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A Postcard from Guernsey
Hand Picked Magazine is delighted to introduce our new travel feature ‘A Postcard From...’ celebrating treasured places, memories and experiences. In this issue, style writer-turned-knitwear designer Lynne Coleman shares her love affair with gorgeous Guernsey and the joys of living an ‘Enid Blyton’ existence.
Greetings from Guernsey
As a sunrise girl, I can never get over how gorgeous they are here, especially on the east coast; they must be the best on the planet. There’s no better way to start the day than enjoying breakfast set to the first rays of the day. Whatever the weather, a sea swim with friends, is a year-round highlight of my day. When summer slides into autumn, I love how the crisp ocean reveals warm pockets of surface water, like hidden gems, and that wonderful briny ozone scent of sea meeting shore as your cold, salty skin gently comes back to body temperature while lying on Fermain’s hot pebbles. It’s a sublime sensory overload.
As a child growing up in Glasgow, I’d visualise a fictitious beach bay flanked by luscious greenery when I needed to mentally retreat. The image got more prolific as a teenager doing yoga, I’d use it as a post-workout cooldown, and it stuck throughout my twenties and early thirties. When I first stepped foot on Fermain, I burst into happy tears as it was the beach I’d dreamt about. The reality of watching my babies grow up into little men on that bay has surpassed any fantasy I could ever have had. The place just speaks to your soul. I love watching people fall in love with it when they come here.
If there’s time in my day, I’ll squeeze in a visit to see Arthur and Judy at Guernsey Woollens, home of the iconic Guernsey Jumper. I love the noise of the knitting machine and the energy in the factory is so special. Watching the wool go from yarn to garment is a thing of wonder and a testament to the incredible skills of these local artisans. Kicking off the afternoon with a boat trip to the south coast or all the way to Herm’s Shell Beach is just bliss, particularly with some fried food and an Irn Bru in hand (you can take the girl out of Scotland!). I’m always at my most content when I’m with my boys, I just love watching them splashing off the back of the boat into the water.
On the rare occasion I get my glad rags on, an evening of dancing at Red with the balcony windows open and the sea breeze fanning a packed dancefloor is a hoot! Failing that you’ll find me by the pool with the big guy and the butterflies fluttering around at dusk. For me, Guernsey really is an Enid Blyton-book existence.