Wining and...Hiking
The beautiful thing about Jersey is that with every day and every new nook you get to explore seems more breathtaking than the last one. For our next adventure we went up North - because mom wanted to see Devil's Hole and I...wanted to spend the day at La Mare. But we'll get to that.
As always the Bus system in Jersey was perfectly connected (there really is no reason to rent a car or even bring your own) and navigated us to the conveniently named Devil's Hole bus stop with ease. From there we mad the short track while the sun was out in full forth.
Full disclosure: we didn't make the whole track as outlined below. We started at the end - which is Devil's Hole and then made our way only roughly up to where the first little white man is hiking on the map.
But Devil's Hole alone would have been worth the trip. It's a circular cave where during high tide massive waves come splashing out. A bit like a hydraulic volcano. Unfortunately, we only found the time to visit during low tide, so we didn't get to see it in all its natural glory. Mom vowed to be back though and I'm not entirely uninclined to join her myself.
Just look at the scenery!
Having some time to kill before our next pit stop we followed the hiking trail East for a little while.
Strolling along the cliff we were searching for the perfect morning nap spot. It's a thing - don't judge.
We did manage to find just the spot to hang loose with the sun in our faces and the waves soothing in our ears. The perfect way to spend a late morning. Alas, we couldn't dwell for too long as my highlight of the day was coming up.
Ever since I got my hands on the first tourist map when we arrived in Jersey, I begged mom to come to the La Mare wine estate with me. And that was despite a healthy dose of scepticism as I don't generally associate Britain with good wine. I'm pretty sure no one does. But Jersey is close enough to France that I was ready to be surprised (and the pictures looked amazing).
And pleasantly surprised I was. To throw in all British stereotypes; it looked like a romantic Jane Austen cottage that just decided to have a vineyard on it's grounds instead of a cabbage patch.
Admittedly, as vineyards go it is a rather small one. But every single one of the employees you meet obviously loves it heart and soul and they excitedly answer all your questions about the different types of grapes they grow and the reason behind that selection (from climate and soil preferences to taste).
We were a bit early for the guided tour so the staff invited us to stroll around and explore.
Besides wine, there is a number of fruit and botany that is lovingly cared for and is the perfect backdrop for a romantic walk.
Or the perfect playing ground for two overly-curious German tourists. Same same but different.
We did loose track of time a bit, so we had to hurry all the way back to the entrance where the tour guide was already waiting with a charming American family. They took us through the facilities (which includes a candy manufacture - they even make their own chocolate!) and explained the process used for the different types of wine and spirits as well as the machinery. You could practically feel that everyone we met loved their job.
The tour was topped of with a wine tasting before we were let loose on the gift shop. Which is certainly very clever and we may or may not have bought the entire shop. After all, we needed gifts for friends and family at home and we were on vacations - so we wanted something for us to enjoy. What can you do?
The day was a great break from hiking - my legs would probably not have made it through another trip and we spend the evening back in our hotel with a few glasses of wine and some chocolate.
As always the Bus system in Jersey was perfectly connected (there really is no reason to rent a car or even bring your own) and navigated us to the conveniently named Devil's Hole bus stop with ease. From there we mad the short track while the sun was out in full forth.
Full disclosure: we didn't make the whole track as outlined below. We started at the end - which is Devil's Hole and then made our way only roughly up to where the first little white man is hiking on the map.
But Devil's Hole alone would have been worth the trip. It's a circular cave where during high tide massive waves come splashing out. A bit like a hydraulic volcano. Unfortunately, we only found the time to visit during low tide, so we didn't get to see it in all its natural glory. Mom vowed to be back though and I'm not entirely uninclined to join her myself.
Just look at the scenery!
Having some time to kill before our next pit stop we followed the hiking trail East for a little while.
Strolling along the cliff we were searching for the perfect morning nap spot. It's a thing - don't judge.
We did manage to find just the spot to hang loose with the sun in our faces and the waves soothing in our ears. The perfect way to spend a late morning. Alas, we couldn't dwell for too long as my highlight of the day was coming up.
Ever since I got my hands on the first tourist map when we arrived in Jersey, I begged mom to come to the La Mare wine estate with me. And that was despite a healthy dose of scepticism as I don't generally associate Britain with good wine. I'm pretty sure no one does. But Jersey is close enough to France that I was ready to be surprised (and the pictures looked amazing).
And pleasantly surprised I was. To throw in all British stereotypes; it looked like a romantic Jane Austen cottage that just decided to have a vineyard on it's grounds instead of a cabbage patch.
Admittedly, as vineyards go it is a rather small one. But every single one of the employees you meet obviously loves it heart and soul and they excitedly answer all your questions about the different types of grapes they grow and the reason behind that selection (from climate and soil preferences to taste).
We were a bit early for the guided tour so the staff invited us to stroll around and explore.
Besides wine, there is a number of fruit and botany that is lovingly cared for and is the perfect backdrop for a romantic walk.
Or the perfect playing ground for two overly-curious German tourists. Same same but different.
We did loose track of time a bit, so we had to hurry all the way back to the entrance where the tour guide was already waiting with a charming American family. They took us through the facilities (which includes a candy manufacture - they even make their own chocolate!) and explained the process used for the different types of wine and spirits as well as the machinery. You could practically feel that everyone we met loved their job.
The tour was topped of with a wine tasting before we were let loose on the gift shop. Which is certainly very clever and we may or may not have bought the entire shop. After all, we needed gifts for friends and family at home and we were on vacations - so we wanted something for us to enjoy. What can you do?
The day was a great break from hiking - my legs would probably not have made it through another trip and we spend the evening back in our hotel with a few glasses of wine and some chocolate.
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