Braye du Valle, Historical waterway in Vale, Guernsey.
Braye du Valle was a natural tidal channel on the island of Guernsey that once separated the northern peninsula of Vale from the rest of the island, running from Grand Havre to St Sampson's Harbour. Today, Vale Pond is the only remaining stretch of open water from that former channel, now set within a nature reserve.
For centuries, this channel made Vale effectively a separate island at high tide, cutting it off from the rest of Guernsey. In 1806, Governor Sir John Doyle ordered the channel to be drained and filled as part of Guernsey's military defenses during the Napoleonic Wars.
The names Pont Allaire, Pont Colliche, and Grand Pont still appear on local maps and road signs today, keeping the memory of the old crossing points alive. Locals and visitors who walk the area around Vale Pond can still notice how the landscape dips and opens where the water once flowed.
Vale Pond and the paths around it are easy to walk, with mostly flat ground that suits visitors of different abilities. Dry weather makes the visit more comfortable since some of the paths near the water can get muddy after rain.
Because of Guernsey's tidal range of around 10 meters (33 feet), the channel would drain enough at low tide to let people cross on foot without a boat. This meant Vale was not always cut off, and islanders could time their crossings around the tides rather than relying on bridges.
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