All you need to know to make the most of a day trip to Lundy Island, Devon
Lundy Island is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, 12 miles off the north Devon coast, but is only half a mile wide and 3 miles long. You have to be pretty committed to get there but a day trip to Lundy pays you back in spades and tempts you back for more.
This guide on how to make the most of a day trip to Lundy Island will cover:
This post contains affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Why Lundy is the perfect destination for a day trip
Lundy Island is owned by the National Trust and managed by the Landmark Trust. It is a special place with an amazingly diverse range of things to do for day-trippers including birdwatching (puffins and other seabirds in particular), walking, diving, rock climbing, archaeology, historic landmarks, listed buildings, and the opportunity to spend as much or as little of the day as you like in splendid isolation. For a small island it’s easy to find very individual things to do – but equally easy to feel at home in the company of others around the heart of the village and Tavern.
Getting to Lundy
The journey to Lundy is as much part of the experience as the destination. From March to October a day trip to Lundy Island from Devon starts with a boat trip on Lundy’s own ship the MS Oldenburg sailing 3-4 times per week from either Bideford or Ilfracombe. The Bideford sailings tend to leave earlier and give you longer ashore on Lundy. Either option will be a crossing of about 2 hours and will give you 4-6 hours ashore.
Where to stay for a day trip to Lundy
The MS Oldenburg often departs very early in the morning and so it’s worth considering accommodation close to Bideford or Ilfracombe.
If travelling from Bideford I’d suggest staying in Appledore or Instow, two very quaint seaside villages only a 10 minute drive from Bideford with highly rated accommodation:
If travelling from Ilfracombe I’d suggest staying in Woolacombe or near Coombe Martin which both have excellent accommodation and are about a 15 minute drive from Ilfracombe:
A boat trip on the MS Oldenburg
The MS Oldenburg is full of traditional charm with lots of space on deck to enjoy the views (all the way over to Wales on a good day), get a good view of any wildlife that joins in with the journey (sea birds and dolphins), or take in the air if it’s a bit rough. People say that it can be a bit of a rough crossing but we were fine and it wasn’t even such a nice day.
We had got chatting to a gentleman in the queue for the boat who turned out to be a birdwatching volunteer on Lundy. He gave us lots of his time on the boat pointing out seabirds and landmarks.
The crew of the Oldenburg can supply binoculars to hire for the duration of your time on Lundy and there are maps of Lundy that you can pick up on board (although it really would be a challenge to get lost).
There are toilets and basic hot and cold food and drink on board – perfect if you got up early and you need some hot breakfast and a cup of tea.
6 things to do on Lundy
On such a small, isolated island you might wonder how you will fill 4-6 hours – I did. But everyone we spoke to on the journey home had ended up doing completely different things, proving that there is plenty to do on Lundy Island and easily enough choice to suit different tastes and fill more than one trip.
1. Join a guided walk - There will often be a guided walk starting soon after the boat lands and there are other options for you to book warden led activities in advance including snorkel safaris and rockpool rambles – check the Lundy website for which events are on when.
2. Explore the tiny village and the tavern - Around the village there is a church, museum, lighthouse and other scheduled monuments and listed buildings. It’s here that you’ll also find a small shop and the Marisco Tavern a cosy, welcoming and traditional tavern that serves hot food and hosts a welcoming bar. It’s used throughout the day but particularly draws day trippers and ‘stayers’ into its warm and friendly embrace towards the end of the day.
3. Walk the length and breadth of Lundy - If you choose to go exploring on your own it’s hard to get lost. Lundy is divided by quarter, halfway and three quarter walls meaning you can gauge your location and distance away from the Village. The day we went was a bit wet at times but it didn’t dampen our spirits - we were lured further along the path by the temptation of reaching the furthest point away from the boat landing. This took us across rocky, barren landscape at the north of the island before heading back along the lush, green paths that hug the cliffs of the east coast (where the sun came out and we dried off!).
4. Go letterboxing! - Whilst we were practically hugging some rocks to get out of the rain an enthusiastic pair of ‘letterboxers’ zipped past us trying to get their last stamps before leaving the island after a two day stay (you can book a stay on Lundy Island in Landmark Trust properties). There are 27 Lundy ‘letterboxes’ hidden across the island each one containing a unique rubber stamp. The aim is to find all the letterboxes and collect all the stamps by following a set of clues which can be purchased from the Lundy shop. This is definitely something I’d return to Lundy to do as it would take us to other parts of the island.
5. Spot puffins, seals and other wildlife - We struck out for the best locations for spotting the Lundy Island puffins recommended by our birdwatching friend on the boat. This took us along the paths stretching the length of the island. The views are spectacular and we stopped to peer down into rocky bays where we saw seals hauled out on the beaches.
6. Go climbing, fishing or diving – these activities are clearly for the more adventurous and qualified and Lundy provides some unique conditions for all three. The climbing season can be limited by seabird nesting so contact the warden before you go but The Devil's Slide - one of the South West's great climbing landmarks - is open all year. There are specific regulations for fishing including what was the UK’s first no take zone to the East of Lundy. Lundy's Marine Protected Area is one of the prime diving sites in the British Isles with a diversity of marine life and many wrecks to explore. The island has its own compressor to supply air and changing facilities for divers if booked in advance with the island warden. Download the Dive Lundy Information Booklet. Comprehensive information about climbing, fishing and diving can be found on the Lundy Island website.
8 things to know before you go to Lundy
- The MS Oldenburg timetable - Oldenburg sails 3-4 times per week from March – October from either Bideford or Ilfracombe.
- Book tickets by phone - Boat tickets must be bought in advance by telephone. Follow the instructions carefully as you need to arrive at the departure location a certain time before departure.
- Getting to the departure port - The nearest railway station is Barnstaple and there are regular bus connections from there to Bideford and Ilfracombe. There is car parking at both departure ports but it is a short walk from the boat.
- How to stay longer - To visit out of season or for longer trips (the Landmark Trust operates accommodation on Lundy) you should contact the Lundy shore office to arrange period returns and/or helicopter transport.
- Accessibility - The journey to Lundy by ship and travelling around once there brings its own accessibility issues. To access the MS Oldenburg you need to be able to walk along a short gangway from the shore to the boat. The walk from the boat up to the small village is very steep.
- All terrain trampers for those with limited mobility - Once on Lundy there are two all terrain ‘trampers’ for hire (booking required in advance) which will enable those with limited mobility to access more of the island. However, Lundy have considered a diversity of accessibility needs and produced a number of useful guides including a Large Print guide and BSL tour as well as an easy read guide and visual guide.
- Food and drink - Food and drink is available on the MS Oldenburg in a small shop on Lundy and in the Marisco Tavern. Consider taking a picnic if you don’t want to be tied to the village.
- Prepare for the weather - Lundy is very exposed so do check the weather and take whatever protection from the elements you might need – whether that’s a sunhat and sunscreen or full waterproofs.