With spectacular cliff top paths, sunny bays, floral rural lanes and commons, Guernsey offers 28.5 miles of hiking trails and walking routes to be explored. So whether it is a sunset stroll around Cobo Bay or a morning spent hiking the dramatic South coast cliffs, there is no better way to discover what makes Guernsey special than on foot.

Cobo Bay

Guernsey offers guided walks for everyone, regardless of age or ability, as Sylvia Brouard, a Gold accredited tour guide and a guide for Guernsey’s Spring Walking Week, explains: ‘We’ve got everything, from the flat of the North and West, to the green lanes and countryside inland and the spectacular cliffs with the views.’

Sylvia Brouard

Sylvia has lived in Guernsey for 44 years and has been guiding people around the island since 2002. She first began exploring more of the island while working as a teaching assistant at a special needs school: ‘We used to go out and about with the children so I started looking into the local history and I was blown away.’

And she wasn’t the only one – she still remembers the surprised reaction of a 13-year-old pupil on a walk from the Bathing Pools to Fermain bay: ‘He said, “Does everybody know these cliffs are here miss?”’ she laughs.

Like many of Guernsey’s accredited guides, Sylvia’s interest was fostered while exploring Guernsey more and more with her friends and family, until it was suggested she become an accredited guide.

Sylvia joined as a silver accredited guide in 2002 and by 2003 became a gold accredited guide, and she’s not stopped walking the pathways and trails since, explaining historic sights and stories all over Guernsey. ‘I just ate up the local history,’ she explains. ‘I can’t get enough of it, I am so passionate about the island and its history. It is the most wonderful job, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.’

Fermain Bay

And it’s not just visitors who she guides around Guernsey, but also locals who want to find out more about the history of their island: ‘It’s amazing how many locals say they walked past somewhere hundreds of times, and never realised its importance to the island and community.’

In celebration of the island’s rich history and inspiring landscapes Guernsey’s Spring Walking Week, sponsored by Healthspan, begins on Saturday 7 May.

Sylvia and thirteen other guides will lead 48 walks around the Bailiwick over the week, with a variety of difficulty levels and distances to provide something for ever type of walker.

Each tour is for up to 30 people, and pre-booking is essential – 80 people once turned up for one walk!

‘If you’ve got relatives coming over you can keep them busy for the whole week; there are walks morning, noon and night, and if you do more than five a week it is free,’ Sylvia explains.

Sylvia will be guiding walks around Pembroke bay with a focus on the Occupation, exploring Cobo Bay at sunset and leading the intriguing ‘Gypsy, Witches, Soldier, Spy,’ themed walk around Gypsy Lane.

For more information go to Spring Walking Week, where you can find a walk to suit you on date, distance and difficulty.