A Guide to the Farne Islands
WILDLIFE IN NORTHUMBERLAND
Known as David Attenborough's favourite spot in the UK to see “magnificent nature”, the Farne Islands are a natural treasure and a must-visit when in Northumberland.
This cluster of islands are scattered a few miles off the famous Northumberland coastline and are inundated with wildlife. Being the most famous sea bird sanctuary in the British Isles, over 100,000 seabirds make these islands their home each year. These include guillemots, razorbills, and of course, the adorable puffin.
Our visit was truly a magnificent one. Bobbing around the islands, seeing the seals gliding through the waters while thousands of birds soar above us was incredible. Watching the puffins swoop down, filling their bill with sand eels, and flying back to their nests was something we’ve always wanted to see. And to have this experience in their natural habitat, while on the water was unreal.
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This article has all you need to know about when and where to visit and why you should add the Farne Islands to your UK bucket list.
When to visit
There are regular boat trips that run from the harbour from March to October. The harbour is situated in the small town of Seahouses, a 5-minute drive from Bamburgh.
Down by the harbour, there are multiple information stands promoting the boat tours. You can book the boat trip either at the information stands or online.
Check out the National Trust’s Wildlife Calendar for when’s best to visit as you’ll see different things depending on what time of year you go.
Read our article “8 WONDERFUL REASONS TO VISIT NORTHUMBERLAND” for more information on why you should visit and what there is to see and do! From paradise-like waterfalls to one incredible national park.
How to Visit
There are multiple companies that have boats that take you out to the islands.
We chose Billy Shield’s Boat Trips, which is a family business that’s been running boat trips to the Farne Islands since 1918. There are multiple boat trips to choose from which vary in length and focus on different wildlife. Some trips sail around the islands while others give you the opportunity to land on them.
The Staple and Inner Farne Islands are open to the public to land. These islands are managed by the National Trust so there is a separate entrance fee.
The boat trips on offer range from 90 minutes to 6 hours and starts from £20.
We took the Seabird Cruise, which spends 2 hours sailing around the islands without a landing. This tour offered ample opportunities to view the thousands of birds and the colony of seals that bask on the rocks. We saw Puffins, Guillemots, Shags, Cormorants, Kittiwakes, Arctic Terns, and Razorbills!
Other cruises on offer
Grey Seal Cruise Trip
Price: £20, Duration: 90 minutes
Inner Farne Cruise Trip
Price: £30, Duration: 150 minutes
Sunset Cruise Trip
Price: £25, Duration: 120 minutes
Holy Island/Lindisfarne Cruise Trip
Price: £50, Duration: 4.5 hours
WILDLIFE
PUFFINS
From April to the end of July, the islands are packed with one of the most exciting seabird colonies in the UK.
These small seabirds, which waddle with a body that almost seems too big for their legs, can be found in large numbers on the islands. With their unmistakable colours, and a strikingly bright bill full of sand eels, you can spot them going to and fro from the sea and their nests ashore.
Every year, the puffins return to the Farne Islands for a short window to breed and raise their young. This is usually between April to late July with the peak time being between May and June.
SEALS
There are an estimated 3,000-4,000 grey seals that call the Farne Islands their home while being one of the top grey seal pupping sites in England. If you visit in Autumn you could be fortunate to see the fluffy, white pups, with over 2,000 being born every year!
You can take a grey seal cruise trip, which operates all year round, weather permitting. The seals can be seen gliding through the waters and basking on the rocks, especially at low tide when more of the land is exposed.
What to wear
Before the trip, we were told to wear a hat. This is for two reasons. By late May, the arctic turns on the island lay their eggs, and become very protective and territorial. This can lead to the occasional dive-bomb on visitors’ heads, but wearing a hat is easy protection and makes it preventable. At times there are hundreds of birds flying overhead so the second reason is to protect yourself from being pooped on!
Bring a windproof coat, even on sunny days as it can get rather chilly offshore.
Read our article “WONDERFUL WATERFALLS TO VISIT IN NORTHUMBERLAND” for another stunning reason to add Northumberland to your bucket list!
Facilities & parking
The closest place to park is right by the harbour. There are pay and display parking spaces but they are limited and these spaces get taken quickly.
In the main town of Seahouses, there is the Seafield Car Park situated off the main roundabout, with a large overflow car park behind. Next to the roundabout are the closest toilet facilities to the harbour.
The town of Seahouses itself has a visitors centre, supermarket, pubs and fish & chip shops if you want toe to extend your visit.
We hope this article can be helpful for your visit. We really enjoyed the Farne Islands and can’t wait to come back!
Have you visited Northumberland before? If you have any recommendations you’d like to share then please do! Let us know in the comments below.
