc and I was pleased it’s not only my kids that are incapable of entering the shop without wanting EVERYTHING!
Dogs on Herm
Dogs are welcome on Herm, with 9 dog-friendly self-catering cottages available, along with 8 dog-friendly rooms at The White House Hotel, so they can join you on your day trip or holiday. However, note that from May 1st to September 30th dogs are not permitted on Shell Beach, Belvoir Bay, Fisherman’s Beach or Hotel Beach. We always take our dog with us to Herm in the Winter and Spring as she thoroughly enjoys the walk around the island however, we have taken her on Shell Beach late April when it was very sunny and she got overly hot and we struggled to cool her down as there is so little shade on the island so I would urge you to think carefully about taking your dog to Herm in summer if you are only visiting for the day.
Herm Burn
I can’t write about Herm without mentioning Herm Burn. Locals talks about ‘Herm Burn’ and we have realised that it is real! Herm is always a little windier than it is on Guernsey so the weather can be deceptive meaning you don’t realise how hot it actually is, leading to Herm Burn!! Don’t forget sun-tan lotion when visiting the island, even if you think you won’t need it.
Final note...
My girls’ favourite sign is in Herm and it makes us chuckle every time we see it, can you run faster than a bull??…
We are so lucky to have this little slice of paradise on our doorstep and if you’re looking for a place where your kids can feel totally free then I highly recommend a trip to Herm.
For more information visit www.herm.com
