Organised by VisitGuernsey, the trail is composed of a series of information boards around the island.
Each board includes a series of pictures and historical accounts of life under German rule, as well as quotes from islanders who share their experiences of life in occupied Guernsey during the Second World War.
The boards are at 13 sites – the Crown Pier, the Grange Lodge Hotel, the OGH Hotel, Creasey’s in the High Street, La Valette Military Museum, the German Occupation Museum, Gypsy Lane, the Little Chapel, the German Underground Hospital, Sausmarez Manor, Pleinmont observation tower, the Bella Luce Hotel and the Naval Signals HQ.
The trail can be followed on foot in St Peter Port, or by car or public transport out of town.
Accompanying the boards is an Occupation trail ‘passport’.
Followers of the trail can get this stamped inside the various visitor attractions and hotels located near the boards, with a unique stamp.
Trailers collecting all 13 unique stamps are eligible to collect a small prize from the Guernsey Information Centre.
Occupation trail passports are available at the Guernsey Information Centre and from visitor attractions and hotels.
Mike Hopkins, director of marketing & tourism at VisitGuernsey, said visitors will find it fascinating as Guernsey and the other Channel Islands were the only British Isles to be occupied during the Second World War.
‘The trail is a free initiative for anyone, both locals and visitors, wishing to learn more about the history of the Occupation, while enjoying the beautiful sites and places of interest Guernsey has to offer.
‘All locations covered in the trail have been referenced or referred to in the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society novel, with each board highlighting the relevant section of the story. Anyone with an interest in the best-selling novel or film can walk in the footsteps of the very characters themselves.’
Mr Hopkins added: ‘We would like to extend our thanks to Guernsey Museums, Festung Guernsey, Simon Hamon, Soo Wellfair, the venues hosting the boards, along with islanders who have kindly shared their accounts of the war, without whom we would not have been able to create the trail.’
n For more information on the trail and the festival, visit www.visitguernsey.com/heritage-festival.
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