Your guide to Farne Islands boat trips

Famed for their amazing wildlife, and a favourite of Sir David Attenborough, the Farne Islands lie just off the coast of Northumberland.

The islands are easily visited by boat, offering you the chance to see a huge seabird colony and England's largest colony of grey seals. It's with good reason that a Farne Islands boat trip is considered one of the best wildlife experiences in the UK - and particularly so for photography fans.

The Farne Islands

Tide dependent, there are between 15 and 20 islands all of which are currently owned by the National Trust. And it's not just the wildlife that's interesting either - the islands were long inhabited by monks and hermits, most notably Saint Cuthbert. They're also associated with Grace Darling, the daughter of one of the islands’ lighthouse keepers, who became a national heroine after rescuing 9 people from a shipwreck in 1838.

Although you can take a boat trip around the islands at any time of year, the islands themselves are only open between spring and autumn during which time it is possible to land on both Inner Farne and Staple Islands. The National Trust information centre and shop in the town of Seahouses (where you'll catch your boat) is open all year round.

Farne Island Boat Trips

A boat tour is the best way to see the islands and their abundance of wildlife. Boat trips run from the nearby town of Seahouses daily in the summer months, and at weekends and holidays throughout the year - weather permitting.

There are various tours on offer, which take in different islands or wildlife, usually lasting at least a few hours each. There are also all-day extended trips focusing on bird and wildlife watching. Helpful and informative National Trust rangers live on Inner Farne and welcome visitors during the summer months.

The islands are also one of the UK's best SCUBA diving sites, and divers here are often lucky enough to find playful seals tugging on their fins.

One of the most popular companies providing boat trips to the Farne Islands is Billy Sheil’s Boats. They offer a range of trips and have a booking office situated at the harbour with good pay and display parking. Bear in mind that it gets very busy at peak times, so it is good to arrive early.

St Cuthbert Farne Islands Boat Trips have been operating since 1974 and have two boats all named after St Cuthbert. The tours take visitors to the Inner and Staple Islands and are usually around 2.5 hours long, including an hour on either of the two islands.

Serenity Farne Island Boat Tours also offer island landings at Inner, Staple and Longstone Island, as well as simple tours offering views of the islands without the option to land.

Prices don't tend to vary much between companies, instead depending on the type and duration of the tour. For example a 2.5 hour tour to Inner Farne Island is typically around £13 for adults and £9 for children. Additionally, the National Trust charges a fee for landing on the islands, which currently stands at around £6 for adults and £3 for children depending on what month you visit (free to National trust members of course).

Wildlife on the Farne Islands

The islands currently boast around 98,000 pairs of breeding birds. Highlights include puffins, eider ducks, guillemots, cormorants, and terns.

The best time to visit for bird-watching is during breeding season, which runs from May to July. During that time, the islands can have up to 23 species of birds including 37,000 pairs of puffins.

From late October to end of November is the best time to see grey seal pups. Over 1000 pups are born here every autumn, and they are a stunning sight.

If you're lucky, you might also get to see dolphins and whales in the sea at different times throughout the year.

Landing on the islands gives you the chance to see the wildlife up close, sometimes closer than expected - artic terns will defend their chicks and attack visitors who come to close, so wearing a hat is advised!

Other Attractions

One of the other island attractions is St Cuthbert’s Chapel on Inner Farne.

St Cuthbert was a hermit who came to live on the islands in the 6th Century and died on Inner Farne in around 687 AD. The chapel here was erected in his memory and has stood on the island since 1370.

There are various other monastic buildings on this island, including a medieval pele tower, originally built to house monks and their visitors. There’s also a Victorian lighthouse and plenty of great areas to stop for a picnic. Some tours offer the opportunity to visit Longstone Island, where you can take a tour inside Grace Darling’s Lighthouse.

Needless to say, lighthouse fans are spoilt for choice.

Other Considerations

Be sure you to wear warm and waterproof clothing for a visit to the islands, as island weather is changeable. If you're planning to land on the islands, bring suitable footwear for varied and quite rocky terrain.

If the weather is hot and sunny, don't forget your sunscreen. You’ll be exposed to the sunlight for the duration of the trip, as there are few places to go indoors.

The Farne Islands are a spectacular place to visit as part of a family holiday. With a fantastic array of wildlife and sea birds, as well as some other interesting attractions, the whole family is sure to have a good time.

Just don't forget to take your binoculars and zoom lens for an even closer view of the wildlife!