Fern Valley – Experience the rich wealth of natural history in this wonderfully secluded valley with meadows and fern-covered wooded côtils. In a place of such magnificent beauty and tranquillity you truly can steal a few moments away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world. Look out for the spectacularly colourful Jersey Tiger-moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) which is a very peculiar day-flying moth.
La Vallée Des Vaux – Swap the hustle and bustle of town life with the hustle and bustle of wildlife as you explore the wonderfully secluded natural idyll that is La Vallée des Vaux. The valley provides woodland habitat for a variety of captivating species and visitors may also chance upon the Red Squirrel, as well as numerous woodland birds such as the Great Spotted Woodpecker. Between the Oak, Beech, Sycamore and Sweet Chestnut, the ground is quite open, although patches of Bramble, Gorse, Bracken and Holly can be found, as well as Fly Agaric Mushrooms and Navelwort.
St Peter’s Valley – Although relatively young, this woodland is thriving with wildlife: it contains a rich diversity of plant and tree species with trees such as the Oak, Sweet Chestnut, Beech, Ash, Wild Cherry and Sycamore, which in turn provide shelter for butterflies, woodland insects and many mammals. These woodlands are teaming with the delightful Red Squirrel, if you venture into the woods you will see them climbing in the trees or scurrying around on the ground rummaging for nuts.
Hamptonne Woods – Peaceful, secluded, and picturesque, Hamptonne Woods is truly a wonderful spot where natural beauty greets you at every turn. Step into this magnificent wooded wonderland, with a tranquil stream running through the middle of the meadows, woodland paths for you to explore, and perfect opportunities for a picnic. Hamptonne Woods is a place of true relaxation, where you can escape from busy town life and grab a few hours indulging in the serene beauty of the area. Hamptonne woods is a brilliant place to watch wildlife including Red Squirrels.
Grantez Headland – Discover Jersey’s ancient history as you explore the megalithic Dolmen de Monts Grantez that was once used as a burial chamber. Dating back to around 4000-3250 BC, the passage-grave is made from local granite, and was anciently known as Lé Cuex ès Faît’tchieaux due to the belief that it had been built by fairies or dwarfs. Surrounding the dolmen is Grantez, an area consisting of six sites in total, with spectacular views over St Ouen’s Bay. Mostly covered with maritime grass heathland, this site provides valuable habitat for the Green Lizard as well as for Kestrels and Sparrowhawks.
Railway Walk (St Aubin – L`Etacq) – This walk starts at St Aubins and initially follows the old track of the Jersey Railway and is a fairly easy walk that follows well-defined paths with no steep uphill climbs. The walk covers the south-west and west coasts of the island and heads west out of St Aubin to La Corbière. La Corbiere itself has been the seen of many naval tragedies through the centuries and the word itself comes from corbeau (the crow,rook or raven) all renowned as birds of ill omen. A lighthouse was built here in 1873 due to the area becoming a watery graveyard for many ships that had been unable to navigate away from the rocks. Along this route there is also a large flat granite slab at the western end of The Railway Walk where it meets La Rue de la Corbière (La Table des Marthes) which it is said was to be a place which was used for signing important documents or contracts. It has been suggested that it is a huge capstone from the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age (about 2500 to 3000 BC) From La Corbière you can continue along the coastal path to L`Etacq along St Ouen`s bay where the Atlantic swell is a paradise for surfers
Noirmont & Portelet Coastal Walk – Please follow the link for a complete guide to this walk by John Mallett who developed this walk to celebrate The National Trust for Jersey`s 80th year anniversary.
La Mare au Seigneur (St Ouen’s Pond) SSI – La Mare au Seigneur is also home to the National Trust for Jersey Wetland Centre, which constitutes a state-of-the-art bird hide and wetland interpretation centre, showcasing the reserves incredible wildlife and human history. In addition to the wildlife, La Mare au Seigneur SSI also contains rare pieces of Jersey’s military history. Anti-tank ditches were constructed to the north and south of the main pond during the occupation of Jersey in World War II and they still remain there to this day. In addition, a German WWII personnel shelter adjoining the Wetland Centre has been restored and converted in to a classroom for visiting school groups
The National Trust for Jersey Wetland Centre – The Wetland Centre is free to visit and is open from 20th Mar to 21st Sept 7am-7pm and 22nd Sept to 19th Mar 9am-5pm. Free Entry – Donations Welcome. The newly opened visitor centre is accessed by a door that opens in to a tunnel through a dune mound. The tunnel then opens out to provide panoramic views of the reed bed and pond. The Wetland Centre’s 16 viewing windows afford truly incredible views of the reserve and its wildlife. The viewing windows are located at a range of different heights, offering adults, children and visitors with disabilities a unique perspective from which to bird watch
Les Creux Country Park (St Brelade) – Les Creux Millennium Park is situated above Beauport Bay, in the parish of St. Brelade, in the south-west of Jersey. The site as a whole comprises an area of approx 45 hectares, which includes a diverse range of habitats including pasture and arable fields, acid grassland, woodland and coastal heathland. It was originally an area of open farm land which has been turned into a ‘country park’. The coastal strip of steep sea-cliffs creating the southerly border of the area and its associated flora and fauna provide a dramatically beautiful vista to the west along the cliff-tops and, to the east, the views over St Brelade’s Bay and Portlet Common are incomparable. This entire coastal region is an important part of the remaining fragment of the south coast heathland habitat, and being adjacent with the Gorselands and Corbiere heaths, it forms the largest continuous section of coastal heath remaining in the south west of the Island.
Wild Food Forage – Come and get lost in the wilds of St.Ouen; take in fantastic scenery, encounter local wildlife and learn about the vast variety of wild edible and medicinal plants our unique environment has to offer.
Duration of walk approx 2 ½ hours, please dress with an eye on the weather and bring along any food and drink you may need.
Bush Walk – If you love watching Ray Mears or Bear Grylls on TV then why not come along and join one of our wild walks. Bush walks and camps are fantastic activities for becoming ‘at one with nature’. We will identify edible and medicinal plants, foodstuffs, as well as demonstrate and teach survival skills.
