Dan's Day Out at Skomer Island
Part of our Play in the Park series
Despite living in Pembrokeshire all my life and being a huge nature nerd, I had never been to Skomer Island despite it being on the bucket list for quite some time. Introducing a new online ticket system made it a lot easier to plan, so it was time to check it off the list finally.
There was however an issue that looked to get in the way of my plans in the shape of a fairly heavy storm that had been blowing in along the coast for the few days leading up to the trip. One certainly big enough to result in the cancellation of sailings up to the day I was due to make the trip.
With only a glimmer of hope that the forecast would clear, I decided to pack my kit ready for the trip the night before and cross my fingers.
It looked like luck was on my side early the next morning with the forecast delivering on its promise, so I headed down to Lockley Lodge at Martin's Haven Beach to pick up my boarding pass for the trip. Locklery Lodge, near Marloes, also doubles as a puffin-lovers' favourite gift shop so there’s plenty on offer to act as a memento for the day if needed.
You'll also find razorbills at Skomer Island
Boarding pass in hand, it was on to the boarding pontoon to board the Dale Queen ready for the crossing to Skomer. Upon boarding, the crew were warning passengers that the ride over may be a little rough as some of the swell from the storm was lingering but that it was nothing to worry about.
The crossing was indeed a “little rough” but totally worth it. Disembarking from the Dale Queen onto Skomer as the clouds cleared to leave beautiful blue skies was just the start of a magical experience on the island, despite the climb up from the boat to the safety briefing point.
Before being let loose in this fragile, globally-important habitat, a warden delivered a short briefing on why it’s important to stick to paths at all times. It turns out that the nesting puffins have burrowed so extensively across the island that stepping off the path could cause the collapse of fragile burrows, trapping puffins and pufflings in the process.
Now let loose on the island, I was off to find some wildlife. Skomer is a truly incredible place that has to be seen to be believed. Navigating the island through seemingly endless meadows of bluebells, campion and other wildflowers makes the entire island feel like it’s been plucked out of a fairytale. The sheer amount of colour that covers the entire landscape is truly awe-inspiring in its own right.
After venturing over to The Wick, I was rewarded with meeting my first puffins. I’d packed a long lens with my camera in the hope to get some closeup shots but I’d need not have bothered as I wasn’t prepared for how close the puffins are happy to walk up to you as if you didn't exist. Anyone can get great photos of these adorable birds as they wander past you, happily going about their own business. It’s truly an incredible experience to witness the volume of these tiny birds at such a close distance.
After spending entirely too long taking photos of puffins striking every pose imaginable, it was time to explore the rest of the island. Between the puffins (which are everywhere) and the wildflowers, every step was just amazing. The walk that circles the island is an easy one with the island being fairly flat, so it was a really leisurely, enjoyable day until the clouds swept in out of nowhere and the heavens opened. It’s important to remember that there are very limited facilities on the island so you must take with you everything to be prepared for any weather.
I’m happy to report that the rain didn't dampen the experience, just my camera gear and the opportunity to capture some photos of puffins in the rain was worth it.
The wealth of wildlife on the island is a testament to the careful protection and management that safeguard this globally important habitat.
The sun was out again in time to make my way to catch the boat back to the mainland but not before spotting some razorbills and guillemots nesting on the cliffs towards the boarding point.
Thankfully, the trip back was much calmer and on reaching the mainland again, I knew I was eager to return to Skomer again. If I could recommend one experience to highlight how incredible Pembrokeshire is as a destination, a trip to Skomer would be it without hesitation. It really has to be experienced to be believed.
Coastal Cottages Marloes Holiday Cottages
Marloes village with its remarkable clock tower, 13th Century church and pretty cottages, is located in the gorgeous Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. There is a selection of beautiful beaches within walking distance including Marloes Sands and Musselwick.
This account is part of our Coastal Cottages Play in the Park series where each member of our team receives an additional day of annual leave in a year with the condition that they go and explore the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. We encourage our team to live like tourists every now and again, to spend the day exploring the beautiful county that lies on their doorstep and then bring us stories of their day to share with those of you looking for holiday inspiration and top tips.
