THE BEN's Mark Donaghy finds lots of tourist treasures on this famous Channel island

IT comes as no surprise when you are told Oliver Reed was virtually kicked out of Guernsey.

The hellraiser was barred from so many pubs and restaurants during his stay on the island that he had to move elsewhere to find a watering hole that would serve him.

The truth is that it would take a lot less than the bad behaviour of the late actor to disrupt the magical peacefulness which you find on Guernsey.

In the current climate it is likely there will be an increase in holidaymakers opting to stay closer to home in 2002 and the island deserves to reap the dividends with what it has to offer.

If you enjoy walking, eating out, watersports or just "getting away from it", Guernsey is well worth a look.

I spent three days on the island and felt totally invigorated by the time I returned home. It was like a long, relaxing bath.

As I flew over Guernsey the first thing that struck me was how built-up the island looked.

But once I went past customs, the rural landscape I had imagined came to life.

Guernsey is amazingly pretty, with a wonderful mix of coastal scenery, countryside and pretty little villages.

I visited as the leaves were turning brown, but spring is said to be an even better time to go there with a large part of the land covered in bluebells.

The island is very small, about seven miles across, and the best way of seeing it is on foot.

Locals say that even in the peak summer season you can walk for miles around the coast without seeing a soul.

Alternatively, car hire is relatively cheap, with rates averaging at around £20 a day.

The pace of life on the island is very slow and that is reflected in the speed limit, which is generally 35mph.

The roads can be difficult to drive on because they are so narrow in places, but the islanders are very patient people and vehicles will wait as you squeeze past.

Even at peak times, when congestion is still virtually non-existent, there is no angry bleeping of horns by red-faced road-rage motorists. The Guerns are far too polite.

Instead of mini roundabouts, the island has filter junctions where the first driver to arrive is given priority. Somehow I couldn't see that system working in this country.

Apart from the magnificent views, Guernsey has many attractions to visit.

My stay on the island focused on the history of the island and, as I was travelling on Halloween, the witchcraft that still exists to this day. Many elderly people are still said to make potions and cast spells on people.

I visited the Priaulx library, where I saw two books, called Le Petit Albert and Le Grand Albert, which are associated with black magic and are said to be indestructible. So many buildings on the island are very old that many of them have ghost stories which have been passed down generations. My trip also included a visit to the Guernsey Folk Museum, which was one of the highlights of the break.

Tourists learn about how both the rich and poor used to live, with old living rooms and kitchens recreated and original artefacts on show.

Another enjoyable part of the visit was the Little Chapel, which was covered in a multi-coloured kitsch mosaic made up of broken pieces of pottery.

Other attractions on offer, which I did not have time to visit, included The German Occupation Museum, Guernsey Museum and Art Gallery and Maison Victor Hugo, where the great French writer lived for 14 years and finalised Les Miserables.

Although I did not do as much as put on a pair of shorts during my stay in Guernsey, the island does have a great deal to offer for the energetic.Water sports are a speciality, with diving, surfing, yachting and sailing. Golf is also a firm favourite with many people travelling over to take a break at one of the country clubs. There is also clay pigeon shooting, ten pin bowling and horse riding on offer.

Probably the favourite past-time of many people who visit Guernsey will be eating out.

I managed to sample the culinary beauty of Guernsey at five restaurants and pubs.

There are dozens of places to eat on the island and the locals will tell you that they have to be good to survive.

The island is so small that if a restaurant is disappointing news will spread quickly and the dining rooms will empty nearly as fast.

One of my favourites was the Auberge Du Val, which I visited on Halloween night. The old building was suitably creepy enough for the occasion and lit only by candlelight.The mushroom starter I sampled, with spinach and ricotta, was superb and the sirloin steak main course was memorable, even after several glasses of French red wine. Fish and seafood must be sampled on Guernsey and I tried the monkfish at Da Nello's which is a favourite of many locals.The restaurant is situated in the southern town of St Peter Port, which is the only place on the island where you will find hustle and bustle.

If you want to shop then the town is the best place to go. As well as Marks and Spencer and Woolworths you will find many local shops selling souvenirs, including gache (pronounced gosh), which is a sweet bread with currants which is gorgeous when toasted, and double cream fudge.

If I had to give Guernsey a mark out 10 I would plump for an eight.

Anyone who wants a hectic lager and disco holiday should obviously choose Ibiza rather than this particular island. But everyone else, couples and families, will fall in love with the place.

Some parents may worry that there may not be enough amusement arcades and Blackpool Pleasure Beach-type attractions to keep the children occupied, but most people will say the most memorable moments of their childhood holidays were playing on the beach, and the island has plenty of those to offer.

It may not be the ideal place for hellraisers, but everyone else will fall in love with Guernsey.

CONTACT NUMBERS:

Guernsey Tourist Board at PO Box 23, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 3AN. You can call them on (+44) (0) 1481 723552

WEB and E-MAIL LINKS:

General nformation via equiries@tourism.guernsey.net

Click HERE

Or contact your local ABTA travel agent