Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society Tour

Experience the locations featured in the best-selling book, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, written by Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece, Annie Burrows.

Hotel pick-ups are available for hotels outside of St Peter Port. Pick-ups will start from 09.45 with the last ones around 10.20 hrs.

• Depart the Bus Terminus and travel to Jerbourg
• Arrive Jerbourg for photo stop
• Depart for Little Chapel
• Arrive Little Chapel
• Depart Little Chapel for Guernsey Pearl
• Arrive Guernsey Pearl for Refreshments
• Depart Guernsey Pearl for west coast views
• Arrive White Rock pier for a photo stop
• Tour ends here (Liberation Monument).

Depart Stand the bus terminus and proceed to the Jerbourg. Here, on the southeast cliff-top, many scenes from the book are set. See where Dawsey. Amelia & Isola "lived", as well as the lanes, meadows, and farmhouses where the colourful characters conducted their lives. Walk to the viewpoint for splendid views of the other Channel Islands and France on a clear day, where Elizabeth met her German lover Christian and watched the German warplanes flying over to drop their bombs on London. On route to various locations, the driver guide will recount real-life tales of heroism, triumph over adversity and sheer determination shown by the Guernsey people during the long period of German occupation.

Re -board the coach and drive to the Little Chapel that Dawsey took Juliet to see. Built by Brother Deodat, it is now regarded as the smallest consecrated church in the world. To impress his Bishop, Brother Deodat decided to cover the Little Chapel with many different types of shells and broken pieces of pottery. Leaving the Little Chapel, drive down to the west coast for a local refreshment of tea or coffee and a piece of Guernsey Gache at the Guernsey Pearl.

Continue along the west coast and around the north of the Island on your way to the White Rock Pier. En
route to the pier, see the many German fortifications as well as the Witches' Stone and Les Trepieds Dolmen that Dawsey showed Juliet.

The Harbour played host to one of the darkest days in Guernsey’s history. German aircraft dropped bombs on vehicles that they thought were carrying troops, but were actually just trucks filled with tomatoes, causing the deaths of 34 innocent civilians. Opposite is a memorial dedicated to local residents who perished in the raid.

The harbour is also the site where Eben describes to Juliet, the difficult decision many islanders had to make in whether to evacuate their children to England or keep them with them in Guernsey.

What to do when the tour finishes

The tour ends at the Liberation Monument Coach Bay at 14.00 hrs – from here you can explore the quaint town of St Peter Port or adventure further afield. The Liberation Monument was erected in 1995 to mark the 50th anniversary of Guernsey’s Liberation.

A taxi rank is opposite the Coach Bay and the bus terminus is a short walk south along the seafront.

Staying in town?

The cobbled streets of the High Street, Smith Street and Mill Street will take you to boutique shops and cafes/restaurants serving delicious food.

On the seafront is the old Crown Hotel– now the Ship & Crown. This building is opposite the Crown Pier and looks out over the Visitors marina. This location is referenced in the book as the location where Dawsey was heaving slates for the Crown Hotel’s new roof when communicating with Juliet by letter.

A short walk up Mill Street will take you to the Art for Guernsey Gallery – showcasing both local and
international artists.

A walk south along the seafront will take you to Castle Cornet or, if you walk further south, to the recently renovated Vallette area of Town. Drop in to the Underground Military Museum or walk further along to the Victorian Bathing Pools where you can swim or just grab a coffee and a snack and take in the panoramic views of the other islands of Guernsey.

A walk up Smith Street and on to Candie road will take you to Candie Gardens. Here you can visit the Guernsey Museum at Candie which hosts a Guernsey history museum along with art collections, hands-on activities for Children, a café and much more.