The two largest islands in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, forming the northern portion of the British Channel Islands, Guernsey and Alderney are a patchwork of yellow-hued bays and windswept sand dunes, seagull-sounding cliffs and charming seaside towns. English cottages line the country roads here, while hearty pubs brim with locally-brewed ales and beers right throughout the year. On the isle of Guernsey, the larger of the two, travellers (many of whom start their picturesque journey from the cruise liners docking at St Peters port) come seeking cliff-top walking routes and bird watching, the eight-century old bulwarks of Castle Cornet and the French-influenced seafood dishes that pepper the various inlets. Tight-knit Alderney, meanwhile, is a biker’s dream-come-true, with sweeping panoramas opening up over the English Channel from many of its coastal paths. Guernsey and Alderney tour guides also recommend casing out the batteries and sea fortifications left over from Nazi occupation of the islands in WWII, and the sobering remnants of labour camps, where Eastern European prisoners were brought from across the continent.