There's a ferry to the Isle of May from Anstruther on the other side of the Firth of Forth. Anchored on the Firth of Forth, the Isle of May is a magical mix of seabirds, seals and smuggling. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The Low Light is now home to the Isle of May Bird Observatory. The Isle of May lies in the mouth of the Firth of Forth, south of the Fife coast and north of the Lothian coast. North Berwick is a peacful fishing village in the Lothians near Edinburgh. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Scores of them dance around off-shore, bobble about on the rock-faces and generally compete to be the cutest things imaginable for the lovestruck visitors. The trips depart from North Berwick Harbour on board one of our high speed Ribs, you are kitted out in waterproofs and a lifejacket for the 45 min crossing to the Isle of May. When I was invited to the Isle of May last autumn at a conference, it was one of those fabulous moments when I realised a completely new adventure awaited. My Voyage Scotland offers in-depth guides to Scotland that help you plan your Just a mile long, the Isle of May holds that ideal appeal of being entirely navigable on foot at a leisurely pace, and we were given around two and a half hours ashore. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Email Address There’s also, available separately, a big selection of North Berwick greetings cards. Not so, apparently. Just a mile long, the Isle of May holds North Berwick is a town in East Lothian (The Lothians) region of Scotland. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. A secondary 'low light' was established in 1844 to guide ships past the notorious North Carr Reef on the northern approach to the Firth of Forth. From North Berwick with love Books with wonderful pictures of East Lothian, North Berwick, the Bass Rock, Gannets & the Isle of May. Isle of May Landing Trip Duration 3hr ashore (approx) Explore the wildlife haven that is the Isle of May and known as the Jewel of the Forth.It is a National Nature Reserve run by Scottish Natural Heritage and is home to the largest Puffin colony on the East coast of Scotland. North Berwick The lovely seaside town of North Berwick sits on the picturesque East Lothian coastline with wonderful views out over the Firth of Forth and the Bass Rock that is home to the world’s largest colony of Northern gannets. Read ou top things to do in North Berwick and find hotels in North Berwick here. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Scottish Seabird Centre: Isle of May Landing Trip was Fantastic - See 969 traveler reviews, 402 candid photos, and great deals for North Berwick, UK, at Tripadvisor. Taking to the water, I’m headed to the brilliant nature reserve that is the Isle of May. In the autumn the largest Atlantic grey seal colony in eastern Britain breeds on ‘the May’, as it’s known locally. We are delighted to be reopened and back in the water, once again offering our popular RIB trips. Information/Booking line - Mobile 07957 585200. The astonishingly relaxed pace on this island is testament to the care taken by the staff. Anstruther Boats depart from the harbour and tickets Shags, guillemots, razorbills and even seals can join them on occasion. Hosting countless thousands of seabirds every year, there is one particular species that pulls the punters in with more than any other – the puffin. After my East Lothian adventures in April, my flirtation with the region continues at pace as I head back to the coast for an expedition with the Scottish Seabird Centre and one of their North Berwick boat trips. Never once felt like I’m in a content goldfish bowl. I’m amazed to learn that these surprisingly tiny fellas spend so much of their time out at sea, braving the elements, and that this 3-month window is merely a resting place in their relentlessly transient lives. Being well suited to the hospitality industry, in 1992 along There’s a dark past here, though, with Vikings and smugglers on the list of pr… Fabulous guides, first rate facilities and a highly considerate approach to both their customers and their key winged allies, this is a first class day out for all. Boat trips to the Isle of May depart from Anstruther and North Berwick. With all this great wildlife on the island, there is plenty to see. At certain times during the nesting season Scottish Natural Hertitage insist that all visitors are guided round the island to minimise disturbance to the nesting birds. While the puffins – you may never have a better chance to see these little guys than here – like to burrow on land to nest, they are best seen on the cliffs around the island’s perimeter. scotland, and discover more than 7 Million Professional Stock Photos on Freepik Download more Premium stock photos on Freepik Scottish Seabird Centre: Isle of May - See 937 traveller reviews, 370 candid photos, and great deals for North Berwick, UK, at Tripadvisor. Anstruther Pleasure Cruises - sailings from Anstruther to the Isle of May bird sanctuary and national nature reserve. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sat there in St Kilda-like fashion, it is both beautiful and dread-inducing in equal measure. 2020 (only a few left) and 2021 calendars, Christmas … You get kitted up with a full set of waterproofs and a lifejacket and then we set out on the fast and exhilleratiing ride out to the Isle of May. The biggest Northern gannet colony of them all, it can host up to 150,000 of these guys in peak season and The Rock gleams as the brilliantly white gannet masses take over. The average price of this particular type of property is £199 per night, with an average size of 63 m².. Ferries run from April to September and depart from Anstruther in the East Neuk of Fife and North Berwick in East Lothian. Thousands upon thousands of gannets make this there home and, in truly dramatic fashion, encircle and consume the island in their droves. The above review is an honest account of my experience on the day and, based on all of my experiences with them in the past, I’d have absolutely no hesitation in heartily endorsing them to anyone. Finding the ancient landmark is an easy task as all you have to do is head towards the seaside resort and as soon as the town is in view you simply head to the gigantic mound that stands proud in this otherwise relatively flat part of East Lothian . Find all the transport options for your trip from Anstruther to North Berwick right here. Re: Isle of May from North Berwick. My fiercely independent side sees me tearing off to explore at my own pace, but you are equally welcome to wander with the guides and benefit from their vast knowledge. I’m constantly amazed by how much Scotland has to offer with endless adventures and diverse experiences ensuring that I’ve never once felt restricted. With an unprecedented opportunity to see them on land – between April and July – this is maybe the finest wildlife experience in this part of the world. