How about Guernsey or Cork?

[BoatsandTrains]

Any recommendations for what to do/see?   We like to explore on our own. 

[matamanoa]

St. Peter Port on Guernsey is a small town and walkable.  We visited Castle Cornet and spent two hours there on a self guided tour.  There is an entrance fee - 10.50 BP each.  As we were in port for a short day, after the castle we only took the time to have a nice lunch and then we had to wait in a long line for the tender boats to take us back to the ship.  

 

We didn't go to Cork but stayed in Cobh and it also was very walkable.  We saw the Colman Cathedral, the "deck of card" houses, the Lusitania Memorial, statue of Annie Moore and brothers, the Titanic Museum and walked along the harbour street to see the shops.  

 

Barb

[BoatsandTrains]

20 minutes ago, matamanoa said:

St. Peter Port on Guernsey is a small town and walkable.  We visited Castle Cornet and spent two hours there on a self guided tour.  There is an entrance fee - 10.50 BP each.  As we were in port for a short day, after the castle we only took the time to have a nice lunch and then we had to wait in a long line for the tender boats to take us back to the ship.  

 

We didn't go to Cork but stayed in Cobh and it also was very walkable.  We saw the Colman Cathedral, the "deck of card" houses, the Lusitania Memorial, statue of Annie Moore and brothers, the Titanic Museum and walked along the harbour street to see the shops.  

 

Barb

Thanks, Barb.   This sounds just right for us.  

[edinburgher]

 Another option is to take the round island circular bus (#91 or #92) which follows the coastal route. We did not get off, just sat for the full circle to see as much of the island as we could.in a  very easy way. We then pottered around the town and sea front until it was time to get our tender. You can get off the bus at stops for any attractions or sites you may want to visit along the way, but be sure of bus timings to return to St P P.

 

You need a day ticket for this.Timetables and ticket pricing are easily found online..

 

Be aware that(at least in our experience) Guernsey is not always easy to anchor or tender into and you may find yourselves elsewhere or with a day at sea instead.

 

Out of 4 itinweraries, we only got there twice..

Edited July 7, 2021 by edinburgher

[D C]

What sorts of things do you fancy?  Walking tours, scenery, museums, historical sites, etc...?  Guernsey has quite a lot of all of them, easily accessible from St Peter Port.   

A hike along the 'cliff' path from town to Fermain Bay is one of my favourites, but does have a good number of hills.  My ~70yo in-laws made it with no issues.  

Castle Cornet dates from the 1200s (and newer of course) and is a short walk from the pier.  Guided tours are available with admission, though not required.

Being occupied in WW2, there are a good number of sites of historical interest, whether museums or coastal defenses built by the Germans.

There are some hidden gems in town like Candie Gardens and Victoria Tower (which you can climb if you sign out the key from the museum)

And of course Victor Hugo's house is a short walk from the pier as well.  

 

The 91/92 buses mentioned above are an inexpensive way to see the island (£5 for a round trip as of a couple years ago) but they're really not geared towards tourists, with no commentary provided.   www.buses.gg has more info on routes and fares.

 

 

[geoherb]

I recommend reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society before going to Guernsey. When we were there, we did a short walking tour to the Sunken Gardens, Candie Gardens, and Victoria Tower. We followed that up with a visit to the castle. There are other walking tour routes available here:
Walking Routes | Visit Guernsey

 

We enjoyed our excursion to Blarney Castle and Kinsale when our ship was in Cobh. We were several hours late getting there, and the independent excursion company let us know that they would adjust the schedule for us. It was a great day, and I'm glad to have had the chance to do it.