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The Channel Islands

The Channel Islands are five:Jersey, Guernsey, Herm, Sark and Alderney. But I chose one...

Guernsey
What kind of tourism?
A heady mix of stunning scenery and the best of contemporary living, Guernsey is the perfect destination. Inspiring walks along the cliff paths, rambles through the rural interior or lazy days on the islands beautiful beaches, Guernsey has it all. St Peter Port, the islands capital, is a bustling harbour town, a tapestry of architectural styles that tell the story of the regions changing fortunes. Here bistros, restaurants and boutiques jostle for your attention, while in the harbour ferries are readied to take you to the sister islands. Whilst the traditional industries of flower growing, fishing and dairy farming still play an important part, contributing both to the varied economy and to the islands character. There are also a number of high profile light industries based on the island, including Specsavers Optical Group, Healthspan and Healthy Direct. Guernsey also has its own stamps and currency, and while British pounds can be used on the island, Guernsey pounds cannot be used in the UK.

Transport
There are a number of airlines offering regular scheduled service from the UK and a range of tour operators also organise charter flights to Guernsey from a wider selection of airports and often at highly competitive rates. You can choose to travel by fast car-carrying catamaran or the more leisurely, but comprehensively equipped, conventional car ferry.

Accommodation
The islands offer a huge range of accommodation. Luxury hotels in prime positions, selfcatering cottages in secluded lanes and well-equipped campsites with rural outlooks its all available here. Special accommodation deals are available throughout the year. Use the search facility below to find one that suits you.

The Outer Hebrides

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The Outer Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland provide spectacular scenery and is a favorite place for bird watchers. The main islands are North & South Uist, Lewis and Harris . On the west coast of the Isle of Lewis, at Callanish, stands the awesome collection of stone circles and rows of standing stones called the 'Hebrides' Stonehenge' The St Kilda archipelago is noteworthy in its own right. Remote and spectacular, it lies 110miles from the Scottish mainland.

Accommodation
Stornoway, Craigroyston Lodge, self catering in a stunning Scandinavian design lodge. Stornoway, Holm View Guest House, excellent views across The Minch to the Isle of Skye. Benbecula, Borve Guest House, excellent base for exploring the beautiful beaches etc Uist, Brae Lea House, stroll along beaches teeming with oystercatchers, plovers and redshanks There are five Youth Hostels, on the Islands

Whales and Dolphins of the Hebrides, Surveying for whales, dolphins,

porpoises etc

Transport
Getting Here...Here is a run down of the alternative routes to the Hebrides:

Fly me away... ...to the Islands...

British Airways operated by Loganair operates flights 4 times daily, Monday to Saturday, to Stornoway from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Inverness. There is also a Sunday flight from Glasgow. There are also daily flights from Glasgow to Barra and Benbecula, from Monday to Saturday, with additional Sunday flights to Barra in the summer months.British Midlands also fly from Edinburgh to Stornoway, seven days a week. From Inverness to Stornoway, you can also fly with Highland Airways.

...from further away...

From overseas, you should book a flight to Glasgow, Edinburgh or London. For bargain flights between London and Glasgow or Edinburgh, try one of the budget airlines: www.easyjet.com, www.scotairways.com, or www.ryanair.com or alternatively travel all the way with British Airways www.british-airways.com or via Edinburgh with British Midlands www.flybmi.com for flights from all major airports. (Also see "...to the Islands..." above for connecting flights.)

Sail me away...... ...to the Hebrides...

Caledonian MacBrayne runs car and passenger ferries to all the islands all year round: Ullapool to Stornoway (Lewis); Uig (Skye) to Tarbert (Harris) and Lochmaddy (North Uist);

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and Oban to Barra. Ferries also run between: Castlebay (Barra) to Lochboisdale (South Uist); Berneray (North Uist) to Leverburgh (Harris). A new car ferry now runs daily between Barra and Eriskay. For all ferry journeys it is advisable to book vehicle space in advance, but this is not necessary for passengers.

Get me to the boat... ... by car...

Either bring your car across or leave it at one of the ferry departure points and travel as a foot passenger. It may be more economical to hire a car for a few days while you are here than to bring your own car across on the ferry. Alternatively, you can use our excellent public transport network, or even walk or cycle through the isles. If you are travelling from overseas, then you could travel by bus or train to the ferry and hire a car when you arrive on the island.

...by bus...
Regular bus services connect with ferry arrival and departures times.

...by train...
You can get to Inverness, Oban, Mallaig or Kyle by train: it is a great way to relax and take in the stunning Highland scenery as you pass through landscape unseen on the road.

