puffin island scotland

And another one when I cursed myself for not bringing a proper telephoto lens. 105 helpful votes. To get to the top of the islands and to see everything you probably want to see, it is a brisk hike. Somewhere between 250,000 and 300,000 puffins nest on the islands of St Kilda, which is around a quarter of the total number for the UK. The best place to see Puffins in Scotland. It’s probably better to book our tour not too much in advance. You’re sweating, but its chilly so you have layers on. I am quite ashamed to admit (being the control freak I am) that I was thus utterly unprepared for the spectacular wildlife waiting for me on this unique island. drizzle would be uncomfortable! Yet, there is more to the country of Alba than rolling green hills, high cliffs, whiskey and quite a bit of rain. I did say, right in the first paragraph, that Scotland is rich with (unexpected) wildlife. Scotland’s smallest and most distinctive breeding auk species with black upper parts and white under parts. I pray with all my heart that they will be able to conserve this unique place for further generations. Coincidence? Let’s take a look at some of Scotland’s most popular island puffin-spotting locations. The day is long, but so fun. Most importantly, though you may hear puffins give a kind of deep yet nervous laugh, this does not give them a sense of humour. Oban is basically the most south west city you can stay in and get away with this day trip. Puffins were flying hither and thither, the males cleaning out last year’s burrows for the partners to the lay the eggs in, with the beautiful landscape all around me utterly overwhelming me. However, in spite of their large quantities, St Kilda's puffins are not easy to see. Thank you :), Hey Mike, How to get to the Puffin Cove I’m not affiliated with either, but I went with Staffa Tours based on how easy it was to book and navigate their website. The island is privately owned by the Baron Hill estate. Home to Puffins, rare Bonxies, stunning views of the Assynt mountains and one of Scotland’s best beaches, here’s how to visit the paradise of Handa. Most of their life they spent out on the sea. It is so nice to experience a different side of Scotland and I wouldn’t have wanted to experience it with anything else but a flock of Puffins (just kidding Pilot Husband. And hopefully I have convinced you to go see puffins in Scotland! He told me that roughly 4,500 Puffins are now breeding on Lunga – one of the biggest colonies on earth (I could not verify these numbers, but there were certainly a LOT of Puffins). The population was not as strong as in other places among the Scottish Islands, but here you were able to come very close. Be prepared to wake up early and come home late, though. 86 reviews. They make the transfer with the ferry and bus so easy by booking everything for you. Apparently it’s quite common because humans scare off the predators so they feel safe when a tour drops in. Jess has wanted to see puffins for a very long time, so when the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick, Scotland, offered us a trip on one of their bird watching tours at the start of puffin season, naturally we leapt at the opportunity. A couple hundred yards into the hike, we were not prepared for the sight we saw. Walking down the length of the short island, Lunga presented me with yet more Puffins. Thousands of birds. Not this particular morning, though. Puffin Watching on Papey Island Just off the shore of East Iceland is another enormous puffin colony that can be reached by boat. The Puffin Tour is actually out of Tobermory on the Island of Mull, another quaint fishing village even smaller than Oban. The first cliff was no unique spot, though. It was such a sublime moment. Being the wildlife fan I am, I almost suffered a heart attack. I'm staying in Lerwick and will be car-less but prepared to walk a lot and I've been checking bus schedules. Quite accidentally the tour I decided to take had a stop on Lunga, some 10ish kilometers farther north. Hugging the cliffs where thousands (quite literally!!) Ask them in the comments below. If you want to see the Puffins, October is a bad time. Cheese Fry Enthusiast. They like to sneak hikes into everything without letting us know. To get there you take the ferry from Oban to Craignure and then catch a bus to Tobermory. Now I stand corrected and am already planning my return, lol :), Yes; this is now on my bucketlist called “Places to visit on short notice if weather is good” :-) Thanks! From my little outpost, I had a little lunch (brought some sandwiches) and enjoyed the scenery. On the way back, we had some time in Tobermory before the bus came to take us back to the ferry. Travel Destinations. It’s a phenomenon the locals call “Puffin Therapy”! Although there are Puffins on both the islands of Staffa and Lunga, the main attraction on Staffa is Fingal’s Cave. Your legs burn. The island is officially called Lunga, part of the Treshnish Isles, and a number of companies do day trips there and to neighbouring Staffa