Alderney

Alderney is the third largest of the Channel Islands, and though it is the most northerly, is curiously the closest to France, which is only 6 miles away. However, the island remains British, both politically (as a Crown dependancy) and in character. Imagine a little island - just one and a half miles wide and three and a half miles long with just over two thousand friendly and welcoming inhabitants. Like Guernsey and Jersey, the island enjoys a mild climate and independence, with its own government and a fledgling off-shore finance and E-commerce sector.The island is highly fortified, due to it's strategic position in the English Channel. The fortifications are partly Victorian, and partly German, who occupied the Channel Islands during World War II. There is a large harbour on the north side of the island, which has one of the longest breakwaters in Europe. 

Despite its closeness to mainland France (8 miles), Guernsey (23 miles), Jersey (30 miles) and the Isle of Wight (60 miles), Alderney has managed to avoid mainstream tourism. Remote, yet well-connected with direct scheduled air and sea links from the UK, Alderney has its own airport and harbour.

Until the mid 18th century, when the first harbour at Braye was built, in historic times almost the entire population lived in the town area, developed from the original ‘nucleated village’ settlement in a hollow around the Bourgage and the church. There were only the water mill at Platte Saline and few buildings, except for defensive positions, outside this area. The farm buildings were mostly attached to the houses, many of which were built back into the slope of the ground behind them.

The island’s proximity to France means that species found on mainland Europe but not in Britain, are sometimes seen here. Among Alderney’s more unusual residents are black rabbits and about 1,000 extremely rare blonde – yes blonde – hedgehogs, also known as “Alderney Spike Girls”. The origin of the blonde hedgehogs which carry no fleas, remains a mystery, although some claim the first species arrived, on the island in the 1960’s, in a Harrods shopping bag. Not albinos, these hedgehogs have a rare recessive gene giving rise to beady, button-black eyes and attractive creamy-coloured spines and Alderney is the only Channel Island known to host them. What’s more, they don’t carry fleas.

The 870-metre long breakwater on the north-west coast of Alderney is not only an important part of the island's heritage. It provides protection to the Island's Commercial Quay, to ferries and cargo ships, and sheltered moorings for the fishing fleet, and thousands of yachts (which make an important contribution to the Island's economy) .

The construction of the Admiralty Breakwater was originally approved in 1844 to provide an anchorage for the Royal Navy from which the fleet could watch, and if necessary, blockade the French port of Cherbourg. The actual construction of the 1,430 m breakwater commenced in 1847 and was finally completed in 1864. It was also planned to enclose the harbour with an Eastern Breakwater rooted from rock outcrops at Saye/Arch bays.