Portelet Common

Thankfully for most of the walk the eyesore flats are hidden behind greenery.

.. right a bit, taking in more of Portelet Bay looking east towards Noirmont.

An old German feature on the headland...

.. a searchlight position.

Looking back from Le Fret Point towards St.Brelade's Bay...

.. closer.

To the other end of the common, and we're overlooking the Ouaisne half of St.Brelade's Bay...

.. ample parking...

.. and a 1780s Jersey Round Tower still has its uses.

Wow - Bing aerial map view beats Google!

Until now I've stuck to Google and avoided Bing for search purposes, and likewise for maps - but now it seems that Bing's aerial views have become significantly clearer than those provided by Google.

Take this view of Petit Port...
maps.google.com
... now check it out in Bing!
www.bing.com/maps/

And it's more recent, too....

The waterfront hotel is just a building site on Google...
maps.google.com
... here it is in all its glory....
www.bing.com/maps/

Likewise, Gas Place is still a car park...
maps.google.com
... and now it's a Millennium Park...
www.bing.com/maps/

and kind of the other way around, Ann Place as housing...
maps.google.com

... is now a carpark...
www.bing.com/maps/

Portelet as it was...
maps.google.com
... and as it is now....
www.bing.com/maps/

St.Ouen : Snow Goose present, bare field next to Parish Hall:
maps.google.com
... new houses instead, and Village Green:
www.bing.com/maps/


Other things we haven't seen yet....

The new incinerator...
www.bing.com/maps/

New estate near Sandybrook:
www.bing.com/maps/

Sunset Nurseries - glass houses gone:
www.bing.com/maps/

Creepy Valley -
www.bing.com/maps/

Amaizin' Maze - bigger and better -
www.bing.com/maps/

and have a look at the Lion Park before it goes...
www.bing.com/maps/
... and the Living Legend...
www.bing.com/maps/

Jersey Pottery, already gone... here in mothballs with gate at the entrance...
www.bing.com/maps/

I wonder if Google will compete? :)
And we're still waiting for Guernsey Streetview too......

Misc

A nice low tide at the harbour...







.. I think this is known as "rats corner" .. ?






The Albert Pierhead






Not far away, the new incinerator continues to take shape, with shiny exhaust pipe to the power station's stack.




From the South.






Those kart people would have you believe that few people use the Ronez loop road, but I was there and so were THREE other cars - even on an overcast day with no great view of the distant coasts at the time! So PLEASE don't let them steal this public road for their own selfish permanent use!

More planning madness...







.. a massive gated community takes shape...







.. and luxury house.






The newly uncovered bunker at Noirmont - complete with original wall decoration and lino on the floor...






.. and a more recent inscription on the ceiling of the escape shaft! (Shaft being the operative word)





A model of the tunnels at St.Aubin gives a good idea how large they are...







.. and here's a map of German railways on the island during the occupation, for what it's worth.




Lots of plane trails to the south of Noirmont. Maybe it does affect the amount of sunshine we get?

Noirmont - more

I'm a bit grumbled to see hedging planted all the way along here on both sides - it's going to spoil the open character of the place to drive along with no view.






.. at least there should still be a view at the end!







The state of Portelet








.. boarded up and vandalised cafe.






Someone's got waaaaaay too much money :)






Such a shame a roadway down to the bay is privately owned. Imagine being able to drive down there? It would still be a popular beach. Inshore rescues would be so much easier. The States should have compulsory-purchased it years ago!





A better viewpoint to see where the old Holiday Village used to be - soon to be more luxury housing.






.. like the new stuff up there on the skyline where the old Bergerac Hotel used to be.






Not the best shot of the bay - the sun was inconveniently in the wrong place...






.. the other direction was better lit.







That looks like somewhere I may to go exploring when weather, tides, and health permits :)






Someone else was enjoying the views

Noirmont

Charming St.Helier, from Noirmont...








.. right a bit, Elizabeth Castle and the rotting old fort pool up beyond.






.. right a bit more, the south-east corner and Seymour Tower.






.. right again, Icho Tower.

Right some more, past Chaussey and the Minkies, looking just past south I believe...




.. now it was a good low tide, and visibility was good, but I don't recall ever seeing France in that direction before...?






.. closer - that would be somewhere around the Frehel region (on the map).





And why shouldn't that part of France be visible, if the Roches Douvres lighthouse can be seen? (map and views )








Anyhow, back on the island, an excavated bunker...







... Ammo store number 6...








.. two small rooms.








To the west, Portelet Tower on the islet in the bay...









.. and from another direction, from near the Inn...







.. closer.

Oh, and Happy Easter :)