Shockingly this was not on my must-do list for St. Helier, Jersey. Don’t make the same mistake as me, in other words, put it at the top of yours. Since walking the causeway out to Elizabeth Castle depends on the tides, you need to make plans. I tried to wing it, since it wasn’t crucial for me to do it, and on my last day there, I realised things would line up. You access the beach at the Castle Ferry ticket booth, which is at the promenade, on the way out of town, towards St. Aubin. Do not follow the sign for the Elizabeth Ferry Terminal! At the kiosk I inquired if it was possible to do the walk without having to pay the entrance fee for the castle, and it sure was. I had no interest in the castle, and was not willing to pay the steep, in my opinion, price for just the walk. After that was settled I headed down to the beach, and off I went. In sneakers. On the causeway it was not a problem, but you might get wet before reaching the slightly elevated walkway. Wandering the winding footpath I liked a lot! When reaching the Islet, on which the castle is set, I decided to explore the beach below the castle walls. In places very rocky. You get views of the beach, the bay, and beyond, of the castle from different angles, and can go beachcombing – a favourite of mine 🙂
If walking the seabed doesn’t sound appealing, you can hop on the amphibious looking ferry, which runs on wheels when the tide is low. However didn’t seem to be possible to get a ferry ticket only. Alternatively you can enjoy a lot of the same from Elizabeth Marina. There is a pier going all the way out, putting you more or less opposite of the castle island. Definitely a nice stroll!
Website: jerseyheritage.org/explore/find-a-place-to-visit/elizabeth-castle, including walking times (clicking the link downloads an Excel spreadsheet from Jersey Heritage)
Seeing Elizabeth Castle from Elizabeth Marina
