13 February 2025
An island of sheltered bays, exposed headlands, offshore rocks and shaded inlets, all painted with the graduated colours of lichen.
Spring on Skomer Island is a colourful affair with bluebells and pink campion carpeting most of the island. The colours are so vivid they can easily be seen from the mainland.
One of the best locations is the Wick; a sheer cliff carved with ledges that are ideally suited to nesting seabirds and easily viewed from the opposite cliff. The Wick is also a great place just to sit and watch the comings and goings of the puffins. You won’t need your binoculars here but a camera is a must.
In the centre of the island is the ruined farm. An education room and interpretation centre can be found here as well as accommodation space for up to 16 people. Staying overnight is truly magical. Visit Pembrokeshire was lucky enough to spend 24 hours on Skomer last year – read about our adventures.
If you stay overnight, you can witness one of the most remarkable natural events in the UK, the Manx shearwaters returning to their burrows under the cover of darkness. Stay up late and take a walk back to the boat embarkation point for a truly once in a lifetime experience. The noise they make is quite something else.
The island has a ‘Shearwater Week’ in late August where volunteers can help the island researchers with their invaluable work. Visit Pembrokeshire spoke with researcher Sarah about her Summer of Shearwaters as she gave us a sneak peek behind the scenes at the work being done on the island.
Catch up with the latest gossip on the island including the boat sailings on their Skomer Island blog
How to get there
The Dale Queen runs from Martin’s Haven between 1 April (or Good Friday if earlier) to 30th September each year. It runs Tuesdays to Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays and leaves from Martin’s Haven at 10am then every 30 mins until midday. Your return sailing will then be allocated depending on your outbound journey to allow all visitors the same amount of time on the island.
Day tickets must be purchased in advance using the online booking system. Numbers are limited to 250 each day to prevent erosion and disturbance to the islands wildlife, so booking early is advisable to avoid disappointment. You can book your ticket here: https://www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk
Sailings may be disrupted by the weather – you will be informed in advance if your sailing is affected. All passengers are required to check-in for their sailing at Lockley Lodge, an information point and gift shop run by the Wildlife Trust in Martin’s Haven. Parking is available in the National Trust car park, also at Martin’s Haven.
For all the information you need for a great day on Skomer please visit the Wildlife Trust website https://www.welshwildlife.org/visit/skomer-island
Skomer island
