Puffin Tour This Summer

Staffa, off the Isle of Mull in Scotland, has lots of puffins- you can do a boat trip there from Mull (or from Oban via Mull) that takes you onto the island and you can basically go right up next to them. There's also Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire (Wales) which is famous for puffins tho I've not been so can't speak to personal experience.

The Farne Islands. Wear a hard hat.

I did Staffa several years ago. We walked up a steep set of stairs to the top of the island and then a bit out to the tops of cliffs where puffins were nesting. If you sat quietly near the edge they would fly right up near you. Do check to make sure the current conditions for Staffa allow for touring before changing your itinerary.

We did the three island tour by West Coast Tours out of Oban and it included this Staffa experience.

For the Farne Islands train to Alnmouth or Berwick on Tweed for bus to Seahouses, for the boats.

I will add a speculative caution...bird flu is ticking up here in the US and not sure what the numbers look like in UK. When I was in Northumberland in 2023 and took a trip to the Farne Islands, boats were not allowed to land due to the incidence of bird flu.

Just saying this so they can mitigate expectations in case they close off landings by the time they travel. I'm NOT saying they will or that I have any knowledge of plans...just saying bird flu might have an impact.

You should be able to just take a ferry to the Isle of May. I'm not sure you have to go with the Seabird Centre. Ferries go from Anstruther, Dunbar, and North Berwick. Check out the website for the Isle of May National Nature Reserve.

You guys are amazing! She is looking into your suggestions and also thank you for the bird flu reminder! Thank you!

I recommend bird island Runde in Norway. Nearest airport is Alesund. People are allowed to climb up the backside of the cliff to see puffins from nearby.

The big asset of this destination is that world famous Geirangerfjord is not far away.

You don’t say what month you are going. I believe the puffins begin leaving in July. At least that was the case when we were in Shetland in mid-late July 2023.

I see that, too, that the puffins start their annual migration mid to late July.

"England and Scotland"? I assume you mean "the UK" ("England" is one of those united kingdoms, there are others). If so, some very puffin-filled places in the UK include:

Shetland (what most call "the Shetland Islands"). Just barely in the UK, but still Scotland (out in the North Sea). There are several world-class puffin places there where puffins are prolific, and where you can see them up pretty close, no boat required.

Wales. Skomer Island would be at the top of my list.

If you're willing to go just a wee bit beyond the UK, then puffins are pretty much guaranteed* here:

Skellig Michael. Off the southwest coast of Ireland.

The Faroe Islands. Specifically the island of Mykines. The Faroes are roughly half-way between the UK and Iceland.

Yes, some of these places are in inconvenient locations that require some dedication and effort to reach (but all have thriving tourist industries and are quite doable by anyone who wants the bird experience). The birds are there because we (crowds of people, lots of development, etc.) are not there, so in this case the inconvenient location is a feature not a bug.

Now remember, it's Mother Nature, not a Disney Park, so there are no *actual** guarantees, with wildlife viewing you always need some luck. We all need to know that going in, the show may or may not appear on time - but at all of the above places (and more) you're extremely likely to see puffins aplenty - as long as you go at the right time  (what's exactly the right time? Depends on the place, but typically June-ish, maybe from May to July in most places...but aim for the center of the peak time to give yourself the best chance for puffins aplenty). So many puffins, in fact, that you may feel the need to keep one hand free to swat them away as they fly past your head (they won't actually fly into you, but they may go flopping right by, so close you may flinch a bit until you get used to it and gain some confidence they're not going to just smack you in the cheek).

Like here: Skellig Michael

Also (on dry land) in Aberdeenshire (Scotland)- Bullers of Buchan (north of Aberdeen) and Fowlsheugh Nature Reserve (south of Stonehaven) are also very good places to see them.

Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire and Rathlin Island (Northern Ireland, boats from Ballycastle) are also good locations.

Additionally in Wales, Puffin Island (off Anglesey)- boat trips from Beaumaris.

On Orkney and Shetland they are known as Tammy Norries. The best (but not) only place on Orkney is Castle of Burrian on Westray Island.