A tiny island off the UK coast has imposed a ban on bicycles and cars to maintain its serene and tranquil environment.

The small community residing on Herm Island takes great pride in the peacefulness of their home. “Herm Island is a magical place,” states the Channel Islands’ website. “Every inch of the island is steeped in history and mystery.”

Measuring just 2,100m long by 800m wide and home to a mere 60 residents, Herm’s size is crucial for the effective enforcement of its longstanding prohibition on both cars and bicycles. The islanders believe that the noise of motor engines and bicycle bells would disrupt the tranquil atmosphere they strive to preserve.

Despite being only 80 miles from England’s south coast, reaching Herm requires a considerable amount of ferry hopping. However, those who make the journey are rewarded with a surprisingly diverse landscape. The northern part of the island boasts stunning beaches and a vast grassy common, once roamed by woolly mammoths. This point was also a landing spot for smugglers selling their goods and a hanging site for pirates as a warning to the island’s few inhabitants.

To the east of Herm lie its main beaches, characterised by soft white sand and pristine blue waters. During the summer months, beach cafés open to serve snacks, sandwiches, and locally made ice cream. The south coast boasts towering cliffs, meandering flower-lined pathways and crashing white waves. Holiday cottages and log cabins are nestled in Manor Village at the hilltop.

“This is where you can make a home from home, enjoy barbecues in the courtyard, and truly feel part of the island community,” tempts Herm.com. A short stroll down the path brings you to the Seagull campsite – an idyllic location to set up camp for the weekend whilst gazing across towards Sark.

The majority of the island’s limited activity can be found on the western side. “Here you can enjoy delicious food and Herm’s very own golden ale at The Mermaid Tavern and courtyard, or stock up on little treasures and souvenirs at the Herm Shop,” the island website continues.

The White House Hotel has welcomed guests for decades and deliberately excludes phones or televisions from its rooms. This maintains the tranquil atmosphere that permeates the island and encourages guests to disconnect from their hectic lives.

You’ll almost certainly depart Herm with an intimate knowledge of the locale, considering how closely knit the community remains. The Wood family managed the Island from 1949 and introduced many of its customs before the Starboard Settlement assumed stewardship from 2008.

Despite its small size and the difficulty of reaching it, Herm has had inhabitants for a long time. It has been settled since Neolithic times, with a burial chamber on the north side of the island harking back to that period. Christian missionaries arrived in the sixth century, followed by Norman monks 300 years later. They remained there for several decades, working the land and dispensing with pearls of wisdom for those who dropped by.

“Between 1570 and 1737 Herm Island was used as a ‘playground’ for the Governors of Guernsey. Wealthy gentlemen sailed over from Guernsey to hunt, shoot and fish. The island was stocked with pheasants, partridges, swans and rabbits,” writes Slow Europe. “The island was then leased as farmland, and an inn was established in 1810.”

The island’s largest population shift came later that century, when 400 quarrymen moved there. During this period of economic uplift, houses, roads, the harbour, shops, a blacksmith’s forge, a pub, and even a prison were built. 

Today, all but the faint remains of that period of industry have gone. Herm’s permanent population is 65 people, although visitors do come in the summer to enjoy its natural charms. A sanctuary for dolphins, puffins, and the occasional seal, Herm is also a wildlife paradise.

It hosts Europe’s most southerly puffin colony alongside woodland that transforms violet in springtime when the bluebells emerge. If the weather permits, hiring a paddleboard and kayak is an excellent way to explore the island, including its puffin colony.

On land, you can engage in archery or participate in active quizzes that send you on a clue hunt around the island.

Those who have made it to Herm have praised its beaches, atmosphere and weather, with many crowning it ‘underrated’ and a ‘gem’. “It was absolutely beautiful. The weather was so good that we could sunbathe outside by the pool,” one customer of the White House enthused.

“Everyone working on the island was super friendly and the hotel cottages are super cute. The food was really great. They even prepared a picnic for us on and brought it to Shell Beach with giant sun umbrellas.”

To get there, you’ll need to take a 20-minute boat ride from St Peter Port on Guernsey. Condor Ferries runs two ferry routes between the UK and Guernsey, sailing from Poole to Guernsey and Portsmouth to Guernsey.

The quickest route is from Poole, taking three hours, while the journey from Portsmouth takes seven hours aboard the Commodore Clipper.

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