Skomer Island Trips – Puffins Paradise and why it’s worth a visit
Skomer Island is a must-visit. Trust me, it’s like stepping into a wildlife wonderland! Less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast and just a short boat ride from Lockley Lodge, Martin’s Haven, near St Davids, it takes only 15 minutes to get there.
Last year I took Jennifer on a boat trip to Skomer Island. We’d been talking about doing it for a couple of years but never got around to it. Boy, do we wish we had gone sooner!
Once on the island you can enjoy at your own pace as you have 4 1/2 hours wondering in this wildlife paradise that gives you the opportunity to get within a few feet of Pembrokeshire’s famous puffins! It is hard to believe but they have little fear of humans as they go about their daily business and you have to actually stand back and let them pass as they make their way back to their burrows with their mouths full for glistening sand eels for their young. It is absolutely breath-taking.
Skomer Island Trips
Only one tour operator runs Skomer Island Trips, so make sure to book your visit in advance because it gets pretty busy with visitors from all over the word. The boat journey takes 15 minutes each way. Landings operate from Tuesday to Sunday between April and September. Check in is required an hour before travel, when you’ll be allocated a return boat. Departures are every half hour between 10am and 12pm, with return sailings allocated in half-hour intervals between 3pm to 5pm. Tickets cost from £24-£44 depending on age and the time of year.
We strolled through Skomer’s stunning floral displays – they have acres of bluebells in May apparently but we were just a bit late for those. We did see red campion, thrift, sea campion and heather.
Standing just a few feet of the famous Pembrokeshire puffins was amazing – they darted right in front of us! (April to July) we could have stayed there for hours. We also enjoyed the island’s impressive geology and explored Britain’s largest undisturbed prehistoric Iron Age settlement, complete with hut circles, cemeteries, and field systems. The tranquility of the island was truly captivating.
Skomer is also home to the world’s largest breeding colony of Manx shearwaters, with about 350,000 pairs showing up every March through September. And there are plenty of other birds to check out too, like northern ravens, razorbills, guillemots, storm petrels, and kittiwakes. Puffins are only around from April to July, but even if you miss them, there’s still lots to see – seals, other seabirds, and some awesome rock formations.
We observed thousands of puffins during our visit, which is a positive sign considering their ‘Vulnerable’ status on the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Recent figures show a 10% increase in puffin numbers on the island compared to 2022. The absence of ground predators on Skomer contributes to their breeding success, allowing them to safely raise their chicks in burrows.
In addition to puffins, we spotted predatory gulls, razorbills, guillemots, seals, and other wildlife during our time on the island. Although we missed the opportunity to see Manx shearwaters, which only emerge at night to avoid predators, we’re already planning an overnight stay for next year.
The full circuit of Skomer Island covers about 4 miles (6.5 km) and typically takes 2.5-3 hours to complete. Most visitors enjoy taking in the scenery and observing wildlife along the way, including razorbills, guillemots, short-eared owls, and seals.
Before planning your trip to Skomer Island, it’s essential to consider its remote location and limited visitor amenities:
Here are some key points to remember before your trip:
Access to the island involves climbing 87 steep steps.
The paths on the island are uneven, rocky, and hilly.
Visitor facilities are limited, with only four compost toilets available at the Farm area.
There are no food or drink facilities, except for bottled water that can be purchased.
Dogs are not allowed on the island.
Skomer Island is exposed with minimal shelter or shade.
There are no bins on the island, so all rubbish, including organic waste, must be taken back with you.
If you choose to go, we hope you have a fabulous time too, more trips and amazing places to visit in and around Pembrokeshire.
Phil & Jen xx