Dick, GU4CHY will be active from Guernsey Island, IOTA EU - 114, in CQ WW DX CW Contest, 23 - 24 November 2024, as GU4CHY.
He will operate in SOSB 10m or 15m HP Category.
Recent DX Spots GU4CHY
QSL via GU4CHY direct only.
Ads for QSL direct:
Dick ALLISETTE, LILYVALE HOUSE, RUE DES HOUMETS, CASTEL, GUERNSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS GY5 7XZ, Guernsey.
What's interesting about Guernsey
“A small splinter that broke away from France and ended up in the water, where it was picked up by the English” - these words described the island of Guernsey genius Victor Hugo, who spent several years there in exile.
Guernsey Island. Author - Terence Vale.
Geographical features of Guernsey
“Sarnia” is the name given to the island by the Romans, and officially it is the ‘County of the Bailiff of Guernsey’.
Guernsey is located in the English Channel and is part of the Channel Islands, among which it is the second largest by area (63 km²).
Guernsey is a Crown Estate of Great Britain, which means that it is not part of the United Kingdom, but is under its jurisdiction. The island is also not a member of the European Union, but is part of its customs territory.
The island is divided into two geographical regions. In its southern Haut Pas region, on the plateau, there are mainly rural villages. On the north side, on the sandy lowlands, is Bas Pas, a modern industrialized area.
Guernsey's capital and most important center of business activity is St. Peter Port.
According to the statistical results of 2014, the island has a population of 62,711.
English and French are accepted as official languages in Guernsey. Although the majority of locals speak English, there is also a Norman dialect (spoken by 2% of the population).
Castle Cornet, Guernsey Island. Author - Steve W. M..
Guernsey's natural beauty
Guernsey's nature is amazing and the flora and fauna is extremely diverse.
The island is full of majestic stone cliffs and unreal caves, picturesque bays, as well as cozy beaches surrounded by proud cliffs.
The temperate climate prevailing in the area has turned the island into a lush, fragrant garden with lush vegetation that blooms 12 months a year. More than 450 species of plants grow here - exotic flowers, various shrubs and trees of all kinds. On Guernsey is also widely developed cultivation of flowers for commercial purposes, and a special pride is the lily “Guernsey” - the symbol of this island.
Philippine deer, coconut crabs, sea swallows, wings, and meter-long lizards can be found here. The bay is home to more than 1000 varieties of fish: swordfish, parrotfish, clownfish, rays, sharks.
Fort Doyle, Guernsey Island. Author - Neil Howard.
What to see on the island
Guernsey may be considered the last place where Norman culture survives in its true form. The local architecture is an interweaving of many historical eras. Since 1993 Guernsey has had a program designed to protect its cultural and historical treasures. On the island next to the ancient buildings of XII-XIII centuries are comfortably located modern buildings.
Many ancient monuments of architecture serve as evidence of the rich military past of this land. On a small island connected to Guernsey by a pier stands the famous Cornet Castle. This 800-year-old fortress has been fully restored and is now used for displays at the Maritime Museum and a museum telling the history of the castle. There are many large-scale bastions and castles and high observation towers scattered around the island - you can literally see the whole island from them!
Guernsey also has windmills, most of which were built during the Middle Ages. Now almost all of them are used for other purposes.
What else is worth seeing in Guernsey? It will be interesting to visit the Diamond Museum, the Telephone Museum, the Museum of History and Art, and Fort Grey with its Shipwreck Museum. Among other sights of interest is the Randall Brewery, where you can taste beer made according to very ancient recipes. The Sculpture Park, the Subtropical Garden and the garden at the Cornet Castle are also worth a stroll.
Affordable activities
Guernsey can be considered a paradise for those who love to walk. With every step, with every turn of the road or path, new picturesque views open up before travelers. Thanks to the large number of bastions and other ancient structures, such a walk will be like a tour through the Middle Ages.
Art lovers can head to St. Peter Porte. This city is a concentration of art museums and exhibitions.
Those who are professionally engaged in diving and surfing will also find something to do in Guernsey.
It is desirable to get to this island by May 9, when Liberation Day is celebrated here. This event deserves attention: bright demonstrations, incredible fireworks, a lot of attractions.
In addition, Guernsey often holds all kinds of festivals that surprise with their scale. Among such festivals, the most interesting ones are the Donkey Parade, Spring Flowers Week, Spring Walks Festival.
