We always enjoy a visit to Lihou as it’s a great adventure for kids, from the causeway to get to this small uninhabited island through to the amazing rock climbing and sense of freedom that you feel. On our first visit we were totally unprepared, wearing the wrong shoes with no snacks or water only to find we got drenched on the causeway and that there is nowhere to get food or drink. Check out the points to note below, before you visit Lihou for your first time so you don’t do what we did!
Location
The causeway to Lihou is on the L’Eree Headland and is signposted off Les Sablons coast road. Follow the windy road all the way to the end where you’ll come to a parking area. It fills up quickly, so people also park along the road before the parking area. There is another small place to park on the right, just before you get to the end of the one-way lane.
Once parked, you need to walk down the slipway which leads to the causeway. For people renting the house on Lihou, they put their luggage at the top of the lane and a tractor picks it up and takes it across the causeway.
The Causeway
The causeway changes from cobbled stone, to pebbles, back to cobbled stone etc and in places the water is deep enough to cover a kids foot (Lottie is always keen to test this out!). The views are beautiful and it is amazing to think the walkway is underwater for most of the day.
The walk to Lihou takes us about 20 minutes and the kids love it. On my first visit I learnt a valuable lesson, wear wellies, water shoes or flip flips, not white canvas shoes!!…
At the end of the causeway you can see Lihou House on higher ground ahead of you and you have to walk through a particularly small swampy area which tends to be a bit stinky and leads to lots of exaggerated nose holding from our kids!
Lihou Island
Once on Lihou Island, you have Lihou House infront of you, and the only benches on Lihou, making it a good spot for a sit down and a drink.
Lihou is a great place for nature lovers, it’s a designated Ramsar wetland site, and is home to more than 200 species of seaweed and 150 species of bird. There is a big poster outside of Lihou House showing all of the wildlife to look out for.
June and July are bird nesting season on the island, which means that if you visit during this time, certain areas are roped off. There are clear signs indicating the no-go areas and it’s important that people don’t encroach them, however, it won’t effect your visit as there is still lots to explore. Due to the importance of wildlife on the island, dogs are not allowed on Lihou.
Footpath
There is a path that takes you around the island and you can go in either direction. We often head to the left of Lihou House and as you get around the corner you see a vast open space and you get a real sense of freedom. The kids always feel it it too and run off!
The landscape changes slightly in different parts of the island, with grassy sections, pebbles, small rocky area and a stretch walking through longer plants. The views throughout are beautiful.
Lihou Priory
A few minutes on the path to the left of the house, are the remains of Lihou Priory. This always proves to be the perfect place for the kids to hide in, ready for a big ‘boo’ as we walk past. It’s amazing that anything remains of a priory dating back to the 12th Century and it adds great potential to a game of hide and seek!
The Venus Pool
The Venus Pool is a hidden gem on Lihou (so much so we completely missed it on our first trip to the island!). It is a large rock pool with crystal clear blue/green water that is isolated from the sea from one and a half hours either side of high water on spring tides and two hours either side of high water on neap tides. It is a bit of a mission to get down to it as it is at the foot of a large section of rocks which can be very slippery when wet. It is not a walk I would suggest with very young children.
Keep walking on from the Priory and look out for the ‘VENUS POOL’ sign on a rock. Look over the edge when you see this sign and you will see down to the Venus Pool and the rocks you need to climb down to get to it!
The Venus Pool is stunning and well worth a visit, it has a really tranquil feel and some brave people were swimming in it when we got there. The pool is 41m long by 5m wide at its widest, and only 1m wide at its narrowest. The pool is 2.5m deep at its deepest but mostly 1.8m deep.
Geocaching
For those that are not into Geocaching, it’s a real life treasure hunt and brilliant fun for kids. You need to download the Geocache app which will show you a map of where you are, and where the nearest geocaches are. You are on the hunt for a cache which is usually a small box that is hidden. The box will contain small tradeable objects (think party bag stuff). Once you have found the cache the kids can swap what’s in the box for any tradeables they have brought with them (the reason to keep party bag stuff!).
There are a few caches on Lihou but we’ve only managed to find the cache hidden in the rocks. Once found you must hide the cache back in the same spot.
Lihou House
Lihou House is the only building on Lihou, and is available for hire by groups, either private or corporate. The house sleeps 34 people and has a mix of bunks, single beds and double beds. You need to bring all of your bedding and food and it can obviously only be accessed at low tide when the causeway is open. Once the causeway is closed, you have the island to yourself! More info can be found at https://www.lihouisland.com/prices.
The Walk Back
You must be aware of the causeway closing times when you’re on Lihou so you don’t get stranded. The length of time the causeway is open can really vary, from 1hr 30mins some days, to 2hrs 30mins on other days. There is great rock pooling to the sides of the causeway so add time in if that’s something you want to do.
Points To Note
After being thoroughly underprepared for my first trip to Lihou, I learnt some tips that hopefully will help if you are planning your first trip there…
- Check the causeway opening times – The causeway is only open for about 2 weeks every month so be sure to check at https://www.gov.gg/lihou before setting off.
- Wear appropriate shoes – I would suggest wellies, water shoes or flip flops.
- Make sure you have a wee before you set off! – There are no facilities on Lihou so get everyone to have a toilet stop before you go and don’t forget the travel potty if you have one.
- Great place for picnics – Lihou has lots of perfect picnic spots but there is no cafe/ kiosk or picnic tables so take all the food you need with you and a picnic blanket (or sit on a rock if you prefer!), and there are no bins so take a bag to clear up your rubbish.
- Dogs are not allowed on Lihou so don’t take your dog, if you do, you’ll be asked to turn around.
- Not buggy friendly – I’m sure people have taken their buggy on the causeway but if you have a basket under the buggy, it will end up touching the water!
- Nets and binoculars – It’s a great place for rock pooling so take nets if you have them and there are lots of birds to look out for.
- Swimming stuff – If you want to take a dip in the beautiful Venus Pool.
Guernsey is a place that gives kids a sense of freedom, however, we thoroughly recommend a trip to Lihou because it takes it to the next level! On Lihou we always have happy kids, chasing each other, knowing that even when we can’t see them they are perfectly safe.
Address
L’Erée headland, St Pierre du Bois, Guernsey
Bus Routes
62, 91, 92
Cost
Lihou is free to visit
More Information
https://www.lihouisland.com/
