Skomer Island, a National Nature Reserve, lies about a mile off the coast of West Wales. Managed by the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales, it is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Protection Area.
With its dramatic cliffs, secluded beaches, and rich wildlife, Skomer is a haven for nature lovers and a top destination for birdwatchers and photographers.
Home to around 42,000 puffins, Skomer boasts the largest puffin colony in southern Britain. They arrive in mid-April, nesting in burrows originally dug by the island’s abundant rabbit population, before departing in July.
The island also supports the world’s largest colony of Manx shearwaters, along with storm petrels, guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes. Other breeding birds include short-eared owls, buzzards, merlins, oystercatchers, meadow pipits, wheatears, and rock pipits.
Nearby Skokholm Island, also managed by the Trust, offers a more remote and rugged place to experience puffins. With towering sandstone cliffs and a wild landscape, it provides excellent opportunities to spot passage migrants such as chiffchaffs, willow warblers, whitethroats, and flycatchers.
Skomer Island is open from April to August, with boats departing from Martin’s Haven on the Dale Peninsula. The 20-minute crossing is operated by Pembrokeshire Island Boat Trips.
Facilities on the island are minimal, and the weather can be unpredictable, so visitors should bring their own food, drinks, and wear suitable clothing and footwear, although binoculars can be hired on-site. There are four compost toilets, located at the Farm in the centre of the island.
To protect the island’s fragile ecosystem, dogs, including assistance dogs, are not permitted. Visitors must ensure their bags are sealed to prevent accidental introduction of rats, mink, stoats, or other predators that could devastate the island’s wildlife.
For those wanting to extend their stay, the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales offers limited accommodation on both Skomer and Skokholm.
Alternatively, sea safaris provide a chance to view the island’s wildlife from the water without setting foot on land, an excellent option for those wanting a different perspective of this seabird paradise.
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Managed by the RSPB, Bempton Cliffs boast some of England’s highest chalk cliffs. Spectacular year-round, they truly come alive between March and August when half a million seabirds arrive to breed.
Around 4,000 pairs of puffins nest here, using crevices in the cliffs rather than burrows. Strategically placed viewing platforms offer visitors incredible close-up views of these charismatic birds as they rear their young, known as pufflings.
The cliffs are also home to England’s only mainland breeding colony of gannets, along with kittiwakes, fulmars, razorbills, and guillemots. The grasslands above the cliffs provide nesting sites for corn buntings, skylarks, and linnets, while kestrels and barn owls can often be seen hunting overhead.
Visitors can explore two main trails, which pass through clifftop habitats and scrubland, offering excellent opportunities to get up close to the vast colonies of seabirds as well as spot smaller birds.
Bempton Cliffs is about a 30-minute drive from Scarborough and just 10 minutes from Bridlington, with parking available at the reserve. While no direct bus service runs to the site, Bempton train station is just a mile away.
For a different perspective, the RSPB partners with the Yorkshire Belle to offer three-hour boat cruises from Bridlington Harbour, providing stunning views of the cliffs and seabirds from the water. RSPB volunteers are on board to help identify species, and a live commentary offers fascinating insights into the seabird spectacle.
The RSPB visitor centre has a shop, accessible toilets, and a self-service café with both indoor and outdoor seating. Binoculars are available to hire, ensuring you don’t miss a moment of the action.
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Managed by the National Trust for Scotland, St Kilda is a remote volcanic archipelago located about 40 miles off North Uist in the Outer Hebrides. It is the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised for both its natural and cultural significance.
Inhabited for at least 2,000 years, St Kilda was finally evacuated on 29 August 1930, when the last 36 islanders voted to leave, as their way of life had become unsustainable.
The archipelago consists of four main islands: Hirta (also known as St Kilda), Soay, Boreray, and Dùn, along with smaller islets and sea stacks. At the height of the breeding season, nearly one million seabirds inhabit the islands, including the UK’s largest colony of puffins. Most puffins nest on Dùn, where over 130,000 pairs can be found.
St Kilda is also home to one of the world’s largest gannet colonies, with more than 30,000 pairs breeding on Boreray and its neighbouring stacks. Other seabirds that nest here include fulmars, razorbills, guillemots, Manx shearwaters, Arctic skuas, great skuas, and shags. The islands are also the habitat of the St Kilda wren, an endemic subspecies of the Eurasian wren, distinguished by its larger size, strong bill, heavy barring, and greyer plumage.
On the main island of Hirta, a restored cottage in the historic Village Street houses a museum that brings St Kilda’s history, natural wonders, and former inhabitants to life. Visitors can also see traditional fowling rods, once used by the islanders to catch puffins.
Access to St Kilda is by boat, either on your own vessel or via local boat tour operators offering day trips from Leverburgh harbour on the Isle of Harris. The journey takes around two and a half hours, depending on the weather, with about five hours on the island before the return trip. It is also possible to sail from the Scottish mainland, a journey that takes approximately 18 hours, though rough seas can sometimes force boats to turn back.
Sturdy walking shoes or boots are essential, and it is important to clean them thoroughly before visiting, paying special attention to the soles to help protect the island’s fragile ecosystem. As the weather can change rapidly, warm and waterproof clothing is recommended. There are no cafés or shops on St Kilda, so visitors should bring their own food and drink, though a drinking water tap is available. Public toilets are also provided.
A small campsite on Hirta can be pre-booked through the National Trust for Scotland. Facilities include shared showers, toilets, and a drinking water supply. There is no mobile phone reception, Wi-Fi, or internet access on the island, making St Kilda a true escape into nature.
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