Farne Islands

The Farne Islands lie a short boat ride from Seahouses on the Northumberland coast and are a National Nature Reserve with one of the UK's most important seabird colonies: around 200,000 seabirds of 23 species breed here each summer, including some 40,000 pairs of puffins, and more than 2,000 grey seal pups are born each autumn. St Cuthbert lived on Inner Farne as a hermit in the 7th century, and St Cuthbert's Chapel holds 17th-century carvings and stained glass. The boats are not National Trust: book from Seahouses harbour, collect the boat ticket first, then show a membership card or buy a landing ticket at the Trust trailer. Reviewers say puffins, razorbills and guillemots come within a few metres and an hour ashore passes quickly. One tip from visitors: check the breeding calendar before booking, as most seabirds have left by the end of July.