Alderney

Alderney is the northernmost of the inhabited Channel Islands and the third largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. With a population of about 2,000, it has an open, unhurried character shaped by beaches, heathland, coastal paths and compact settlements, centred on the town of St Anne and the harbour at Braye.

The island's history remains visible in its Roman, Victorian and Second World War remains. The Nunnery is a well-preserved Roman fort, St Anne's Church is known as the Cathedral of the Channel Islands, and the massive Victorian breakwater at Braye is one of the island's defining landmarks. Alderney was evacuated in 1940 and occupied by German forces during the war, a period recorded in forts, bunkers and the Alderney Museum.

St Anne is the island's compact main town, with shops, cafés and the award-winning Alderney Museum, while Braye offers the harbour, beach and places to eat. Coastal paths connect beaches such as Corblets and Longis, and viewpoints and boat trips give access to seabird colonies, including gannets on the offshore rocks of Les Étacs and Ortac.

Alderney also supports a small finance and e-commerce sector and acts as a regulatory centre for online gaming. Alderney Week in August brings parades, music and community events, and the food scene centres on fresh seafood and relaxed pubs, cafés and small restaurants.

For leisure visitors the island offers walking, wildlife, beaches and history in a compact, low-key setting. Business travellers can reach Alderney by air from Guernsey or Southampton, and St Anne serves as a practical base for meetings, while the island's small scale keeps journeys short and straightforward.