Puffins must be one of the most loved birds in Britain, and it’s easy to see why, with the bright bills, the orange feet and that slightly anxious look as they come in to land. The good news is that the UK has some of the best places in Europe to see them, and on the right island in early summer you can find yourself sitting just a few metres from hundreds of them.
I’ve just got back from driving the NC500 in April, and one of my favourite days was taking a RIB boat from Tarbet across to Handa Island, which some people call Puffin Island. I was windswept to within an inch of my life on the way over, but I saw thousands of seabirds and seals bobbing about in the waves along the coast. It was a little too early for puffin season, although I did spot one, which made my day! It got me planning a proper puffin trip, and this is everything I’ve found out about where and when to go.
When is the best time to see puffins in the UK?
Puffins spend most of the year out at sea and only come ashore to breed. They start arriving back at their colonies around late March and April, lay a single egg in a burrow and then spend the summer feeding their chick, which is known as a puffling.
The best time to see puffins is roughly late May to July. By then most of the birds are back, and from around June the adults are flying in with beaks full of sand eels for their chicks, which is the shot every photographer wants. By late July and early August the colonies start to empty fast, and by mid August most have gone back out to sea.
Timings vary a little from colony to colony and year to year, so check with the reserve before you go. Evenings can be especially good on some islands, as more birds come back to land, and boat trips don’t run in rough weather, so build a spare day into your plans if you can.
Where to see puffins in the UK
Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire
Skomer, off the far west coast of Wales, is probably the most famous puffin island in the UK, and for good reason, as the birds nest right beside the paths and often seem quite unbothered by people. Boats leave from Martin’s Haven near Marloes, run by the island’s only landing boat operator, and the number of people allowed to land each day is limited to protect the wildlife.
That means you need to book, and popular dates sell out, so plan ahead. Boats don’t usually run on Mondays apart from some bank holidays, and sailings depend on the sea. You can also stay overnight on the island in the Wildlife Trust’s accommodation, which lets you see the puffins in the evening after the day visitors have left. Check the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales for the latest details.
Farne Islands, Northumberland
The Farne Islands are a short boat ride from Seahouses, where several companies run trips from the harbour. Some sail around the islands, while others land on Inner Farne, which is looked after by the National Trust. As well as puffins, you’ll see guillemots, razorbills, shags and seals.
Wear a hat if you land on Inner Farne in early summer, as the Arctic terns nest right beside the path and they will peck your head to defend their nests. Landing arrangements and fees can change, so check with the National Trust and the boat companies before you go.
Isle of May, Firth of Forth
The Isle of May is a National Nature Reserve at the mouth of the Firth of Forth, and it’s one of the easiest puffin islands to reach from Edinburgh. Boats sail from Anstruther in Fife, and there are also trips from North Berwick. You usually get a few hours on the island, which is plenty of time to walk the paths and sit with the puffins, and the sailings depend on tides and weather, so book ahead.
Lunga and the Treshnish Isles, Mull
Lunga is the largest of the Treshnish Isles, off the west coast of Mull, and it’s a favourite with photographers, as the puffins nest on a grassy clifftop and can come really close if you sit quietly. Boat trips run from Mull, often from Ulva Ferry or Fionnphort and Iona, and many combine Lunga with a stop at Staffa and Fingal’s Cave, so it makes a fantastic day out.
Handa Island, north west Scotland
Handa is a Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve off the north west coast of Sutherland, and it sits very close to the NC500 route near Scourie. A small seasonal ferry runs from Tarbet during the summer months, usually from around April to early September and not on Sundays, weather permitting. A path loops round the island past huge seabird cliffs, with a small number of puffins, big colonies of guillemots and razorbills and great skuas on the moorland.
I visited in April and it was still a little early in the season, with the colonies only just filling up, although I did manage to spot a single puffin. Tarbet is only a short detour off the NC500, so if you’re planning your own route between May and July it’s an easy one to add in, and you’ll see far more of them than I did.
Dunnet Head, Caithness
Dunnet Head is the most northerly point of mainland Britain, and it’s right on the NC500 too. The RSPB reserve on the cliffs below the lighthouse has puffins in early summer, along with guillemots, razorbills and fulmars, and you can watch them from the clifftop without needing a boat.
Shetland: Sumburgh Head and Hermaness
Shetland is one of the best places in the UK for seabirds. Sumburgh Head, an RSPB reserve at the southern tip of the mainland and close to the airport, has puffins nesting right below the lighthouse, and it’s one of the easiest places to see them close up. Hermaness, on Unst at the very top of Shetland, is a wilder walk across the moorland to huge cliffs full of gannets and puffins.