Island. I had no idea that you could see such sights in Scotland. i agree. Do it. There are few places left on earth, where you can experience unspoiled nature and abundant wildlife. When planning my trip to Scotland (read my itinerary here) I stumbled over the island of Staffa. Vigur Island. You could also stay on the Isle of Mull! Lunga is verdant for outstanding wildlife experiences. Pilot Wife. Amongst the rocks, I also saw a couple of Razorbills. Now, it is a paradise of birds (with puffins and guillemots being the main residents) and seals. There are numerous burrows where the puffins nest, and later in the season you can watch the hatched pufflings (baby puffins) poke their head out for a look. During the breeding season, displays of bill-knocking and ritualised walking will result in mating pairs producing one egg, which is laid at the end of the burrow. When I was researching activities to do in Scotland, I came across a tour to the Treshnish Isles to see the Puffins in one of the largest breeding grounds in the world. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The humorous birds spend the rest of the year at sea. Visiting the Puffin colony on Lunga, Scotland, wildlife experiences I had on the Galapagos Islands, The best time to visit the Isle of Skye, Scotland, The 15 best things to do in Salzburg, Austria, https://www.annees-de-pelerinage.com/perfect-scotland-road-trip/. If this sounds too complicated, Staffa tours will book this all as one package for you and give you easy to follow instructions! No, really. Puffins in Scotland Puffins spend the majority of their time out at sea, only heading to shore to breed during the months of April to mid August so this is the time you want to be here in Scotland. They will come right up to you! Lunga is one of the Treshnish Isles which the tour is named after. You won’t regret it. These birds breed on land from April to August, which is why I was able to see them in their prime during my visit in July. There are a number of places on the island where plenty of Atlantic puffins can be seen. Asia Destinations. It has an area of 69 acres (0.28 km 2). During the summer months the island is home to a big puffin colony. Boat trips from South Queensferry during the summer. But I also took my time enjoying the moment. There are two main tour operators: Staffa Tours and Turus Mara. Following are the spots which enjoy 100% sighting rates in summer. What odd, but beautiful creatures. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the “normal” side of Scotland either. But seeing them breeding in their thousands was no less impressive. It really is a magical place and I can’t recommend it enough. crazy…beyond overwhelming, and I don’t say this lightly (check out the otherworldly wildlife experiences I had on the Galapagos Islands to get an idea). Look to the sky. I didn’t know what was expecting me, as I already detailed out. This is where I found myself a little rock to rest. as a matter of fact I did bring all my rain gear…only I never needed it. Puffin Island is the ninth largest island off the coast of Wales and marks the northeastern end of the Menai Strait. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Muckle Flugga, at the northern tip of the UK is in the distance.. Aug 17, 2014 - A Puffin admiring the view. Puffins on the Isle of Lunga. There was never a strong population since the small island and its meager meadows wouldn’t support more. Getting to the isles is a little complicated. A puffin’s beak (or bill) changes colour during the year. But my brain was suffering from some sort of sensual overload. We sure had our laughs but obviously respected their privacy. The islands only covers 81 hectares – there is no way it would support any sort of mass tourism. Located in South-West England, off the coast of England this little island is the only place in the South of England that has a puffin colony. I highly recommend mentally preparing yourself for physical activity and bring your hiking boots! (Also leaves from Ulva). I “only” saw porpoise, but then again I was more than lucky with the weather, so I shall not complain. As we are slow walkers and we like to wander around which one to choose. Rains and storms are common. I am thinking of going the beginning of October and was wondering if there would still be an abundance of wildlife? We stayed in THIS AirBnB. See more ideas about puffin, scottish animals, animals. If you are staying on the Outer Hebrides, there might be some tours as well, though I am not aware of them. Alternatively, you can grab some food or stroll down the main street and pop into a variety of different shops. However, further away is Flatey Island which is also home to nesting puffins in the summer. I think not. Follow me along on social media: A analysis of the current situation in Egypt and how that translates to your travel plans. I've seen puffins on Inchcolm Island in the Firth of Forth. Travel. There are few places left on earth, where you can experience unspoiled nature and abundant wildlife. Since the landscape