Get me around the islands... ...by air...

Highland Airways operates daily flights between Stornoway and Benbecula Monday to Friday www.highlandairways.co.uk . British Airways flies between Stornoway to Barra daily (time subject to tides - the plane lands on the beach! - except Sunday - www.britishairways.com.)

..by car...
To see a lot of the islands in a short time or explore distant corners it can be handy to hire a car for all or part of your trip.

...by ferry...
Caledonian MacBrayne will provide all the details you need about their inter-island ferries from Berneray (North Uist) to Leverburgh (Harris) and Tarbert (Harris) to Lochmaddy (North Uist) and Castlebay (Barra) to Lochboisdale (South Uist.) They offer some great hopscotch multi-ticket concessions. AND ALSO ...by bus... AND..by bike...

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ISLES OF SCILLY
The Isles of Scilly (Cornish: Ynysek Syllan) form an archipelago of islands off the southwesternmost tip of Great Britain. Traditionally administered as part of the county of Cornwall, the islands now have their own Council of the Isles of Scilly. They are also designated the Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

What kind of tourism?

Today, tourism is estimated to account for 85 per cent of the island's income. The majority of visitors stay on St Mary's, which has a concentration of holiday accommodation and other amenities. Of the other inhabited islands, Tresco is run as a timeshare resort, and is consequently the most obviously tourist-orientated. Bryher and St Martin's are more unspoilt, although each has a hotel and other accommodation. St Agnes has no hotel and is the least developed of the islands. Tourism is also a highly seasonal industry duNorth Americae to its reliance on outdoor recreation, and the low level of tourist activity in winter causes a near shutdown of the islands during that season. However, the tourist season benefits from an extended period of business in October when many birdwatchers (or birders) arrive. Because of its position, Scilly is the first landing for many migrant birds, including extreme rarities from and Siberia.

Transport
The islands are linked to the mainland by both air and sea services, and rely on boat services for interisland connections. St. Mary's is the only island with a significant road network. Helicopter from Penzance to the Isles of Scilly By air, the islands are served by St. Mary's Airport on the main island of St. Mary's and by Tresco Heliport on the island of Tresco. The following air services currently operate:

Helicopter services, operated by British International Helicopters, from Penzance Heliport to St. Mary's Airport and Tresco Heliport. Fixed-wing aircraft services, operated by Isles of Scilly Skybus, from various UK airports (Land's End, Newquay, Exeter, Bristol and Southampton) to St Mary's Airport.

By sea, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company provides a passenger and cargo service from Penzance to St Mary's. The other islands are linked to St. Mary's by a network of inter-island launches.

Isle of Man
Many people who have never been to the Isle of Man are not sure exactly where it is! The answer is that it lies in the Irish Sea, between England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, less than 60 miles west of the Lancashire coastline, and it is easy to get to thanks to excellent air and sea services.

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The Island is a good place to shop and browse. There are fun places for kids and entertainment for all ages. Fabulous scenery, enchanting glens, miles of uncrowded beaches, medieval castles, Victorian railways and trams, beautiful parks and gardens, international motorsport, countless opportunities for first-class angling, golf and watersports and other activities, fascinating museums and heritage centres, delicious Manx wining and dining... In 1995 the Isle of Man Government entered the film industry and has quickly established a wellrespected worldwide reputation for co-financing and co-producing feature film and television dramas. Producing many films & TV dramas the Isle of Man its boasts its own 11,000 plus square foot sound stage and has become one of the busiest areas of film production in the British Isles. Another significant advantage is that the Isle of Man offers a highly attractive production finance program making it a desirable location to shoot film. Famous movie and television stars enjoy relative anonymity on the Isle of Man so keep a close eye when visiting as you never know who's sitting next to you in a restaurant or pub!

Transport
Travel by air or by sea to arrive at the Isle of Man. Is it easy to get around the Island?Yes! Enjoy the freedom to explore this ancient kingdom at your leisure. Wherever you want to go there are plenty of ways to get there! Is it good for motorists?The Island has 688 miles of roads and car hire is widely available. So bring your own car or rent one at attractive rates. Is it feasible to see the Island by bus or coach?There are frequent bus services on routes all over the Island. Money-saving Explorer Tickets can be used on buses, trains and horse trams for even easier and cheaper travel.

Accommodation
Whether you're looking for budget accommodation such as camping, or luxury hotels, the Island can accommodate you. You can use our accommodation guide to help you find the place you'd like to stay in - we list all of the registered accommodation providers in the Island. You can search by accommodation type or by the grading. Alternatively, you can search our entire directory to find specific requirements with ease.