SEVEN MORE SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE ISLANDS TO VISIT
The Farne Islands are scattered a couple of miles off the coast near Seahouses, Northumberland. Its spectacular seabirds include puffins and Arctic terns and hundreds of grey seal pups are born in autumn. Inner Farne is open April to October. nationaltrust.org.uk
Bass Rock’s most stunning feature is the 150,000 gannets that smother it, but there is a variety of other seabirds and marine wildlife. Boat trips out of North Berwick near Edinburgh run from Easter until autumn. seabird.org
Rathlin Island has Northern Ireland’s largest seabird colony, including puffins, kittiwakes and razorbills; there are also choughs and corncrakes. The RSPB Seabird Centre gives excellent opportunities for close-up viewing. The ferry runs from Ballycastle. rathlinballycastleferry.com
Mingulay is remote and wildly atmospheric. Reach it by boat from Castlebay, on Barra in the Outer Hebrides. Seabirds, including guillemots, razorbills and puffins, cluster on the towering cliffs, while the deserted crofts bring powerful echoes of the past. nts.org.uk
Noss in Shetland is a wildlife paradise with dramatic sea cliffs and beautiful vegetation. It’s accessed by boat from Lerwick, mid-May to September. Birds include puffins and gannets; you could also see otters. shetland.org
Ramsey Island has large numbers of guillemots as well as choughs and peregrines. From mid-August, it’s a good place to see grey seal pups. Boats run from St Justinian, near St David’s in Pembrokeshire, from April to October. rspb.org.uk
Lundy, off the coast of North Devon, gets its diversity of wildlife from a mix of high, rugged cliffs and gentler grassy slopes. There are puffins and good populations of other seabirds, and increasing numbers of Manx shearwaters. landmarktrust.org.uk