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If you love birdwatching, then the UK is for sure one of the best places for you. While we have a lot of birds that are worth mentioning, the most famous ones are definitely the puffins.
With their colourful beak and round face, puffins are so cute and it’s always nice to see them.
They are a seabird so they spend most of their life at sea, on the coast or islands which is why the UK is a prime destination to see them (we sure have a lot of sea around!).
There are 4 types of puffins in the world but the one we commonly see in the UK is the Atlantic puffin.
In this article, I tell you everything you need to know about the best places to see the puffins in the UK and how to do so.
1. Puffin Island near Beaumaris, Anglesey, Wales
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Prices here | 📅 Season: Early April to Mid-July
Let’s start with the beautiful island of Anglesey in Wales. Located in the North, Anglesey is famous for the South Stack lighthouse, its beautiful beaches but also the wildlife.
If you’d like to see the puffin, you should head to the town of Beaumaris.
There, you can go on a cruise to Puffin island and get to see them!
Of course that’s never a given but if you go between April and July when it’s the season, the chances are quite high.
There are also loads of other types of birds like guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills.
I also got to see dolphins when I did this cruise so it definitely is an excellent place for wildlife lovers.
Most cruises are family and dog-friendly as well so it’s perfect for everyone.
2. Staffa Island near Isle of Mull, Scotland
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Prices here | 📅 Season: May to July
Located off the Isle of Mull, Staffa Island is famous for its basalt columns and the stunning Fingal’s Cave (it looks like something you’d find in Iceland!).
But it’s also a great place to see puffins! You can book a boat trip from Tobermory or Fionnphort. They are both great options but offer a bit of a different experience.
From Tobermory, you’ll also go to the Treshnish islands which are also a great spot to see the puffins. Therefore, if you are really into bird watching, that’s your best option.
From Fionnphort, you will go to Iona which is a small island with stunning white sand beaches.
Either way, you will first go to the cave, then dock on the island and can walk to the top which is where the puffins are.
Make sure to take your camera with a good zoom so you can snap good photos.
Tours are provided by the company Staffa tours and prices are available here.
3. Farne Islands, Northumberland, England
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Tickets here | 📅 Season: May to July
Located in Northumberland, the Farne islands are a group of 20 islands that are known as the ultimate destination to see the puffins in England. They are managed by the National Trust and home to 43,000 pairs of puffins and other sea birds.
To get there, you can go on one of the boat trips. They have some that are specifically for the puffins but also other wildlife options (like seals).
4. Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire, Wales
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Prices here | 📅 Season: May to July
Skomer Island is located in Pembrokeshire and it’s a paradise for seabirds. There are hundreds of thousands of them that come here during the breeding season including 42,500 pairs of puffins!
You can also see guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes and fulmars.
The boat trip to the island is only 20 minutes long which is ideal.
Please note that the island is open from April to August but it’s less likely to see the puffins in April and August.
You can also opt for a boat trip that includes both Ramsay Island and Skomer Island. This will give you the opportunity to see porpoises, seals, dolphins and whales.
5. Isle of May near Edinburgh, Scotland
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Prices here | 📅 Season: April to August
Did you know if it was possible to see the puffins near Edinburgh?
The Isle of May is located in the Firth of Forth and it’s one of the best places in Scotland to see puffins.
The island hosts a large colony of puffins (46,000 pairs) and visitors can take boat trips from the mainland, such as those operated by the Isle of May Boat Trips, to see the birds during the breeding season.
The company Isle of May boat trips offers several options including sea safaris during which you can also see other types of wildlife as well as a photography excursion.
6. Isle of Canna near Isle of Skye, Scotland
📍Location on Google Maps | ✅ Prices here | 📅 Season: May, June and July
The Isle of Canna is located near the Isle of Skye. It’s home to a colony of puffins that come here during the nesting season and you can go see them if you opt for a boat tour from Elgol on the Isle of Skye.
The Isle of Skye has incredibly beautiful and dramatic landscapes so it’s worth visiting anyway.
Boat tours, like those from AquaXplore, offer excursions to the smaller isles and sea stacks around Skye, where you can see a lot of wildlife including the puffins of course but also dolphins and seals.
Maps of the best places to see the puffins in the UK
Now that you know everything about the best places to see the puffins in the UK, it’s time to get your binoculars and camera out and go explore!
Have fun!
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