Tag Archives: Island life

May 7, 2013 · 7:29 am

A Bank Holiday Moment on Alderney before I Resume my Virtual Tour

Many people I’ve been in touch with didn’t feel up to writing a piece for my competition but instead they shared with me their favourite spots on Alderney. Here are their interesting and varied answers:

Em’ said that he loves walking his dog along the path from Platte Saline to Clonque because the sea is wild, scenery rugged and you often never see a soul.

M’ said that his favourite spot was Cachaliere Pier.  ‘It was a bit of a scramble but it was there I saw Granville Fritilliaries whilst soaking up the sun. Mind you the cliff top walk along from Longy was lovely too.’

B’ said that she loved coming back to the hotel in the evening and popping up to the terrace at The Harbour Lights and just enjoying the end of the day looking over Braye Beach.

V’ said that the Black Rocks at Saye Bay was one of his best fishing spots and he held wonderful memories of many happy hours there.

J’ described the views from the clifftops over Telegraph Bay, especially when you can look over to the other islands of Guernsey and Sark.

P’ said his place is locally known as the Frying Pan Battery at Longy Bay, part of the Victorian defenses.  With views over the long sweeping bay over to Fort Raz and France in the distance, it’s a wonderful place for a walk, take the dogs for a run or just to sit.

S’ said ‘6 of us went to Alderney from Torquay on a boat called the Devonian ALDERNEY was sweltering and the Steam Train was kind of cute.’

J’ said ‘My wife goes to Spain but why should I want to go away for a holiday? I have all I want right here.’

And my favourite spot? That’s difficult because there are so many, but the top one must be standing on Douglas Quay at Braye looking out across the beach towards Fort Albert and out to sea, imagining all those travellers arriving at this idyllic spot over the centuries. And my favourite bay has to be Corblets and Arch. On a sunny day you can’t beat them anywhere in the world. Magic!

Looking out over Braye Beach

Looking out over
Braye Beach

I asked another islander E’ and she wrote, ‘everywhere on Alderney, but my most favourite must be sitting in my garden weeds and all!

I’d like to thank everyone for sharing.

And what is your favourite spot on Alderney or memory of a special visit?I’d love to hear from you either as a comment on this blog or an email diana@dianamaryjackson.co.uk.

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March 7, 2011 · 11:14 am

Poignant parallels – leaving your island home

It was not until I was talking to islanders about my novel Riduna that I realised that the deep routed emotions Harriet (the main heroine in my novel) experienced on leaving the island of her birth for the first time, are as pertinent today as they were in Harriet’s day back in the late 19th Century. In this, my first novel, I almost see Riduna as another character; beautiful, compelling and unique.

                For those of you for whom this is your first time reading my blog, I must first explain that ‘Riduna’ is the Roman name for the Channel Island of Alderney. I chose the name ‘Riduna’ for the place on which the main part of my novel is set, because I felt it sounded magical and a touch romantic, just like the novel itself. Set in the 19th Century, I wished to distance my writing from the tragic, but more famous period in the island of Alderney’s history, when it was occupied during WW2 but, unlike Guernsey and Jersey, it was also evacuated almost totally.

                Leaving the place of your birth can be traumatic in itself, but being forced to leave an island, the only place you have ever known, can be heart rendering, and it’s no surprise that many return, or feel drawn to visit as often as they can.

                Last October following our visit, I was so overwhelmed by the feeling of loss when the plane took off from the little airfield that I strained to look back towards the familiar but beautiful shape of Alderney. As it gradually disappeared, I even shed a few tears. Looking up, I caught the gaze of a young girl in her early twenties also with moist eyes, and our smiles shared a moment of quiet empathy.

                There is a lady follower on twitter who was born on Alderney but now lives in Canada. She tweeted recently:

‘You can take the girl out of the island but you can’t take the island out of the girl!’

I was not born on Alderney, but even so, my family history on the island has an irrational pull for me, which is hard to explain. If you are a Ridunian living abroad and these words evoke similar emotions, I would love to hear from you!

© Diana Jackson 07/03/2011

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