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• Beaches, Green Spaces & the Coast

Beaches, Green Spaces & the Coast

• Bathing Water Quality
  • Thirteen of Guernsey's beaches are tested every year against standards conforming to the EU Bathing Water Quality Directive 2006. The Directive sets standards for Escherichia coli and Intestinal enterococci. Samples are collected by Environmental Health and tested by the States' Analyst. Bathing water classification of beaches from 2017 onwards will be determined on a rolling 95th percentile record of the previous four seasons' results to determine if a beach is assessed as 'excellent', 'good', 'sufficient', or 'poor' overall.
• Beach BBQs
  • Beach barbeques can be lit between 5:00pm and midnight on the Island's north and west coast beaches, excluding the Richmond end of Vazon. Permission is required for beach barbeques to be attended by more than ten people.
• Cliffs and Coastal Paths
  • Guernsey has over 42 miles of coastal paths to be enjoyed. The maritime heathland, cliff-top grasslands and west coast dunes and grasslands support a rich array of vegetation, with many species which are rare in the United Kingdom.
• Coastal Defence and Management
  • The Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure is responsible for the strategy and oversight of the Island's coastal defence infrastructure. At operational level; Land Management Services co-ordinate both capital and maintenance projects and are supported by engineers from Property Services.
• Dogs on beaches
  • Most of Guernsey's beaches are dog friendly during the summer months. The beaches where dogs are banned between 1st May and 30th September are Fermain, Petit Bot, L'Erée, Vazon (Northern end), Cobo, Port Soif, L'Ancresse and Pembroke. Please see the map available in the download section of this page.
• Nature Reserves
  • The Guernsey environment is unique and is central to every aspect of life. Our coastal zone, boasting one of the largest tidal ranges in the world, has a range of sea life to be envied and protected. That same tidal zone along with the coastal fringe, rugged cliffs and natural flora and fauna provide Guernsey with a characteristic landscape worthy of international recognition. Guernsey's countryside with its narrow lanes, earth banks, douits, vernacular architecture and small hedgerow bordered fields (supported by the dairy farming of a prized breed) presents a mosaic of land parcels where individual species and small constrained habitats are key to the island's biodiversity.
• Parks and Gardens
  • Guernsey has a rich horticultural heritage and this is reflected in many of its parks and gardens. The Agriculture, Countryside and Land Management Service looks after over 30 sites island-wide, including Saumarez Park, Candie Gardens and many of the town gardens and plantations. Further information on Candie Gardens and Saumarez Park can be found below.
• Water Skiing Permits
  • Information and application form for permission to exceed the speed limit in certain areas for the purpose of water skiing.

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