Tourism in Alderney
Encyclopedia
Tourism in Alderney
is promoted by Alderney Tourism. The primary tourist attraction is the Alderney Railway
.
. The railway, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1847, runs a diesel engine pulling decommissioned London Underground
carriages and draws a number of railway enthusiasts from all over the world. The island is also home to the Alderney Lighthouse
, constructed in 1912. Birdwatching
is a popular activity among visitors to Alderney, and the island's bird hide
s, positioned near the Longis and Mannez ponds, attract 2,500 visitors a year. Alderney is also home to a number of beaches.
The island also has a nine-hole golf course with alternate tees. The course is said to be one of the most difficult in the Channel Islands because of the wind and a number of scenic bays.
television - shows such as The Nature of Britain
and Coast
had a heavy focus on the island's natural and social history.
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
is promoted by Alderney Tourism. The primary tourist attraction is the Alderney Railway
Alderney Railway
The Alderney Railway in Alderney is the only working railway in the Channel Islands. It opened in 1847 and runs for about two miles , mostly following a coastal route, from Braye Road to Mannez Quarry and Lighthouse....
.
Attractions
The island is home to the only working railway in the Channel IslandsChannel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
. The railway, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1847, runs a diesel engine pulling decommissioned London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
carriages and draws a number of railway enthusiasts from all over the world. The island is also home to the Alderney Lighthouse
Alderney Lighthouse
The Alderney Lighthouse is a stone lighthouse built on the North-East coast of the island of Alderney. It was constructed in 1912 to protect shipping from the dangerous waters of the Alderney Race and the numerous rocks surrounding Alderney.-History:The Alderney Lighthouse was constructed from...
, constructed in 1912. Birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
is a popular activity among visitors to Alderney, and the island's bird hide
Bird hide
A bird hide is a shelter, often camouflaged, that is used to observe wildlife, especially birds, at close quarters. Although hides were once built chiefly as hunting aids, they are now commonly found in parks and wetlands for the use of bird watchers, ornithologists and other observers who do not...
s, positioned near the Longis and Mannez ponds, attract 2,500 visitors a year. Alderney is also home to a number of beaches.
The island also has a nine-hole golf course with alternate tees. The course is said to be one of the most difficult in the Channel Islands because of the wind and a number of scenic bays.
Statistics
8,099 people arrived in Alderney by commercial aircraft in September 2007. This is an increase of 16 per cent from September 2006, when the figure was 6,978. 190 private aircraft landed in Alderney in September 2007, as did 1,550 by private yacht. 604 passengers arrived in Alderney on the Manche Iles Express boat in September 2007 - although this is a decrease in passengers of 73 per cent, this was mostly due to a temporary cut in the number of sailings to the island. The Government of Alderney believed that the increase in visits to Alderney in September 2007 was due to the increased publicity given to the island on mainland United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
television - shows such as The Nature of Britain
The Nature of Britain
The Nature of Britain is a nature documentary series made for British television by the BBC Natural History Unit. It was first broadcast on BBC1 in October and November 2007...
and Coast
Coast (TV series)
Coast is a BBC documentary series first broadcast on BBC Two television in 2005. A second series started on 26 October 2006, a third in early 2007 and a fourth in mid-2009...
had a heavy focus on the island's natural and social history.