A DAY spent in Sark is an experience that you will treasure forever, so tranquil is the pace, so idyllic the surroundings.In reality, Sark can be described in just three words – heaven on earth. The fourth largest of the Channel Islands, Sark has managed to achieve what others can only aspire to – it has retained the charm and peace of a bygone age while adopting only those parts of 21st century living which can be accommodated without intrusion.

There are no cars, no street lights, no tarmac roads, no ‘carbuncle’ development, no theme parks and no crime to speak of. There are miles of spectacular coastal scenery with rugged cliffs and, on clear days, views to the other islands and France. Inland comprises a patchwork of fields where animals graze far away from the threat of pollution, and hedgerows that are fringed with wildflowers and home to butterflies, insects and birds that have long since disappeared from other locations.

Although it measures just three miles by one-and-a-half, Sark has a myriad of roads, footpaths and cliff walks, making it an unspoiled paradise for those who enjoy nature at its best. There are pebbly beaches, sheltered coves and caves to explore.

For most people, their first experience of Sark will be a day trip from Guernsey. There is no airport on Sark so you will arrive by boat from St Peter Port. The scene that will greet you at Maseline Harbour may seem disorganised, as tractors queue to transport baggage and other goods to hotels, passengers disgorge from the boat and others queue to get on. But, if you have time, it’s a scene that is worth pausing for, just to people watch. If you are a staying visitor, your luggage, providing it is properly labelled, can be left safely on the boat to appear miraculously in your hotel room – often before you get there yourself! Similarly, when you leave, just label it and it will be there when you depart.

You will walk through a short tunnel to the bottom of Harbour Hill, which is a steep climb and not for the faint-hearted. The alternative is to take the tractor-drawn bus, or ‘toast-rack’, as it is affectionately known, to the top of the hill. Transport on Sark is by foot, bicycle or horse-drawn carriage. For the virgin visitor, a carriage ride is a must. What can be more delightful, coming from a frenetic world, to be carried along in a gently rocking carriage, accompanied by the rhythmic clip-clopping of a horse along country lanes that are unhindered by the roar of traffic and its accompanying fumes? Sark’s carriage drivers, even those who are working just for the summer season, are a mine of information about the island and will give you a potted history and point out sites of interest as you go along.If you prefer to discover the delights of Sark on your own, you can walk or cycle. Bikes of all sizes can be hired, with child seats or trailers if required. Despite its comparatively small size, even dedicated Sarkaholics will say that after years of visiting they still manage to discover yet another cliff path every time they visit. This quotation, taken from the third edition of a ‘Guide to the Coast, Caves and Bays of Sark’, published in 1964, sums it up: ‘The real lover of Sark is never content until he thinks he has been everywhere it is possible to go, until he knows every pool and every headland; and even on his next visit it is almost inevitable that still further secrets will be revealed to him, proving that to know Sark thoroughly would take a lifetime of holidays.’

There are actually two parts to Sark – Little Sark in the south of the island can be reached by crossing La Coupee, a narrow isthmus that links it to the main island. Just nine feet wide, this thin strip of land drops some 300 feet on either side. It is worth noting that, until relatively recently, there were no guard rails at the sides and children crossing from Little Sark to the main island to school were often forced to crawl across in high winds. Grand Greve Bay, one of Sark’s finest sandy beaches, is situated below La Coupe. Although a steep climb down it is a lovely beach from which to bathe.

It’s worth taking time to visit Little Sark – much of the work of Victorian artist William Toplis was painted there. The scenery at the tip of the island, looking out towards Jersey, is wild and you can still see the remains of 19th century silver mine workings. Venus and Adonis pools are particularly spectacular features of Little Sark. Both provide safe bathing at low tide when the sea is trapped within them for about two hours. If you are on a day trip, check the tide times and allow plenty of time for the climb back up. The water in these pools is clear and fresh, if a little chilly!

Sark has few man-made ‘visitor attractions’, but those that there are are well worth visiting. Sark’s Occupation and Heritage Museum will give you an insight into the life of the island in times past, and particularly during the hard years of the German Occupation. There is a Model Railway and the Seigneurie Gardens are stunning from late spring through to the early autumn

For a small island, Sark has an amazing diversity of hotels and restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets. Staying visitors can choose from hotels, which may be small in size but which are big on comfort and service. Some of them feature regularly in top hotel guides. There are family run guest houses, many of which have been converted from traditional, granite Sark houses dating back centuries. And there are self-catering establishments and camp sites if you seek a true ‘castaway’ experience.

Sark’s restaurants boast a range of locally caught fish and shellfish and, in addition, home-grown meat is often on the menu, particularly pork and lamb. The logistics of transportation to the island means that a great deal of the food you will be served is both home-produced and home cooked.Although you can buy virtually every necessity in Sark, there are no shopping malls, but there are ample souvenir outlets, many selling items that have been made on the island. There is a post office, hairdressers, jewellers, newsagent, chemist, grocers shops and two pubs. For those who can’t bear to cut themselves off completely, there an internet cafe for email access. Currency is Sterling and there are two banks. However, there are no cash point machines, so ensure you have enough cash, traveller’s cheques or credit cards. There is a Church of England, a Methodist Church and Roman Catholic services take place regularly.

Like anywhere, Sark changes with the seasons. Visit at Easter-time and you will find the woodland banks blanketed with bluebells, come in the summer and you can swim in the clearest of blue seas, come in the autumn and life is winding down before winter sets in again.

Residents will tell you that the winter is the best of all the seasons. The weather is wild, the island bereft of all but a few visitors, the carriage horses are turned out into the fields and peace descends.

When it’s time to return to the harbour for your boat, it is worth allowing time to walk down Harbour Hill – not quite as daunting as the upward climb – and a delightful footpath runs down its length, through woods. If you have a few minutes to spare, pop in to Creux Harbour, a small sheltered haven used mainly by local fishermen. It’s a real sun-trap in the summer months and the venue for Sark’s famous annual Water Carnival.

Just a few things to remember:

Flat, comfortable shoes are a must.

Bring a waterproof jacket – it seldom rains in summer, but it’s better to be prepared!

A torch is essential if you are staying – remember, there are no street lights.

Sark’s waters are tidal, so check tide times if you go rock climbing or caving.

Sark has a doctor, but no hospital, so take out travel insurance.

There is no dentist on Sark.

If you are travelling in the high season it’s worth booking a carriage ride in advance, as they get very busy.

Apart from the mid-summer months there are no boats on Sundays, so plan accordingly.

For those of you who are interested in the history of the places that you visit, Sark’s is fascinating. Early records suggest that a monastery was founded on the island in the sixth century. But there is also evidence to suggest that the island was once occupied by Romans. Like the other Channel Islands, Sark was later annexed by the Normans and then, in the 13th century, attached to the English Crown.

Sark today is still very much as it became during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, by which time the island was deserted. She, in 1565, appointed Jerseyman Helier de Carteret as Seigneur. He was given certain rights and he brought with him to Sark 40 families from Jersey, many from his home parish of St Ouen, who were each given a parcel of land on which to settle. These 40 tenements are still in existence today as are many of the descendants of the original families.