After the Guernsey Marathon: Herm

The Route: St Peter Port → Herm → St Peter Port Logistics: Travel Trident ferry from St Peter Port harbour, about 20 minutes each way. Herm is reached only by boat, and landing can depend on the tide. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

St Peter Port harbour ──(approx. 20 mins, Travel Trident)──> Herm harbour
        ▲                                                         │
        └──────────────(last boat back: check before landing)─────┘

The Guernsey Marathon is on Sunday 18 April 2027, and the Monday after is the day to be on a boat and not on a hill. Herm is the smallest of the islands you can reach in a morning. It is a few kilometres long, has no cars, and the biggest gradient is the one between the harbour and the pub.

April on Herm is early in the season. Travel Trident says it runs year-round, but the timetable is lighter than in summer, and the island's own cafés and rooms may not all be open. Check herm.com for what is running that week, and confirm the time of the last boat back before you land. Wind is the other April fact. A boat crossing can be bumpy, and the paths at the south end are exposed.

Book the ferry at traveltrident.com or at the harbour. The April timetable was not labelled for 2027 in October 2026, so look again closer to the date. Landing at Herm depends on the tide: at low water the boats may use steps at the end of the harbour rather than the quay, and your return time can change with it. Allow a spare hour before any flight.

Herm on foot

Herm is about 2.4 km long and under a kilometre wide. A track runs from the harbour to the village of cottages, the small church and the manor, and a coastal path circles the island. The main track is wide and flat; the southern cliff path has short ups and downs and some steps, so ask at the harbour which parts to avoid. A complete circuit is in the region of 5 to 6 km at walking pace, which is too long at post-marathon speed. Do the northern half and sit.

Shell Beach on the north-east shore is the one place to see. It is a long strip of white sand made of crushed shells, and it is flat and level to walk on. In April the water is cold and the beach is quiet. Belvoir Bay, to the south, is smaller and needs a walk down a slope to reach.

The Mermaid Tavern at the harbour serves lunch and is the obvious place to wait for a boat. Check whether it is open in April and whether it takes bookings. The White House Hotel, the island's only hotel, is open to day visitors for refreshments in some seasons; check before you go.

Where to stay

This is a day trip from Guernsey, and the Guernsey race page covers hotels. Staying overnight on Herm is possible in cottages and at the White House Hotel, but rooms are limited and the island is quiet in April.

Getting back

The last boat back to St Peter Port is the fixed point of the day. Be at the harbour well before it. If you miss it, there is no alternative route.