JERSEY IS A GREAT FIT

Island has so much to offer for a short break

A two-night visit to Jersey is barely just enough to get a taste island life.

But the mouth-wateringly fresh seafood in the restaurants ensures that that taste can be very rewarding.

Jersey is self-contained and runs at its own pace where the speed limit is a leisurely 50kph, not that it's easy to go any faster on the twisting country lanes.

Blue badge guide David le Gresney points out the iron-age fort that was home to the early islanders.

Banking, farming and tourism provide the island's income and in recent years they have invested heavily in the hotels, restaurants
and tourism attractions.

The Durrell Conservation centre is one of those centres that has benefitted from investment and is now a stunning exhibition of
endangered species.

Attraction

Home to a colony of silverback gorillas this is no mere zoo, but a worthy enterprise working hard to save many species from extinction.

Another attraction which has been entirely re-vamped are the War Tunnels, underground barracks hewn from solid granite by the slave labourers under the Nazis.

The Nazis poured huge resources into constructing elaborate defences for the island which were never to be tested.

But those fortifications have been put to more peaceful use by the instructors offering abseiling lessons from an observation tower at Noirmont Point.

Outdoor activities, available through firms such as Jersey Adventures, are a relatively new development for the island.

Land-yachting, abseiling, coastal rock scrambles, seakayaking and surfing are just some of the activities for the more adventurous
types. The island's legacy of fortifications also extend much further back in history to the Napoleonic times with Elizabeth Castle and
Mont Orgeuil as must-see sites.

Close to Mont Orgeuil on the island's west coast from, where France is visible, is the Castle Green gastro-pub.

A good value menu features dishes that would attract multiple stars if offered in Dublin. Lunch or dinner can be rounded off with some ice-cream made with cream from the famous Jersey cows.

The Radisson Blu hotel, built on reclaimed land in the island's historic centre of Saint Helier, has become popular with locals for it's
marina terrace to enjoy a morning coffee of an afternoon glass of wine.

Visit

Close to the hotel is the island's maritime museum which, frankly, is one of the best such museums this writer has seen.

Over the years Jersey has survived by changing how it presents itself to the world and its current incarnation is well worth a visit.

The Active Island & Island Discovery packages from Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel Jersey, St.Helier, Jersey JE2 3WF

www.radissonblu.com/hotel-jersey

01534 671 100. Packages start at st£280 per person for two nights.

The package activities are provided by Jersey Odyssey/Jersey Adventures visit jerseyodyssey.co.uk or call 01534 498636.

Blue Badge Guided Walk provided by Jersey Tourism visit www.jersey.com or call 01534 448800

Flights were provided by Aer Lingus who fly three times weekly from Dublin to Jersey and twice weekly from Cork to Jersey.

Fares start from €67 oneway including taxes and charges.

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