of Lunga was already presenting itself in picture-perfect greens, disappointment was out of the question anyway. There were birds EVERYWHERE. I organized my trip via Staffatours (not affiliated with them; they did a great job, though!). And then you see the view from the top and completely forget about how exhausted you are. From Mull, there are boats departing from Ulva Ferry, Ardnamurchan, Tobermory, and Fionnphort, as far as I know. The island of puffins, hundreds maybe thousands of them hop about. And don’t forget to pin this to your pinterest board! Getting to Lunga is a bit more complicated. You can also go out of Ardnamurchan, Fionnphort, Mulle, Iona and others. You can find my full itinerary here: https://www.annees-de-pelerinage.com/perfect-scotland-road-trip/ It was like a scene out of a horror movie. They are basically the OG snow birds. Put on the rain gear and enjoy it! I hope to go back to Scotland one day, this time I will try to go and see this place, it looks absolutely magical! With that many birds flitting about, I was otherwise preoccupied, as you can imagine. We continued the hike up the hill where we eventually reached the top. Report inappropriate content . At the time of the RSPB’s last census, 2,000 puffin pairs were recorded in the Inner Hebrides. Explore . And while you’re on your travels you’ll see highland cattle – not wild but beautiful! To see Scotland without rain is not to see Scotland. We were in Scotland for the British Open, so we didn’t want to stray too far from Angus, where the Open was being held. The puffins nest near the bottom on the grassy area, and there are often around 200 birds in this location. Should I cancel my trip to Egypt? These industrious guys are just beyond cute, don’t you think? ), Book in advance, but not too far in advance, Tennis shoes/hiking shoes are definitely required. I want to see Scotland; but don’t want drizzle :-). More travel inspiration: 20 amazing things to do in Scotland. Once this island has been inhabited. Puffins are seabirds belonging to the auk family and have a predominately black and white plumage. Puffins have the most fascinating lives. We took this tour from Staffa Tours. While the castles passed on to different clans a couple of times throughout history, it was nevertheless occupied until the late 18th century. We just wanted to be closer to the city and didn’t want to venture onto ferries with cars and such. The island is very easy to reach from the city of Edinburgh by car or by train to North Berwick where you can walk to the harbour rendezvous point. Then and there I noticed the many beautiful flowers covering the islands. The chicks will already have hatched and the puffins flown away. The puffins can be spotted when they breed between late May and early August. Not that hiking around the island was particular exhausting (though the cliffs fall off quite steep, so nothing for the faint-hearted). At the time I didn’t know, sadly, about this island! ___________ (And then drove it across the Country. The island is accessible by a 2-hour boat trip that goes through the Bristol Channel. Staffa’s name comes from the old Norse for ‘pillar’ – a reference to the strange hexagonal basalt columns found on the island (similar to those found across the water at the Giant’s Causeway) most notably in Fingal’s Cave, famed for its natural acoustics. We only had two precious hours on the island before the boat departed again. You could always charter your own boat, though regular tours are not exactly crowded either. The main island that puffins nest on in the bay is called Lundey, or Puffin Island. I'm off to Shetland in a couple of weeks with my main goal being, puffin-spotting. This is an excellent time to take a whiskey tour at Tobermory Distillery. When I stayed in one spot, the Puffins came close, walking too hastily they shied away. Pin now – Best Place to see Puffins in Scotland. In 1857 Donald Campbell and his family left the islands, the last to have permanently lived there. By then the MacLeans were in charge on the Treshnish Isles. Awesome! Everyone should see a puffin in its natural habitat at least once in their life and there is nowhere no more beautiful to do it than here in the North of Scotland. Visiting the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth to find Puffins, was one of the highlights of my scottish adventures. Puffins on the cliffs at the Brough of Birsay. London, United... Level Contributor . Martin is a fantastic host and you are guaranteed to see Sea Eagles close up. Also for anyone visiting Mull for a while I would like to give a shout out to Mull Charters. I had to go check out one of the best places to see Puffins in Scotland. Puffins live in burrows in the short grass at the top of cliffs and feed on fish, such as sandeels, which they catch at sea by diving beneath the surface and using their wings to swim in pursuit. Get out and live life and see these amazing animals! These days the Hebridean Trust owns Lunga and the Treshnish Isles. 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