Luxury holidays in Alderney

Northernmost inhabited Channel Isle Alderney has to accept that it’s very quaint. Main town St Anne with its cobbled streets and rainbow-coloured cottages? Adorable. The only place in the world you’ll find the cute-as-a-button blonde hedgehog? Heart eyes. A dinky steam train pootling about and a timewarp sense of Famous Five-esque adventuring? Quaint and quaint. But, make no mistake, behind those button-nose looks lies a heart that’s very wild; abseil down to the remote beaches and you can watch dolphins and seals breach the waves, and puffins, gantries and other rare birdlife have claimed orbiting islets as their own. A dark history too – crumbling wartime fortifications and tunnels can attest to that – adds to Alderney’s many layers, impressive for a place no bigger than 4 square miles. So yes, it’s charming as can be, but complex enough to captivate you throughout your stay.
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When to go

There’s something to be said for cosying up in a cottage in winter, but Alderney’s fog rolls in in the cooler months making it hard for planes to land. Visit from April to October to avoid disruptions and when the weather’s at its most clement.

Getting there

  • Planes

    Flying is the quickest and easiest way to reach Alderney; the easiest route is from Southampton, which takes an hour, or fly from London Gatwick in about three hours.

  • Boats

    The Salty Blonde ferry goes back and forth between Alderney and Guernsey, Jersey and Sark.

  • Automobiles

    Alderney is just three miles by 1.5 miles, so you can hike or bike across it easily, or ride the Victorian steam train. It’s possible to hire a car, but remember the top speed limit is 35mph (and, we imagine the police don’t have much more to do than watch for rogue tourists).