Hi all - trying to help a friend. They have a trip planned to England and Scotland this summer. This is a graduation trip for her daughter. One of her main wants was to see puffins - not just from a boat that goes by. So they were going to do Seabird Centre to the Isle of May but had no idea it would sell out so soon! Any other ideas for something that would be more of an experience in person vs a boat trip by the puffins somewhere? They are willing to rearrange their itinerary and go somewhere else. Thanks!
Posted by
London
147 posts
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.
Posted by
Cornwall
529 posts
The Farne Islands. Wear a hard hat.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
9063 posts
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.
Posted by
Lake District, England
8708 posts
For the Farne Islands train to Alnmouth or Berwick on Tweed for bus to Seahouses, for the boats.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
15110 posts
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.
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7194 posts
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.