Lundy - The Puffin Isle
In June of 2025, I visited Lundy, which is located off the coast of Devon. Due to its strategic location right in the Bristol channel, Lundy has been a hub for pirates for the biggest part of the past millenium. The island is very rugged and inaccessible except for a few select landing spots, so you can see why the pirates liked it. The cliffs are perfect breeding grounds for all kinds of seabirds and the little island boast a whole microcosmos of other wildlife, like a large population of grey seals, and domesticated ponies, sheep or cattle, who are roaming around freely on large parts of the land.
To visit Lundy in summer, you take the MS Oldenburg from Ilfracombe or Barnstaple. In winter, there is a helicopter service. You can go for a day-trip or multiple days, but I definitely recommend staying overnight, as the day-trip will not give you nearly enough time to enjoy the beauty. The island features basic commodities, like a pub and a general store. You can stay either on the camp-site, or in one of the 23 self-catering properties, which are highly sought-after. It isn't unusal for them to be booked out a year in advance during peak vacation times. But if you manage to find a slot, you can sleep in the old lighthouse, for example, which is sure to be an unforgettable experience.
