Today I want to bring you my itinerary for spending 3 days in Alderney. The hidden gem of the Channel Islands, this place is just 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the coast of France. Alderney is known for its stunning beaches, storied history, and relaxed pace of life. It’s the perfect spot to get away from it all. I’m here now and I’m excited to share my itinerary with you. I’ve included a map, too.
3 Days in Alderney
Alderney is paradise in the English Channel. With its abundance of natural beauty, unique wildlife (wait ’till you hear about the blonde hedgehogs), and warm hospitality, the island offers a truly unique travel experience.
I’ve come here via a train to Southampton Airport Parkway and a 25-minute Aurigny flight from Southampton Airport to Alderney. Given the railway station is right across the street from the airport (and the airport is small and quick to navigate), it’s an easy journey.
Now that I’m here, I’m looking forward to discovering what this under-the-radar island has to offer. Given it’s 3 miles long and 1.5 wide (4.8 kilometers long and 2.41 wide), I know I’ll be able to see the highlights in 3 days.
Where to Stay
I’ve been invited to Alderney to stay at a boutique hotel called The Blonde Hedgehog. Nestled in the heart of the main town of St. Anne, it’s housed in a number of beautifully restored heritage buildings.
The elegant interiors of the rooms, suites, and self-catering properties feature decor that blends comfort and style. I stay in The Burrow, a spacious room with everything from a free-standing bathtub to a super king bed, en-suite bathroom with a walk-in shower, and luxurious amenities. It’s a blissful haven.
The Blonde Hedgehog is also home to a renowned restaurant, cozy lounge spaces, a sunny garden, and exceptionally welcoming and professional staff. If that sounds like your cup of tea, you can book your stay here.
Day 1
When my flight lands in Alderney, I’m whisked off on an island tour by Michelle Rick, a local taxi driver The Blonde Hedgehog has sent to show me around.
As we drive along the coast, she points out everything from the armada of forts commissioned by Queen Victoria to the pristine beaches, picture-pretty lighthouse, World War II bunkers, and ancient Roman ruins.
By the time we reach St. Anne, I’m amazed by how much there is to discover on the island. I can’t wait to dig deeper throughout my stay.
Lunch
After we reach The Blonde Hedgehog, I check into my room and meet the director, Tracey Farquhar-Beck, for lunch in the restaurant.
As we tuck into delicious salads and mushroom burgers, she tells me how the hotel was born from a visitor’s vision of having a boutique bolthole on the island.
Tour
When we finish eating, she shows me around the hotel. I get a chance to see a range of rooms, all of which are unique and have clearly been decorated by someone with an eye for design.
She also takes me to The Old Corner House, a charming three-bedroom self-catering cottage across the street. With its big stone fireplace and timber beams, it’s so cozy I want to move in.
Not far away, she shows me La Frette Farm, an exclusive four-bedroom retreat on the outskirts of town. Just 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel, it offers a unique stay surrounded by Alderney’s tranquil beauty.
Yoga
After the tour I head to a yoga lesson. A short drive from the hotel, a local teacher named Natalie Hildon welcomes me into the spacious, light-filled Yogalderney Studio in a house called La Roselle.
For the next hour she guides me through a session that awakens my muscle memory from the days I practiced yoga regularly. Even if I’d had no experience at all, I would have been in good hands.
When we’re done, she tells me about her regular yoga classes on the island. They take place at the studio several days a week, and they’re open to anyone. They’re a great way to get into the relaxed way of life on the island.
Sauna & Sea Swim
After yoga I meet the owner of La Roselle and Yogalderney. Like Natalie, Clare Evans is a yoga teacher. She runs regular classes, and she’s also hosting upcoming yoga retreats in destinations as wide-ranging as Tenerife, India, and Morocco.
Clare is an avid swimmer, too. As such, she drives me down to Corblets Beach for a unique sauna and sea swim experience. When we arrive, we discover Adrift, a mobile wood-fired sauna perched atop a hill overlooking the turquoise water.
For the next hour, we alternate sitting in the sauna (which has a big window framing picture-pretty views of the sea) and swimming in the bay. It’s as enjoyable as it is invigorating, and it feels like I’ve landed in paradise.
Dinner
In the evening I meet Tracey, Natalie, and Clare back at The Blonde Hedgehog for dinner. The restaurant is buzzing, and we sit at a table with a view of the garden.
The meal is every bit as good as our lunch was, as is the service. We tuck into dishes of seared scallops, salmon, and lemon posset, and I get to hear more about the island and how it draws people in with its fresh sea air, charming town, sweeping landscapes, and peaceful vibes.
