Hiking Through Britain’s Land Lost in Time
One of our staff adventured through Britain’s Jurassic Coast and Channel Islands, weaving together a wonderful journey full of culture and hiking. Take a look at some of her photos below.
In the Spring of 2019, my husband and I made the trip across the pond to England to trace the footsteps of our Ancient Britain to the Channel Islands trip. As a lover of hiking and the outdoors, I have longed to visit England’s dramatic landscapes, stunning coastlines, and beautiful rolling hills. With stops in the secluded Channel Islands and visits to historic sites such as Stonehenge and the Jurassic Coast, this truly was the adventure of a lifetime!
Our little home away from home was the Stocks Hotel, tucked away on the tiny car-free island of Sark. The hotel was originally built in 1741 and is only accessible by horse and carriage, bike, or foot. They make their own gin liquors and our groups enjoy a tasting before dinner during their stay, and the distillers often frequent the hotel and are happy to talk to anyone about their gin and how they began making it. The island of Sark is a designated night sky reserve, and on a clear night, you can see the entire Milky Way by just walking around the hotel.
Starting at the hotel we walked over Le Coupee and into Little Sark where our local guide Jan quickly led us away from the main trail and onto remote paths that lie around the coast of Sark. Walking through fields of grazing cows and sheep, we followed the small coastal trail around the very tip of Little Sark while learning the history of the small island and the significance of it, along with the other Channel Islands, played during WWII.
This is the beach located directly below the right cliff of Le Coupee! A steep set of stairs take you from the very top of Le Coupee down 262 feet to this stunning stretch of sand. Once you are on the beach you can dip your toes into the beautiful blue water and take in the beauty of the absolutely humongous cliff you’ve just walked down from and the other islands surrounding you. It looks much higher from the beach!
Le Coupee! This is the only path that gets you from “Big Sark” to “Little Sark”. It’s the most beautiful viewpoint on the entire island of Sark (in my opinion). This beautiful path, accessible by foot only, is about nine feet wide.
The Jurassic Coast, Dorset! This photo was taken of the “Old Harry Rocks” just as the sun was setting. These cliffs are absolutely stunning and leave you breathless. The almost white chalk cliffs were formed 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period and are a part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
The Salisbury Cathedral is a perfect example of medieval architecture and the home to the Magna Carta. Construction on this cathedral started in April of 1220 and continued through 1266 as Bell Towers and Chapter Houses were added. The tower and spire were added later between 1300 and 1320 and enlarged the cathedral drastically. The spire, standing at 404 feet tall is still the tallest in England! Our groups have the opportunity to take the spiral staircases to the base of the spire for a panoramic view of Salisbury, 332 steps to be exact!
My husband, Justin, and I in front of a completely empty Stonehenge! Beginning just up the road at Woodhenge and Durrington Walls, our groups walk around the grounds and learn about the history and theories of this magnificent Neolithic stone structure built more than 4,500 years ago.
We are also some of the lucky few to spend time walking in between Stonehenge during our inner-circle access tour just before sunset. With the general admission path far away, you really get to understand how special it is to be so close to history.
Face to face with Stonehenge. The stone on the left has what looks like a face carved into it—a detail that would be impossible to see from outside of the stone circle.
—Text and photos by WT staff Brandi Brush-Orozco, Ancient Britain to the Channel Islands.
April 28, 2026
