Sunday, November 17, 2024

This tiny island is one of the UK’s most remote but a haven for wildlife

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This beautiful island is one of the most remote places the UK has to offer – the tiny island is a haven to wildlife but rarely visited by tourists.

Lundy island is located just off the Devon coast, according to The Mirror, it has no overnight power and only secured access to the internet in 2022.

There is a wide range of wildlife on the island such as puffins which can be seen around the island and dolphins are often seen playing in the surrounding surf. 

Lundy is known for its old-fashioned ways and it is largely disconnected from the ways of busier parts of the world.

It is a sanctuary for visitors and has a tiny population of people who permanently live on the quiet and peaceful island.

Its bird population is a big tourist attraction with many wanting to see the variety of birds which live on and around the island.

With a landmass just three miles long and a kilometre wide, it has been owned by the National Trust after it was donated to the organisation by a millionaire owner in the 1960s.

Its bar serves alcohol at the same hours as other licensed venues in the country, but its doors never close.

The pub also doubles as Lundy’s only restaurant, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner served.

Most visitors come for the solitude and for the plentiful wildlife – its unique combination of environmental conditions has made it a haven for a variety of rare breeds.

Lundy is also home to the pygmy shrew, the UK’s smallest mammal, as well as rabbits, deer, sheep, goats, cows, and pigs. Its waters, meanwhile, are home to seals, dolphins, whales, porpoises, and colourful corals.

To get there, it takes about five hours if you are travelling from London – you can take a ferry to reach the island which departs from Exeter.

Today, the island is owned by the National Trust and managed by the Landmark Trust.

There are only 23 properties for people to stay in on the island due to it being so small, but visiting will allow for a unique solitary and relaxing experience.

One visitor on Tripadvisor said: “If you want to stop the world and get off then here’s your place – not overly commercial.

“It’s not the cheapest of accommodation but it’s the main income for the island and it’s important work. If you want hospitality and entertainment on your holiday then this is possibly not your bag. 

“The days on Lundy felt like a detox of life: photography, art, writing, walking, bird watching,  sea life, history, wildlife, mindfulness, isolation – then this is certainly for you.”

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