When you visit Herm this summer don’t forget to bring your camera and take some interesting shots for the 2010 photo competition. We are looking for a range of photos but the judges want to be able to tell that the photo was taken on Herm. Photos may be used at a later date in Herm publicity or for a Herm calendar. For details on how to enter and for competition rules please download the document below. Happy Snapping.

The Woodland Walk was officially opened on Saturday 24th April.  The ribbon was cut by John Singer after James Cordingley, assistant gardener did a speech about the work that was involved in getting the woodland walk and valley project to the stage it now is at.

Already the walk, which starts at the top of the hill, has been used by many people.  I came across this group who had enjoyed seeing the bluebells as they walked down through the woods.  David Langrish and Maureen Brand (second and third from left) are regular visitors to Herm and are staying in one of the holiday cottages.  Quite by chance when David and Maureen were in the harbour area they bumped into friends, Stephen and Priscilla Lee-Smith and Theresa who were visiting Herm for just a few hours from the cruise liner Marco Polo which is anchored in the Little Russel.  Stephen and Priscilla had heard about Herm Island from David so decided that as they had the opportunity to see the island for themselves they should take the chance.  What a surprise they had when they saw David who they didn’t realise was holidaying on Herm at the moment.

Photos below:  The opening of the woodland walk and valley.

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After several months of work by Submarine in Guernsey, the Herm website is now live.  We hope you like the new look and soon learn your way around the site.  Photo of the week, plant of the week, island news and any other snippets of island life will now be published on the blog.  

The wildflowers are beautiful at the moment.  Walk along the east coast path from the south towards Belvoir and you will see swathes of primroses.  On the bank between Belvoir and Shell Beaches are violets and in the woods at the side of The Drive the bluebells are just beginning to bloom.  Sea campion and sea thrift are starting to flower and they will soon be in abundance on the south coast cliff paths.  It’s a lovely time of year to see Herm at its spring-time best.

Common Gorse

The most widely familiar species is common gorse (Ulex europaeus), the only species native to much of western Europe, where it grows in sunny sites, usually on dry, sandy soils. It is also the largest species, reaching 2–3 metres (7–10 ft) in height. Common gorse flowers a little in late autumn and through the winter, coming into flower most strongly in spring. Between the different species, some gorse is almost always in flower, hence the old country phrase: "When gorse is out of blossom, kissing's out of fashion". Gorse flowers have a distinctive coconut scent. This Gorse bush is flowering on the Common on Herm and provides some bright yellow colour against the fantastic blue skies we are experiencing on Herm at the moment.

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) grows widely on Herm in the wild areas. At the moment it is flowering profusely and makes certain areas look as if they are covered in snow! It is a deciduous large shrub or small tree growing to about 5 metres tall with dense stiff spiny branches. The fruit, called a sloe, ripens in autumn. The flavour is very astringent. The best use of them is making them into sloe gin!