Orkney
Orkney has puffins in smaller numbers, and Castle o’Burrian on Westray is the best known spot, with the birds nesting on a sea stack close to the cliff edge. Orkney is also fantastic for other seabirds, and it’s an easy ferry from the north coast of the mainland, so it pairs well with the NC500.
Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire
RSPB Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington, is one of the best seabird sites in England, and it’s easy to get to. It’s best known for its gannets and huge numbers of kittiwakes and guillemots, but there are puffins here too in smaller numbers, so bring binoculars and ask the staff where they’ve been seen recently.
Where is the best place to see puffins in Scotland?
For close encounters, Lunga and the Isle of May are hard to beat, with Lunga being the more remote and scenic of the two. Sumburgh Head is excellent if you’re going to Shetland anyway, and Handa and Dunnet Head are easy additions to an NC500 road trip. My Scotland gallery gives you an idea of the kind of coastline you’ll find along the way.
Tips for photographing puffins
Puffins are small, fast and constantly on the move, so they’re a great test of your camera skills.
- Use a fast shutter speed. For birds sitting still 1/1000 is usually fine, but for puffins in flight go for 1/2000 or faster to freeze the wings.
- Use continuous autofocus and tracking, with burst mode, as they land and take off very quickly.
- You don’t need a huge lens. On islands like Skomer and Lunga a 100-400mm is plenty, and sometimes even too long.
- Get down low. Shooting at the puffin’s eye level gives you a far more intimate photo than looking down on them.
- Watch the background. Moving a step or two can swap cluttered rocks for a clean sea or a soft grassy background.
- Go for soft light. Early morning, evening and bright overcast days are all kinder than harsh midday sun on their black and white feathers.
What to bring on a puffin trip
Most puffin islands have no shops or cafes, and the weather at sea can change quickly, even in midsummer.
- Waterproofs and a warm layer for the boat
- Sturdy shoes, as paths can be rough and muddy
- Food and water for the day, and a bag to take your rubbish home
- Binoculars, sun cream and a hat
- Your booking confirmation and some cash, just in case
How to see puffins responsibly
Puffins nest in burrows under the turf, and a single footstep off the path can collapse one and crush the egg or chick inside. Always stay on the marked paths, even if you see someone else wandering off. Keep your voice down, move slowly and never block their route between the sea and their burrow, especially when they’re carrying fish, as they’ll drop it and the chick goes hungry.
Leave the drone at home, as drones can really disturb seabird colonies and most reserves don’t allow them. Bird flu has also hit some UK seabird colonies in recent years and led to closures, so check the reserve’s website before you set off. My guide to ethical wildlife photography goes into this in more detail.
If you’re looking for more wildlife ideas, my guide to the best places to see wildlife covers some of my favourite spots around the world.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to see puffins in the UK?
Puffins return to UK colonies around late March and April and leave again by early to mid August. The best time to see them is roughly late May to July, when most birds are back and the adults are flying in with beaks full of sand eels for their chicks. Timings vary between colonies, so check with the reserve before you travel.
Where is the best place to see puffins in the UK?
Skomer in Pembrokeshire is often called the best, as the puffins nest right beside the paths. The Farne Islands in Northumberland, the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth and Lunga off Mull are also excellent for close views. In Scotland, Shetland’s Sumburgh Head is one of the easiest places to see them without a boat.
Where can you see puffins in Scotland?
Good places to see puffins in Scotland include the Isle of May from Anstruther, Lunga in the Treshnish Isles from Mull, Handa Island near Scourie, Dunnet Head in Caithness, Sumburgh Head and Hermaness in Shetland, and Castle o’Burrian on Westray in Orkney. Handa and Dunnet Head are both close to the NC500 route.
Do you need to book to see puffins on Skomer?
Yes, it’s best to book. The number of people allowed to land on Skomer each day is limited to protect the wildlife, and popular dates in the puffin season sell out. Boats leave from Martin’s Haven, don’t usually run on Mondays and depend on sea conditions, so check the latest details with the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.
How close can you get to puffins?
On islands like Skomer, Lunga and the Isle of May puffins often nest very close to the paths, so you can be just a few metres away without disturbing them. Stay on the marked paths, sit quietly and let the birds come to you. Never step onto the grass near burrows or block their route to and from the sea.