Thinking of travelling to Guernsey from the UK and wondering where to start? How do you get to Guernsey from the UK? Can you take a dog to Guernsey on the ferry? What is the ferry time to Guernsey from Poole? Here is all you need to know about taking the ferry to Guernsey.
We love ferry travel with kids for so many reasons. I find it far less stressful and dare I say it… relaxing. So we didn’t hesitate in taking the ferry to Guernsey for our holiday this year.
Taking the Ferry from Poole to Guernsey
We arrived into Poole in good time. The roads were fairly straightforward and we planned our journey in advance to include the toll roads to save time.
Taking the ferry to Guernsey with Condor Ferries is straightforward from the United Kingdom. You have a choice of sailings from Portsmouth and from Poole. We opted for the high speed ferry from Poole to Guernsey, which works out as a journey time of around 3 hours. Alternatively you can take the ferry from Portsmouth to Guernsey and this takes around 7 hours.
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Ferry travel with Condor Ferries
Booking your ferry travel with Condor ferries is straightforward. They offer;
*Free amendments unto 48 hours before your departure (with the difference in fare to pay)
*Duty free bargains
*A great service, straighforward to book, board, travel and disembark
And you can take your pet – more on this later..
Once we arrived at Poole port the signs were straightforward and the staff were friendly and helpful. We parked up to take out dog for a long walk before the journey. Just to add, if you are taking the car or van, check in closes 1 hour before the scheduled departure time. If you are travelling on foot check in close 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Poole to Guernsey ferry journey
The journey to Guernsey from Poole took around 3 hours. This was enough time to enjoy the facilities on offer, relax, have a bite to eat and wander out onto the deck to enjoy the sea views.
On the high speed ferry you will have a comfortable seat for your journey, and this is in close proximity to the toilets, bar and restaurant. There is also duty free on board for you to grab some savings. I took the children out on to the deck for some fresh air, and there are plenty of seats dotted around outside if you prefer to sit out on the deck.
Travelling with a dog from poole to Guernsey with Condor
So this is the first time that we took our puppy on a ferry, and I was a little nervous. We have a crate in the campervan for travel, and we made sure that we arrived in good time to give him a decent walk and lunch before we boarded.
Pets are not allowed in the passenger lounges (except recognised assistance dogs). Your pet must stay in the vehicle, with fresh air and water. We had a crate in the vehicle and made sure that our puppy didn’t have a collar, harness or lead on that may get trapped or caught. You are allowed to go and check on your pet if you wish, but you need to be accompanied by a member of the ship’s crew, (and it is also dependent on weather conditions).
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Why we choose ferry travel to Guernsey
- We were able to take our campervan and all of our luggage with us, with no luggage limits. So we were able to pack the paddle boards, wetsuits, kayak and literally EVERYTHING we needed for our week in Guernsey with no worries
- We could take our dog with us on our holiday
- The travel was straighforward and stress free. Communication from Condor ferries was brilliant. The boarding cards were emailed to us prior to our journey along with any sailing updates.
- Check-in was simple, as was boarding and disembarking.
- Travel from the UK is straightforward, and you just need photographic ID at check in (Children under the age of 16 can travel on domestic services without photo ID provided the accompanying adult can vouch for their identification).
- The kids love ferry travel, we are all able to enjoy the deck, walk around and stretch our legs, and the adults get the chance to relax with a coffee for the journey!
Travel to Guernsey with kids
If you are wondering what is there to do in Guernsey with kids, well you won’t be disappointed. The island is 25 square miles, and there is so much to see and do on the Islands of Guernsey for families. It is an absolute gem, I almost don’t want to share it with you – I might keep it all to myself.
Guernsey is an incredible and beautiful island, with 27 beautiful beaches and bays to enjoy. Here are a few of our favourite things to do and see in Guernsey;
Our favourite beach had to be Grandes Rocques Beach
Why? because it is a beautiful sandy beach with pink-hued granite rocks and grassy dunes with gorgeous white sand. The beach is sheltered and therefore perfect for paddle boarding or swimming. Our son loved the rockpools too.
There is a large car park and a kiosk selling food, drink and ice creams. There is also parking adjacent to the beach.
We were able to take our dog onto Grandes Rocques beach too.
Castle Cornet
Castle Cornet is Guernsey’s ancient harbour fortress. The Castle features five museums that tell the story of Guernsey’s military and maritime history, and is well worth a visit with children if you are visiting. We also found a little hidden gem whilst we were there – there is a little beach at Castle Cornet with the most incredible sea glass!! The kids loved searching for seaglass !!
La Valette Bathing Pools
Just a few minutes walk from Castle Cornet you will find the bathing pools in Saint Peter Port, also near to Havelet Bay. The bathing pools offer a safe place for outdoor swimming for all of the family to enjoy and you can enjoy the most beautiful views while you swim!!!
St Peter Port
St Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey.
With cobbled streets, colourful buildings, bunting flags, and an abundance of shops and restaurants it is an absolute delight. St Peter Port is set against the stunning backdrop of Castle Cornet. We loved wandering around the harbour, visiting Castle Breakwater lighthouse and Havelat bay, before stopping off for an amazing milkshake at our favourite – MYLK.
Island hopping
Whilst we were staying in Guernsey we took a trip to the Island of Sark, a car free island accessible from Guernsey by boat. We were able to visit with our golden retriever too as dogs are allowed on the 50 minute boat ride, and we were thrilled that we managed to spot dolphins during our crossing!!!!!
Sark is an incredible island to visit….. It is really like stepping back in time. You will find no cars or streetlights and magical starry skies. Even better – you can only get around the island by foot, bike or horse and carriage. We loved exploring Sark, what a wonderful and unique island (and easily accessible from Guernsey).
The Little Chapel
The Little Chapel was a labour of love built by Brother Déodat, who started work in March 1914. The version of The Little Chapel that we visited is actually the third version.
The Little Chapel is made out of pebbles and broken china. Some of the china was donated from Wedgwood, which we loved to see and was a nod to our home town Stoke on Trent.
Our girls loved visiting this stunning chapel. It is a truly wonderful experience and free to visit too.
I will share more of our trip to Guernsey soon including our favourite places to visit. But before I sign off… I have to warn you…..
Once you visit, it will steal your heart, so much so that you will definitely want to return time and time again. The people here are incredible. We made some wonderful friends during our stay, and we are already planning a return visit next year.
To book your ferry travel pop over to Condor ferries.
For more information on Guernsey Visit Guernsey
*Disclosure – Were were provided with complimentary travel for the purpose of the review on our first trip to Guernsey. However previous trips to Guernsey we have paid for our own travel. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
