Farne Islands
Regular boat trips from the little village of Seahouses, three miles down the coast from Bamburgh, provide access to the Farne Islands with their impressive colonies of seabirds—including puffins, kittiwakes, terns, shags, and guillemots—and barking groups of gray seals. Inner Farne, where St. Cuthbert, the great abbot of Lindisfarne, died in AD 687, has a tiny chapel. Look out for the ruined lighthouse beacons as you pass Brownsman Island. There are a few different companies licensed to make the trip to Farne and the other islands, including Billy Shiel's Boat Trips ( www.farne-islands.com), Serenity ( www.farneislandstours.co.uk), and Golden Gate ( www.discoverthefarneislands.co.uk). All boat services leave from Seahouses harbor; look for the tiny booth selling tickets or the outlet in the main village parking lot. Each company offers a variety of other cruises, such as seal-spotting expeditions and Lindisfarne landing trips, which vary from 90 minutes to 4½ hours; visit the individual websites to see what's on offer this season. In addition to the cost of the boat trip, Inner Farne has a National Trust landing fee of £12.60 (May through July) and £8.20 (in March, April, and August through November). Staple Island also has a landing fee of £12.60 (May through July).
