and only accessible by ferry or charter boat. It’s also car-free, which means transport is via bike, horse or foot.
The lack of motor vehicles and public lighting helped to make Sark the world’s first “dark sky island”, as designated by the International Dark-Sky Association. It is perfect for star-gazing, but you need a head torch to explore after nightfall. Approximately 3.5 miles long and 1.5-mile wide, Sark is easy to explore in a few days. Yet its lack of people – the resident population sits around 500 then rises to 1,000 during the tourist peak when seasonal staff arrive – means it never feels cramped.Sark’s history features many a drama, from French and English ownership to pirates and German occupation. In 1564, Elizabeth I granted a lease to Helier De Carteret, Seigneur of St Ouen in Jersey.