Friday, April 19, 2013

Channel Islands - Bailiwick of Guernsey - Alderney


Moorings alongside the breakwater at Braye Harbour.

Sent by Barbara from Alderney in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in Channel Islands, Great Britain.

Alderney (/ˈɔːldərni/FrenchAurigny [oʁiɲi]AuregnaisAoeur'gny) is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of theBailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) long and 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide. The area is 3 square miles (7.8 km2), making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick. It is around 10 miles (16 km) to the west of La Hague on the Cotentin PeninsulaNormandy, in France, 20 miles (32 km) to the north-east of Guernsey and 60 miles (97 km) from the south coast of Great Britain. It is the closest of the Channel Islands to both France and the United Kingdom. It is separated from Cap de la Hague by the dangerous Race of Alderney (Le Raz Blanchard).
The island has a population of only 2,091 (Q1 2012) people and they are traditionally nicknamed vaques after the cows, or elselapins after the many rabbits seen in the island. Formally, they are known as Ridunians, from the Latin Riduna.
The only parish of Alderney is the parish of St Anne, which covers the whole island.
The main town, St Anne ('La Ville', or 'Town' in English), is referred to as 'St Anne's'. It features an imposing church and an unevenlycobbled high street. There are a primary school, a secondary school and a post office, and hotels, restaurants, banks and shops. Other settlements include Braye, Newtown, Longis, Crabby and Mannez. (Source)




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