Find Leisure on the Island of Guernsey in the British Channel

Leisure activities have never been more popular than they are in Britain today. But most people have to travel some distance to play golf, go fishing or just enjoy a game of tennis. As for blowing the stale air out of your lungs with a cliff walk, or a stroll on the beach at low tide, you're in for a full day's expedition.

Unless, that is, you're holidaying on the island of Guernsey. The island's 25 square miles are packed with accessible entertainment and activities, though happily not at the coast of conservation. You're never more than a 20 minute drive from a wide of variety of leisure facilities, both gentle and strenuous, from visiting historic churches to scuba diving or sailing. There is an intriguing Anglo-Norman heritage of architecture, culture, and cuisine, while even locals are surprised by the number of festivals and events being staged during the year.

Take the wildflower walks in spring and early summer. The Societé Guernesiaise organises conducted cliffpath rambles to see the massed wildflowers, plus visits to their specially protected orchid field, which have never been fertilised or ploughed. You don't need to be a botanist to enjoy sights that are unchanged by time.

Birdwatching could be big business in Guernsey, because many migratory species pass through the island.

Guernsey is proud of its beaches. They are clean and the sea is an unpolluted playground for water sports of all kinds - although no-one can pretend the sea is warm, it's just 'warmer' by September.

If fishing is your sport, then try sea angling for a change. No less than 53 British shore fishing records have been set in the Bailiwick's four islands, Alderney being especially fruitful. Competitions are run virtually all year round and you can use a light spinning rod either from rocky headlands, from boats, or casting on the beaches.

Plenty of competitive sports are on tap, too. Tennis, squash, golf at one of three courses, and indoor bowling among many sports at the Beau Séjour Centre on a rainy day.

If your interests are architectural and historical, then Guernsey is a layer-cake of sites, from Stone Age times to the Nazi occupation during World War II. There are menhirs and dolmans all over the place. Castle Cornet, guarding St. Peter Port, was begun in 1206 and has had a fascinatingly turbulent history, og which the boom of the noonday gun is a reminder.

As for events, these range from square dancing and the Battle of Flowers to the International Powerboat Week in September. There is always something on.

Finally, a word about accommodation and food. A quiet revolution has transformed hotels of late. Two and three star accommodation is normally en suite, with excellent five-star hotels too. Restaurants blend French and English cuisine, setting high standards that are reflected during the month-long Food and Wine Festival which takes place in April. Fresh seafood is always available and bountiful local produce ensures that you eat well, while if you are self-catering, then French brad, cheeses and other delicates are brought in to the market every day.