Lihou Island nearly all booked up for the rest of the year

Only 36 days remain free at the house on the island for bookings, according to warden Steve Sarre, with locals booking up most spaces and tourists choosing to visit during the day.

‘There are different clients and lots of new faces as groups are bringing more people – new people are coming all the time and they fall in love with Lihou,’ he said.

Despite there only being availability in winter through to March, Mr Sarre encouraged people to visit.

‘There’s no such thing as bad weather on Lihou, just bad clothes. There’s a conservatory facing south with a view of the lighthouse and watching a storm unfold is brilliant.

‘Lihou suits certain people – outdoorsy people who don’t mind a bit of mess.’

Due to tides, the island is only open for an average of 216 days each year.

‘Forty of these days are taken up by schools, so only 176 days are left,’ Mr Sarre added.

‘This is less than half a year of bookings, which limits the capability of getting in.’

Supporters from the Friends of Lihou get an opportunity to book their stays before public booking opened on 1 September.

‘Bookings have been amazing,’ said Mr Sarre, ‘within two to three hours we were pretty much sold out for the year.’

Usually, people tend to stay on the island for one or two nights but some longer trips have been booked.

‘A different trend this year is there have been quite a few four-nighters booked, which is quite unusual,’ Mr Sarre said.

‘I think people enjoy it because there are no cars and when the causeway is closed, the island is yours.

‘People enjoy exploring the island and it’s nice to unplug, get some board games out, and have some time away from chaotic Guernsey.

‘It’s a unique opportunity and the cost is low.’

To stay in the house, which accommodates up to 38 people, costs £35 per person per night, with a minimum of 10 people in a group.

‘We have a “Robin Hood” scale of charging where private residents pay more so schools have a cheaper rate,’ Mr Sarre said.

‘It does usually book up pretty quickly which is great but we still don’t make profit as every penny we get, we plough back into the house.’

He welcomed any donations and said tradesmen often needed to stay longer due to the causeway, further increasing maintenance costs.

‘We’re looking at getting rooms sponsored so we can re-do them, and if any carpet companies want to donate then that would be fantastic. The island is also in need of some brand new mattresses.’

n To sponsor a room or make a donation, please email info@lihouisland.com.