Day 2
The next morning my 3 days in Alderney continue with breakfast at The Blonde Hedgehog. There’s a buffet in the middle of the dining room, as well as an a la carte menu with everything from Eggs Benedict to butter bean cassoulet. With a pot of fresh coffee, it all goes down a treat in the sunny room.
Cycling Tour
After breakfast I walk through the cobbled streets of St. Anne to get to the Alderney Wildlife Trust. There I meet the CEO, Roland Gauvin. He’s an ecologist with over 20 years of experience in island environments.
Roland welcomes me to the island and takes me to a local shop that rents e-bikes. I get outfitted, and soon we’re off on one of the trust’s tailor-made cycling tours around Alderney.
We cruise past dramatic coastal areas, woodlands, and wetlands, spotting gannets on the dramatic Les Etacs rocks and learning about local fauna and island history as we go.
After a delicious picnic lunch from The Blonde Hedgehog, Roland invites me on a research boat trip to a nearby island called Burhou. It’s home to the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the Channel Islands.
I hop on board, soaking up the views of Alderney and the birds as we speed out to Burhou and back. Along the way, I learn that the Alderney Wildlife Trust offers regular puffin and gannet boat tours for visitors.
Coastal Walk
Back on land, I return the e-bike and set off on a walk. Alderney is home to over 50 miles (80 kilometers) of paths and trails, and given my love of walking I can’t wait to get out and explore them.
There are coastal paths along the cliffs near St. Anne, and they’re a short walk from the hotel. I head out to the sea and spend an hour soaking up the dramatic shoreline. It’s peaceful and beautiful, and I could stay all day.
Dinner
In the evening I’m treated to a special tasting menu from Head Chef Stephen Scott at The Blonde Hedgehog. Given how delicious all the food has been so far, I know I’m in for a treat.
Seated at a window table in the dining room, I tuck into a multi-course meal that shows off the restaurant’s farm-and-sea-to-table ethos. The chef uses locally-sourced produce as much as possible, aiming to highlight the culinary treasures of Alderney.
My tasting menu features everything from mushroom and truffle parfait to local brill and a selection of desserts. Each dish stands out in its own way, and the meal is a truly memorable one.
Blonde Hedgehog & Bat Walk
After dinner I burn off some calories by taking a walk through town before joining the Alderney Wildlife Society’s blonde hedgehog and bat walk. Departing at sunset with Roland as our guide, we stroll through town to seek out the island’s wildlife.
Roland gives us each a bat detector, which we use to search out the animals in and around town. We see a number of them flying overhead before the sky gets fully dark.
When it does, we look for hedgehogs. Both brown and blonde ones frequent the island’s gardens and snuffle about the hedgerows.
Alderney is particularly famous for the blonde ones (hence the name of the hotel that’s hosting me). We don’t spot any, but we see a couple of brown ones on the walk before we head back to the main part of St. Anne.
Day 3
The next morning my trip to Alderney continues with a delicious breakfast of Eggs Royale at The Blonde Hedgehog. Afterwards I’m picked up by Michelle, the same taxi driver who gave me the tour when I arrived.
Padel
A short drive from the hotel, we arrive at the Alderney Tennis and Padel Club. Overlooking Platte Saline Bay, this place is popular with both local and visiting sports enthusiasts.
After a quick greeting by Edward Hill, the chairman, I head out to the Padel courts with an expert coach named Borja Jimenez-Quesada. He spends the next hour teaching me how to play the tennis-like game. It’s fun and relatively easy to learn, and by the end we’re able to rally.
Massage
After the lesson, I head into the clubhouse. One of the spaces has been converted into a cozy massage room, and I meet Natalie for a 30-minute fully-clothed Thai massage. It’s a great way to relax after playing Padel, not to mention a good opportunity to reconnect with Natalie after our yoga session.
Lunch
After the massage I head back to The Blonde Hedgehog for one last meal. It’s as good as all the others (seriously, the food here is worth visiting Alderney for), and it sets me up well for my journey back to London.
3 Days in Alderney
Soon I’m flying to Southampton and hopping on a train to Waterloo. I arrive back in the UK capital in time to meet a friend for dinner.
I tell her all about my trip to the Channel Islands, detailing everything from the wonderful hotel stay to the activities, food, coastline, and people.
By the end of the meal I’ve convinced her to visit Alderney. I hope my itinerary has inspired you to do the same. I’m already dreaming of my next trip, if for no other reason than to try to spot a blonde hedgehog.
Alderney Map
As promised, I created an interactive Google map of all the places I went on my trip. You can find it here. I hope it helps you plan your own visit. If you want to see more of the Channel Islands, you can take a look at my itinerary for Guernsey.
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