Reviews & Articles
As an Ambassador to the Guernsey Dairy, I was honoured to be featured in their blog.
“Her tours offer a glimpse into Guernsey's resourceful and ambitious spirit. "When I explain that Guernsey folk have always been resourceful, often with multiple sources of income tied to farming and growing, visitors begin to understand what makes Guernsey unique. In the last century, a quarryman might keep a cow, a fisherman might grow a few tomatoes, and a farmer's wife might knit stockings while the farmer made cider. Many rural families even ran guest houses or holiday chalets during the early days of tourism," Rachel reflects”
I had a lovely afternoon showing Sian from The Bluetits Chill Swimmers who had a recent visit to the Island. She was kind enough to mention me in her write up about her visit
“ A fantastic lady called Rachel met us off the plane. She runs a company called 1st Call Guernsey Tours and so she whisked me off in her little Mini Cooper and off we went to our first port of call, Portlet. There was a little kiosk there selling Guernsey crab sandwiches and this was very delightful when we arrived because the sun was shining. The hut is right on this little prominent bit of headland.”
The Bluetits Chill Swimmers visit
Reviews
October 6th 2024
We would rate Rachel 10 out of 10!
Our early e-mail communication was informative, clear and encouraging. She assisted in
Creating an itinerary which included, ferry bookings, hotel options, places to visit, even what to pack
For the unexpected weather of the Channel Islands.
Rachel promptly met us as we arrived from San Malo by ferry on Saturday the 9th of September.
For the next 5 days she drove us to all parts of the island for the best hikes, delicious lunches in unique
Locations, and escorted us to all the Guernsey (and Sark) sights both popular and more obscure.
Rachel was our driver, tour guide, teacher and ultimately our Guernsey friend. We could not have
Had such an informative and fun trip without her!
Rose &Brian Belida 2024 USA
October 31st 2024
It’s hard to believe that we’ve already reached the end of the 2024 season! I wanted to take a moment to extend a huge thank you for your incredible support. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you.
Excursions LTD
October 3rd 2024
Thank you. A lovely evening and lots of interesting new info picked up on that walk - The Guernsey Wreck book is being added to my x-mas list!
Ally
September 11th 2024
Dear Rachel,
We wanted to thank you for the lovely day we spent with you as a very talented guide. We appreciated your history and culture skills which were above our expectations.
I really was touched about the extra research you did on the Gallienne family branch which I belong and the places where my family was located in Guernesey.
I will definitely recommend you if someone ask me for a guide in Guernesey.
Kind regards
Cyrique Gallienne
June 7th 2024
We took two walks with Rachel as part of the Guernsey Spring Walking Festival, the second spontaneously signed up for after so loving the first. What a spectacular introduction to Guernsey, its history, culture, natural beauty, and even its food with snacks and drinks of different kinds being offered every time. Rachel is a natural at guiding; warm, hospitable, funny, and so knowledgeable. A delight.
Anne and Hal
June 5th 2024
I joined Rachel on her tour of the Castel Parish this evening and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even as a local I knew I would learn things I didn’t previously know and sure enough I heard lots of facts and interesting ‘nuggets’ I was unaware of. I also enjoyed discovering 2 new pretty little lanes I had never walked before. The icing on the cake was the gâche and cider supplied by Rachel halfway through our tour - a special touch. I would thoroughly recommend Rachel’s tours to both visitors or locals alike. She is knowledgeable and made the tour fun too.
Alison Good
May 27th 2024
Rachel,
Thankyou for an interesting and enjoyable guided tour of the lanes above Perelle Bay. Your tour was nicely inclusive of all members of the tour. The content was interesting and the pace was satisfactory for all of the tourists on the tour.
Richard Fitton
May 28th 2024
‘Walk - Which way, any old way will do. St Saviour’
Hi RachelThis walk exceeded all of my expectations! Rachel’s extensive knowledge of the area was impressive, seamlessly blending fascinating facts with captivating folklore stories. The route was carefully chosen, taking us off the beaten track and revealing hidden gems. Throughout the walk Rachel was constantly pointing out interesting points of interest. She was very considerate, making sure everyone could hear before starting, which was much appreciated. To top it all off we were treated to a delightful surprise of sloe gin and Guernsey cheese, adding a charming and tasty conclusion to the walk. I highly recommend this walk to anyone looking to explore St Saviour in a unique and engaging way!
Karen Holt
May 29th 2024
Perfect!
Worth every penny that.
Thanks again, you were great & totally got me and the brief.
That full fat milk was outstanding too!
Cheers
Dan Burns
June 16th 2022
June 16th 2022
Rachel,
I’m writing to express our extreme satisfaction with our recent tour of your wonderful island! From your initial warm greeting to the fond farewell, the excursion could not have been improved on. Your willingness to provide a bespoke experience tailored to our specific interests was greatly appreciated. My husband’s interest in WWII was catered to and we both were astounded by the history of the Occupation and how it affected the island and people of Guernsey. As our first attempt at international travel post pandemic, we found your approach, knowledge, and resources impressive and welcoming. Also, the transportation was immaculate, spacious, and handled by a true professional, Mike!
Kindest Regards,
Judith
July 2nd 2023
Rachel Dovey was our family’s wonderful guide in Guernsey on our recent British Isles cruise.
We were a group of three adults, my husband, myself, and our adult daughter. We had
corresponded with Rachel prior to our trip, and she followed through by taking us to every site
we had requested, and then some. As a native of Guernsey, she was able to share her island
with us in the best possible way. We visited sites that were mentioned in the book The
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which my daughter and I had requested, as well
as WWII sites of the German Occupation that interested all three of us. She accompanied us
into the various sites, where she explained what we were seeing. It seemed that everywhere
we went, everyone knew Rachel! Her love for her island was obvious. We highly recommend
Rachel Dovey as a guide in Guernsey, and should our travels take us there again, we will
certainly engage her.
Libby
July 3rd 2023
Subject: Lihou island walk
To: <1stcallguernseytours@gmail.com
Hello Rachel,
Thank you so much for a great guided walk, talk and swim on Lihou Island, last Sunday. We so enjoyed your expert knowledge and local insight. A great way to spend the day.
No doubt we’ll be back at some point in the future and look forward to meeting you again.
I would highly recommend this guided walk, with wonderful subject knowledge from a born and bred local.
Regards
Tina and Steve
Exam comments ;
Outstanding local knowledge
An interesting tour with many local references and well researched.
Your passion for the Island and the walk locations is obvious and your personal stories and illustrations were very interesting