The Parish and Community of Castel, Guernsey

Ruette Tranquille

Development of a Network of Green Lane's

The Castel parish project to mark the Millennium involves the establishment of a network of Green Lanes. When complete this will provide a walk of more than 10 miles from La Mare de Carteret through to the beautiful Fauxquets and Talbot valleys, before meandering back via rural picturesque countryside. Details of the route and map are as follows:

Starting from Les Carterets pumping station, created to drain the former wetlands, the pathway takes you inland along the stream to La Mare de Carteret bridge, cross the busy road carefully and follow the markers along the Saumarez nature trail which give panoramic views to the north-west above a disused quarry now a reservoir.

Pass the Ozanne Tower, formerly a museum as the trail borders Home Farm and leads you to Saumarez Park. Various picturesque walks can be taken through or around Saumarez Park before making your way to a pathway leading from the National Trust Museum to the Rose Garden.

A new gateway is planned to a crossing point on the busy Route de Cobo that will take the walk to Ruette de la Generotte. From here up the hill on the right and existing green lane winds its way through to Ruette du Frocq, continue onwards and at the junction with Rue de la Lande turn left and after a few metres another green lane on your right leads through to Route du Tertre.

Walk up the hill and you will be able to turn into a new walk across land belonging to Mr Peter Girard, the provision of another path bordering the existing school field will lead to St Germain, which, when complete will provide recreational and playing field facilities.

The reconstructed Green Lane from St Germain will emerge into Rue de la Hougue, walk to La Hougette road and ahead of you, you will see La Bissonerie, a green lane which eventually takes you into what is now a very busy King's Mills.

Various routes can now be taken Rue des Belles and then the Rue des Bergers to take you to the West of Kings Mills or the Rue a l'Eau into the beautiful Fauquets Valley via Moulin de Haut and Rue Pantain, which was closed to vehicular traffic in 1991 by the Douzaine.

La Sauverinerie is another small lane from the Rue a l'Eau to Les Grands Moulins and from this a Green Lane Rue Rocquesse climbs steeply to the area of Les Grantez, the highest point in the Castel parish. From here panoramic views extend over large areas of the parish and island.

This area of Les Jaonnets borders on the parish of St Saviour's and at the top of Rue Paintain takes you through Les Fauxquets to Candie road. Walk downhill to Les Valinguets and another quiet lane closed to traffic meanders through the countryside and down a very steep hill to Les Niaux, and to one of the island's few remaining water bills. You are now in the Talbot valley and a short distance down the valley is the Ron Short walk in the care of the National Trust it includes a circular walk with views across the valley.

Another green lane rises steeply from the Talbot Valley through the area known as les Pelleys to Rue des Vallées, turn left and walk a few metres and on your right is a green lane stretching for about half a mile to Le Frie Plaidy.

Keep the television mast on your right and after a short while you will come to the Fairfield with the Le Ber monument located in the middle. This is an important link for the walk an area we hope to improve and make use of by the parish and the Island as a whole in our network of green lanes.

Walk down Rue de la Foire, turning into Ruettes des Landelles to the top of La Bernauderie enjoy a magnificent view to the North. As the walk descends there are plans to create a green lane down the steep valley into an area behind the Castel hospital.

The planned creation of a walk through this area will emerge into Les Cauvains and from there to Le Villocq, a short walk down Courtil Simon leads to the final green lane which meanders back to Le Villocq and across to another walkway adjacent to the former Parish Telephone Exchange and now a Telephone Museum.

From there it is a short distance back to Suamarez Park and for those who might tackle the whole route back to La Mare de Carteret.

The Douzeniers in charge of this project would welcome any constructive feedback, if any parishioners would like to join in tree or hedge planting creating pathways, fencing, etc. This would be appreciated and make it very much a Castel project.

Please contact :

Mickey Fooks telephone 255191; David Ozanne telephone 252904.

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