EXPLORE… LUNDY
Leave modern life far behind and escape to this rocky outcrop, where a spectacular range of flora and fauna flourishes amid the dramatic scenery
Discover a wonderful wealth of wildlife, history and fascinating traditions on the largest of the islands in the Bristol Channel
TWELVE MILES OFF THE COAST OF NORTH DEVON,
where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel, a unique granite rock formation rises 400 feet from the sea. The 200 shipwrecks that litter the seabed around its coastline are testament to the fact that this has always been a wild place, a world apart from the mainland and occupied in turn by pirates, fugitives and the forces of law and order. Now owned by the National Trust and managed by The Landmark Trust (landmarktrust.co.uk), it attracts a different class of people. This is the island of Lundy, a place of spectacular natural beauty where no roads, no cars, no streetlights, no TV, no internet and virtually no mobile signal make it the perfect place to get away from it all.
Its name originates from the old Norse, meaning Puffin (Lund) Island (-ey), and it is the breeding colonies of these charismatic seabirds, along with several other species, including guillemots, razorbills and Manx shearwaters that appeal to many visitors. Lundy is also popular with divers, plant enthusiasts, archaeologists, geologists, climbers, bell-ringers and bird-ringers. However, despite all it offers, the beauty of the island is that it never feels overrun – even at its busiest times fellow visitors will appear as distant figures in a windswept landscape, only to be encountered again, if at all, in the tavern of an evening.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The island is just three miles long and half a mile wide and has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as traces of Bronze- and Iron-age settlements show. Following the Norman conquest, the Mariscos family held the island for around a century, after which it spent time in the hands of the Crown, as well as various private individuals. Each left their mark with buildings that, remarkably, have withstood the buffeting of North Atlantic weather for hundreds of years – these include the castle, an imposing, crenelated structure built in the 13th century, a Georgian mansion and a granite quarry dating back to the Victorian era. Even Martin Coles Harman – the most recent owner of the island before it passed to the National Trust and The Landmark Trust in 1968 – left his own legacy in the form of herds of deer, Soay sheep and ponies that wander freely there to this day.
IN THE AIR AND BENEATH THE WAVES
Lundy also has a vast and varied transient avian population, with many migrant birds using it as a welcome stopover during lengthy journeys
Just three miles long and half a mile wide, Lundy has been inhabited since prehistoric times
and, as a result, there are regular sightings of rare and unusual species. Bring your binoculars and record your findings in the Lundy Field Society log book. You can also observe volunteers from The Society, in collaboration with the BTO, using ‘mist’ nets set between vertical poles to catch birds in order to ring them for research and conservation purposes.
Lundy lies across one of Britain’s busiest shipping routes and ten of the sunken ships around its diminutive shores are recognised dive sights. Washed by the Gulf Stream, it also has some of the richest marine life to be found outside the tropics. As many as 2,500 creatures can be counted in a single square metre of seabed and it is the only place where all five types of British cup coral grow. Above the water, a thriving colony of grey seals can often be seen watching divers with black-eyed curiosity. An attraction themselves, during the warmer months seal safaris provide the opportunity for passengers to get up close to, and even swim with, these characterful mammals.
VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
For many potential visitors, just the logistics of travelling to and staying on such a unique location are a source of intrigue. The reality doesn’t disappoint: in keeping with a place that makes you feel like a castaway (and, indeed, housed a few in years gone by), transport to the mainland is only available on certain days of the week known as ‘boat days’ – and, even then, it’s weather permitting. Intrepid voyagers are picked up from ports on the Devon coast and transported across the Bristol Channel on a 1950s passenger ferry.
Once on Lundy, you can stay in one of the 23 self-catering properties, which are carefully maintained by The Landmark Trust and include a lighthouse, a fisherman’s chalet, the old school and a pigsty. Life on the island centres around
the village with its farm buildings and livestock, shop, pub and reception where you check in on arrival. Some of the accommodation can also be found here, or is within easy striking distance, but others are much further away and negotiating your walk to them after dark can be an interesting experience. Whatever you do, don’t venture out at night without a torch, when the island generator is turned off between midnight and dawn. Inky darkness descends and while this means that the starry skies are some of the best in Britain, there also are plenty of places where you could lose your footing.
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
Lundy is inhabited all year round by the 27 islanders that make up The Landmark Trust team. Each juggles a number of roles, from the general manager who is also the fire chief to the barman who doubles as resident wildlife expert. Several are couples who have met through working together in this close-knit community and all exude a cheerfulness and friendly approach, which suggests that this simple style of island living doesn’t lose its charm over time.
The Marisco Tavern, the island’s only eatery, is where everyone congregates. The atmosphere is lively and friendly and you can drop in to dine on island produce, including Lundy gammon and venison, order a packed lunch or enjoy some homemade cake while finding out what activities are planned. You can also chat with islanders, check weather forecasts and tide
Stand on the plateau and you may witness completely different weather on either side of the isle
times or make an entry in the Field Society and marine logs. Shelves are stocked with reference books that help with identifying local flora and fauna alongside various board games, which provide the perfect distraction if the weather closes in. Mobile phones are banned and you are liable to be fined if your mobile makes any noise whatsoever!
EXPLORING BY FOOT
The wardens on the island are a great source of information and offer guided walks, rockpool rambles and snorkel safaris, plus talks in the tavern to help you discover all aspects of Lundy life. If you choose to set off alone, you can walk the Lundy Letterbox trail where a set of clues is followed, treasure-hunt style – this takes you all over the island, including some areas off the beaten track that you might not otherwise visit.
Walking on Lundy allows you to discover the diversity of the island landscape, from the grassy slopes of the east side, where wild flowers flourish and deer graze, to the majestic 400ft Atlantic cliffs, where nesting seabirds congregate in Jenny’s Cove and climbers come to tackle the Devil’s Slide, the longest granite slab in Britain. Stand in the middle of the plateau and you may witness two entirely different types of weather on either side of the half-mile-wide isle.
The main track from the village takes you across the island plateau, past the lake and marshland at Pondsbury and on to the rocky, heather-covered peaty ground at the North End, where the remains of Bronze-age settlements are found. On the way, you might encounter wild ponies and goats. As you walk, the everpresent wheatears will flit ahead of you from perch to perch as if leading the way and, in summer, skylarks will rise from around your feet, breaking into song as they climb higher and higher into the skies above.