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Wales Online
Wales Online
Entertainment
Kathryn Williams

BBC Wild Isles: How to visit the Puffin-filled island that's been made famous by David Attenborough

As Skomer Island makes a colourful appearance on David Attenborough's brand new BBC nature show, Wild Isles, many of you may be wondering where the stunning Welsh location is and if you can visit there.

The great news is, you can book a trip to the tiny island which is less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast and why wouldn't you? If you book a visit you'll be able to see the brilliant puffin colony which inhabits the island between April and July.

A national nature reserve, Skomer is also home to Manx shearwaters, dolphins, seals and razorbills which are great to spot on your day trip there - watch out for their burrows, too!

Read more: Sir David Attenborough has filmed his new wildlife series on a Welsh island

So why visit Skomer - the largest island off Pembs - other than the wonderful wildlife? Well, getting up-close-and-personal to the stunning and cute puffins is a big plus of visiting the island, but if you love walking and wonderful scenery, it's a no-brainer to visit. And, of course, you also get to go on a boat trip - no holiday or weekend break is complete without a boat trip.

Because of its special nature, anyone visiting Skomer must either book onto an organised boat trip, or contact the island staff who are there to advise, welcome and ensure that visitors travel around the island and the wildlife, safely. Staff can advise on private boat landings and there's even an opportunity to stay overnight on Skomer.

Skomer Island provided the perfect stopping off point for smugglers before they landed at St Davids (WALES NEWS SERVICE)

We visited in May 2022 via Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips, the day trip is for five hours in total and that includes the half-an-hour round trip and four-and-a-half hours on the island to explore the landscape.

The landing boat trips run from April 1 to September 30 this year and prices start at £40 per adult. There are toilets on the island and a visitor centre where you can buy water, though if bringing your own bottle you will not be able to refill as the island isn't connected up to the mains. Also, there are no bins! So be mindful about taking your rubbish with you.

Visiting Skomer Island really is a treat. When we visited the weather swung from glorious sunshine, sea mist and chilly and back to glorious sunshine, so definitely be prepared on the appropriate clothing front.

As walking enthusiasts, we did a loop of the island, as well as cutting across the middle, through beautiful blue-flower fields, to use the facilities have our packed lunch and take a look at the visitor centre information boards.

But the real magic came on the clifftops as we got up close (not too close) with the puffins, some flying around the cliffs, some popping out of their burrows around your feet - it was such a treat and a priviledge to get a good look at these beautiful birds.

If you want a day out walking with a difference booking a trip to Skomer is really recommended. Click here for more information on the boat trips, and here for more information on the island itself.

Wild Isles airs Sundays at 7pm on BBC One and you can catch up on iPlayer.

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