I have been extremely lucky to travel all over the world and enjoy so many wonderful places and cultures. At the same time there are plenty of fascinating places in England and the UK I have not had the chance to visit and have always wanted to get to. Last week I headed overseas, 2 hours by boat, from North Devon to the island of Lundy. Having seen it on the horizon over (too) many years it was a dream come true.
The boat ride itself on the MS Oldenburg was part of the whole experience. It took two hours and involved a close cruise along the stunning north Devon coast before heading out to Lundy. The MS Oldenburg had originally been a German railways ferry serving islands in the North Sea and had a great deal of charm as well as the key comforts of bacon sandwiches and tea. Highlight of the cruise was coming across a pod of dolphins who kept pace for a few minutes before dropping off behind and heading towards Wales. In the final approach the height of the cliffs above the quay became clear and all around the waters seemed to take on an almost Mediterranean clarity and hue.
If you opt for a day visit the timings are pretty simple. With roughly 4 hours ashore, you must be back on the quay for 4pm, the choice is simple: time for lunch in the pub, explore the small settlement, climb the lighthouse and enjoy a walk around the cliffs – or just walk and explore more of the island and skip the human influences! Within reason you can go where you want, the maps are clear, the routes simple and views, in every direction, simply magnificent! A good starting point is to climb the narrow interior spiral stairs of the lighthouse and stretch out in one of the deckchairs and enjoy the vistas on show.
Even non-twitchers are keen to see the famous puffins and we were not disappointed. When we reached Jenny’s Cove on the western shore there they were – huddled near the waterline for easy access or on their stepped eyries where their clumsy landing techniques were put to the test. There was plenty of debate going on about the whether they were actually the confusion species of Razorbills however the nearby experts assured us we had seen both types and that was good enough for us. Puffins aside the spectacular cliffs, local goats and deer, highland cattle, spring flowers, warm sun and oodles of sea birds made it a joy to explore the island and a swift cross country yomp ensured we managed to reach the return boat in time despite a quick visit to the Marisco tavern.
Later that day we could look back at the island from the beach, see the sun dip down behind the cliffs, pick out the old lighthouse and then, as night fell, count the flashes from the automatic lights at either end of the island. What had for years been a remote and inaccessible part of England suddenly seemed close and friendly and a short stay on Lundy is now being considered.
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by TMS