Portland Bill. Get there early in the morning for your best chance to see Puffin. Guillemot and Razorbill should be seen all day long. Best viewing from Pulpit Rock looking back up West Cliffs.
Agree with Martin, the place is Skomer, especially for a child, Puffins in your lap type experience. 180 miles so takes 4 hours by road to get there (M5/M4) so a stay overnight is essential. Boats depart Martins Haven near Marloes at 9.30/10.00h (except Mondays). Highly recommended a memmorable visit guaranteed.
Can supply further details...........
Agree that Skomer is an ideal place to take children for a Seabird experience.
But be aware that trips can be cancelled if sea conditions make it unsafe for boat to offload passengers on the landing stage.
It took us two attempts to get to the Island so a stay of more than a couple of days is advisable. Many of the Seabirds can be viewed from the Deer Park if you cannot get to the Island.BKUF
If you want to make a long weekend of it you can't beat the Farne Islands off the coast of Northumberland - one of the greatest wildlife experiences in the world, with puffins and lots of other seabirds only a few feet away, and Arctic terns even closer as they attack you! Usually more reliable weather-wise than Skomer, but a fair way further - boats from seahouses... Best time May to July - good luck wherever you end up going!
Hi Caroline
If you want a mainland UK site and Guaranteed to get great views of all Auks plus Shags and other Seabirds along coastal footpaths then RSPB Bempton cliffs in North Yorkshire north of Scarborough is place to go. Bit of a hike but worth going up for a few days as there are plenty of other great sites nearby plus possibility of rarities of Flamborough head
It's got to be Skomer for me also. An experience on a place like this may be the start of a life long passion for young children. Severn beech is a little more local, and with wind like today, there's a good chance to see a tired auk float by around 13:00 this afternoon. Sightings of little gull, med gull, kittiwakes, great & pom skuas aswell.
It's got to be Skomer for me also. An experience on a place like this may be the start of a life long passion for young children. Severn beach is a little more local, and with wind like today, there's a good chance to see a tired auk float by around 13:00 this afternoon. Sightings of little gull, med gull, kittiwakes, great & pom skuas aswell.
Hello Caroline Skomer is a great visit, if you are a camping enthusiast there is a campsite five minutes walk from the departure point, get in the queue as early as possible ,take sandwiches a flask and some wet weather cloths just in case.Cough and Gannet can also to be seen . Overnight stay on the island is also possible I understand.Grassholm close by is the home for a large Gannet colony, boat trips are possible.
As a second best option and closer to home there is a small Colony on the on the North Devon Coast cliffs between Woody Bay and Heddons Mouth but you would have to be out on the sea to see anything. From Whitsun onwards there are a couple of open pleasure boats running short coastal cruises from Lynmouth, you would have to check with the boatman to make sure he intends to run in close to this area. There are no Puffins but you will see Razorbills, Guillemots, Fulmars and Kittiwakes around the colony and you should/might also see Porpoise, Gannets and Peregrine. When the birds are feeding young it can be quite busy but there are only a few hundred birds rather than the tens of thousands you might see at the other locations mentioned.
Perhaps Durlston Head at Swanage is a bit closer. There should be Razorbills and Gillies breeding on the cliffs in spring, as well as Gulls and Peregrines. Dolphins are seen from there too and perhaps a walk out along the cliffs from there westward may turn up a Puffin too. They also have a good web site with a daily sightings page.
There is also Lundy of course where you should see all you want in spring and summer, boats leave from Ilfracombe and I believe from Clovelly too.
Hope this helps.