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. For any North Berwick departures please click here, For South Queensferry departures please click here, info@seafari-edinburgh.co.uk© 2021 Seafari Edinburgh, The Island is also home to the largest colony of Grey Seals on the East Coast of Scotland. The birds are treated with the utmost respect and the very limited evidence of manmade activity does wonders for the blood pressure. While they are undoubtedly the star of the show, you’ll also likely encounter kittiwakes, guillemots, shags and razorbills. Isle of May boat trips Experience the wonders of national nature reserve, the Isle of May, with our guided landing trips. The Scottish Seabird Centre is in North Berwick, which is around 25 miles east of Edinburgh, or 100 miles north of Newcastle Upon Tyne. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. On bus route 120 and 121. The Isle of May is located in the north of the outer Firth of Forth, approximately 8 km (5.0 mi) off the coast of mainland Scotland. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Holiday Cottages in North Berwick, Gullane and the surrounding area Luxurious handpicked holiday homes and holiday cottages in North Berwick, Gullane and beyond. You get kitted up with a full set of waterproofs and a lifejacket and then we set out on the fast and exhilleratiing ride out to the Isle of May. The island is owned and managed by NatureScot as a national nature reserve. While still very much basking in the grab-a-beer-dude sense of tranquillity from May, being plunged into the dynamic pantomime of The Rock was an exhilarating shock. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. She moved to North Berwick with her Mother as a teenager and worked at the Marine Hotel. Rome2rio makes travelling from Anstruther to North Berwick easy. These guys are long-established as one of the leading tourism attractions in Scotland, and with good reason. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. ... North Berwick is small and friendly seaside town with a spectacular coastline featuring expansive sandy beaches which are perfect for some bucket and spade time, but also a haven for wildlife and birdlife. In 1816 Robert Stevenson completed the gothic stone tower lighthouse which is still in use today. Due to the Island's location right at the entrance to the Firth of Forth, it has proved a major hazard to ships trying to enter the Forth. The Low Light ceased operation in 1887 after the North Carr Lightship took up it's position to guide ships away from the dangerous reef. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. An off-shore icon of the Firth of Forth, forever staring dominantly back at East Lothian, it’s a natural wonder that all visitors to the region will know well. In early summer the cliffs heave with nesting seabirds – a noisy spectacle you can witness from the cliff-top path. We are the only boat operator departing from the Lothian side of the river who are licensed by NatureScot to land passengers on the Isle of May. We will have new Covid 19 proceedures in place to ensure the safety of both passengers and crew. The Ferry from Anstruther to the Isle of May will give you about 2 hours on the island http://www.isleofmayferry.co.uk. Under the expert guidance of James from the Seabird Centre as our guide and with the support of Scottish Natural Heritage staff on the island, there is the flexibility to approach the day trip in whatever way suits you best. Subscribe to Blog via Email Boarding the return vessel is a reluctant task as the clamour of reality awaits, but with one slight detour on the way…. I can say with happy certainty, it’s not the last we’ll be seeing of each other. It’s also extremely popular as one of the seperate North Berwick boat trips, offering landing opportunities on the island. It’s about time. New Seabird Seafari Boat Trips to the Isle of May A partnership of two Wild Scotland members, Scottish Seabird Centre and Sea.fari Adventures (Forth) to run trips from North Berwick to the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth is up and running. And forever impressed with the opportunities to broaden my horizons. Housed in a … One of our Fast Ribs leaves form North Berwick harbour and carries 12 passengers out to the Isle of May in approx 30 mins. With the spring sun beaming down, the speedy boat journey from North Berwick flies in as distant views over the east coastline, Fife and the Forth islands tease an increasingly excited group. You can now purchase gift vouchers online for any of our trips. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Once we arrive at the Island, you will be welcomed by the SNH wardens who live on the Island, you can then leave all of the lifejackets and waterproofs near the landing stage and then set off to explore the island. Rail [] Abellio Scotrail operate an hourly train service to North Berwick from Edinburgh Waverley station, making the journey in 33 minutes - one of the fastest 'commuter' routes in the country, reaching 90mph in places. One of our Fast Ribs leaves form North Berwick harbour and carries 12 passengers out to the Isle of May in approx 30 mins. While many have scoffed at the comparison of nearby Inchcolm Island as the ‘Iona of the East’, there’s no denying the odd presence that brings up nostalgic memories for any who will have visited the Hebridean gem. These cookies do not store any personal information. The 12th Century ruin of St Adrian’s Chapel in the centre of the Isle even adds an historic appeal to a place that has a similar spiritual allure to Iona. 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