The magic of Sark

We recently spent six wonderful days on the magical island of Sark, a place that has stolen my heart, like Byron Bay in Australia, it is just out of this world, as if a true gift from the universe and I felt that I had died and gone to heaven many times over.

We camped the first few nights, and I will never forget waking in the middle of the night and going outside to witness the many stars overhead and the moon rising in the distance, still there, higher in the sky though, the next morning. It felt like my own private show, everyone else asleep and just these marvellous skies that you miss sleeping inside.

We stayed in self catering too, which felt like luxury after the camping, and I really did feel as if we had been blessed, the weather was phenomenal and we swam in the sea as much as we could, hiking up and down the cliffs, often with Eben in arms, and I discovered the joy that is Derrible Bay; there is always something new to discover on every trip, and never enough time to visit all that one might like to visit.

If you haven’t been to Sark please go, but please do venture further than the Bel Air and the Mermaid, further the Stocks too, I know it’s a popular one for lunch (and it is a beautiful hotel owned by lovely yogis, which we are very grateful to use for our retreats, it’s only a short walk from Dixcart too), but Sark has so much more to offer. It’s an island that has hidden treasures that will share itself with you the more you open up to it and notice and appreciate its beauty.

There’s nothing quite as special as a high tide morning swim at La Greve de la Ville, below the lighthouse, for example. I enjoy the walk too, there’s plenty of blackberries for the picking at the moment, helped get the children back up the hill! The morning light shimmers on the sea, and the clarity of the water is magnificent, it always sets me up well for the day head, there’s magic in that bay that’s for sure, even the children swam, their first proper Sark sea swim!

Mind you there’s a little bit of magic in all the bays. We visited Derrible for the first time and it was well worth it, visiting Sarkhenge on the way, and down the steep path, I left a sleeping Eben with E and Grandma at the top, but Elijah and I were both fine on the path and over the rocks at the bottom, joining some of our Sark friends celebrating a birthday.

Estelle showed us the caves, which are magnificent, especially the creux, which means a cave without a roof, and this one feels like you might be in a cathedral, there is an energy to it, go and have a feel. The swim was wonderful here too, it’s a lovely sandy beach and with record temperatures, the sea was much needed and extremely welcoming.

There’s Dixcart of course, just down from Stocks (see you can go for a swim before lunch!) and we managed a few trips down here. It’s fab swimming both at high and low tide, and has a little waterfall for the children to potter around, playing in the stream too, and going in and out of the arch. The walk down is beautiful, through the ancient-feeling woodland, which is healing by its very nature, or around the cliffs, currently laden with juicy and sweet blackberries, yum!

Port du Moulin is another favourite, I’m particularly keen on high tide swimming here but we have swam at low tide too. There’s Buddhist carvings on the rocks if you venture between the cliff and Tintageu, and actually if you go around into the cave, there’s fools gold (pyrite) in the rocks. Elsewhere you might find silver and Sark amethyst and I’m sure there’s other magical stones too - you can’t help but be affected positively by all the crystal and mineral energy!

I ventured down La Grand Greve, all 360 odd steps on my own one afternoon for a low tide swim, this after two trips to Dixcart, my legs were certainly feeling it, but my gosh it was worth the effort. I hadn’t been down there at such a low tide before and I was not to be disappointed, this will be on my list next time, albeit we were treated to the hottest temperatures of the summer that particular day and I was swimming with friends.

I made it to yoga that evening, a trip to Sark is never complete without a class with Caragh, a friend, chocolatier and fellow yogini. Caragh weaves Qi gong and yoga together and we practised outside on the playing field at the Village Hall, a fab end to a fab day!

There’s so much more, we’ve still not yet managed to get to Port a la Jument, or for a swim at Rouge Terrier, nor at Havre Gosselin, let alone the Eperquerie landings as we always run out of time. We did find the Venus Pools on our last trip but the locals say there are better pools to find. It took us over to Little Sark though and I always like to visit the Dolmen there if I can as this gets you a little off the beaten track and there are more blackberries to be found!

There’s more Buddhist carvings out towards Bec du New and caves down there at Les Fontaines. There’s plenty of caves, we still have to explore many of these and this red book helps; I was introduced to Jeremy who helped to update the original version and I know now how to get on and off Derrible Bay the La Trobe-Bateman way! No trip is complete without this book in hand, and will ensure that more of Sark reveals itself to you when the time is right, and will find you wanting to return for more.

Not to say we didn’t visit the Bel Air, Eben is keen on the play equipment in there, which we think is lethal. You’ll know what we mean if you visit, but it seems to keep the children entertained! Not far away from here is Lynn’s peaceful treatment space, I visited her for a hot stone massage and was not disappointed, I highly recommend, she is an aromatherapist and Reiki Master too and teaches both Reiki and massage so she knows her stuff, go and treat yourself! She also has a one-bedroom (double) self catering unit to rent, not far from the Avenue, see https://www.lesronche.com

I could go on, about the cycling, and the joy of La Valette campsite, the heritage museum, Mont Plaisirs stores (the two ladies who run it have been friends their whole lives, and their mums were best friends before them, I like that), Caragh’s chocolate shop and cafe and all that amazing chocolate (plus the pool and trampoline, which the children loved), the charity shop with all it’s finds and Simon’s shop next door, which the children always visit, and Jill Gill’s new shop along towards the Mermaid, the cafe on the left on the way to Stocks which is by far the best place for lunch, oh and there’s a display in the old Village Hall all about Sark under the German occupation, which is fascinating and makes you feel incredibly grateful for the freedom of life lived now.

I encourage you to go and visit if you can. I’ve two retreats planned on Sark, it is a marvellous place to retreat, and these are now fully booked as if proving that. I do have it in mind to run a more intimate retreat, a soul nourishing weekend with yoga and visits to some of Sark’s special places (although it’s all special really), so let me know if you would be interested in that, and also if you’d like to go on the cancellation list for the Spring retreat - emma@beinspiredby.co.uk - but honestly any trip is a retreat and a treat too!

Thank you Sark and you beautiful Sarkees.

Love Emma x