Seahouses Farne Islands
The Farne Islands off the Northumberland coast near Seahouses are one of the most important seabird and grey seal sanctuaries in Britain and one of the most visited wildlife destinations in the country, an archipelago of approximately fifteen to twenty islands depending on the state of the tide that supports enormous numbers of breeding seabirds and one of the largest grey seal colonies in England. The National Trust manages the principal islands and access is by boat from Seahouses harbour, with landings permitted on Inner Farne and Staple Island during the breeding season. The seabird colonies of the Farnes are exceptional by any standard. Puffins are the most iconic species, approximately 100,000 pairs breeding in burrows across the islands, and the birds' complete indifference to human presence allows visitors on the landing islands to observe them at distances of a few feet, a wildlife experience of remarkable intimacy. Arctic terns breeding on the inner islands defend their nests with extraordinary ferocity, diving at visitors' heads with their sharp bills, and the visitor experience of running the tern gauntlet while wearing a hat to ward off the attacks is one of the most memorable and most repeated stories of a Farne Islands visit. The grey seal colony, which pups in autumn and can be observed from the boats throughout the year, numbers approximately six thousand individuals and is one of the most accessible large marine mammal groups in Britain. The seals haul out on the low-lying Brownsman and other islands in large numbers and the boat trips pass close enough for detailed observation. St Cuthbert, the most venerated saint of Northumbria, lived as a hermit on Inner Farne in the seventh century and the remains of a medieval chapel mark the site of his cell.