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You might think you've seen most of what England can show you on a nature holiday, but think again. On our first day on Lundy Island there were sightings of a Sulphur-breasted Warbler, normally found in Tibet, together with a large number of lesser spotted twitchers who had made their way over by any means possible. The next three days of fairly thick fog (most unusual apparently) did thwart some of our birdwatching attempts, e.g. Puffins, but walking with no traffic was a pleasure, and the abundant flora a delight. Our accommodation was excellent, so overall it was a lovely break after all the lockdowns. Naturetrek always pull out all the stops to ensure their travellers have a great time. I love a break where everything is organised for you, your tour guide really knows their subjects, and you can be sure of having a good time.
P.C. Cornwall, Jun 21
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Lundy Island in Summer
Tour Code: GBR50A 5-day holiday to explore the quiet charm and natural history of Lundy in the company of island expert Andrew Cleave.
£1,095 (Inc ferry)
£
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
The island of Lundy has been designated a 'Site of Special Scientific Interest', and the surrounding waters are protected within England’s first Marine Nature Reserve. For this short break we’ll be based in a comfortable, restored Victorian villa from where we’ll head out on foot to enjoy colonies of auks by day, and at night, Manx Shearwaters. Flocks of Soay Sheep graze on high ground as well as Lundy ponies, and there are various moths and butterflies on the wing at this time of year. The flora is likely to be a particular highlight, and June is the peak time for some of Lundy’s special plants to be in flower, including its only endemic plant, the Lundy Cabbage, which in turn is host to two endemic beetles! Rock Sea-spurrey and Sheep’s-bit grow on exposed western cliffs, while Balm-leaved Figwort and the scarce Wood Vetch grow on the more sheltered east side, along with lush growths of ferns. Despite Lundy's small size, there is plenty to keep us interested, before settling in the characterful Marisco Tavern for our evening meals after our daily wildlife walks!
- Travel to & from the traffic-free island of Lundy on the MS Oldenburg
- Look for seabirds & cetaceans on the 2-hour voyage from Bideford or Ilfracombe
- Explore the island – just 3 miles from north to south! – on foot
- Visit Guillemot & Razorbills colonies & see nesting Puffins
- Lundy is home to England’s largest Manx Shearwater colony, with several thousand pairs!
- Grey Seals, Sika Deer & several species of bat amongst the mammals present
- Enjoy cliffs covered in Thrift & Sea Campion
- Look for Hay-scented Buckler-fern, Royal Fern & rare Dwarf Adder’s-tongue Fern
- Led by expert naturalist guide
Lundy (the old Norse word for ‘Puffin’) measures just 3 miles from north to south, lies 12 miles off the north Devon coast, and is the largest island in the Bristol Channel. The whole island has been designated a ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’, and the surrounding waters are protected within England’s first Marine Nature Reserve. Lundy shows evidence of human occupation dating back to the Bronze Age, but nowadays has a resident population of 28 people and is owned by the National Trust.
We will travel here on the island’s own vessel, the MS Oldenburg, which sails from either Bideford or Ilfracombe in north Devon. The 2- hour voyage is a great opportunity to look for seabirds and cetaceans, and enjoy views of the spectacular Devon coastline. Once on Lundy — which is traffic-free — we will be based in a comfortable, restored Victorian villa from where we’ll head out each day on foot to explore the island. In June, colonies of auks, especially Guillemots and Razorbills are at their busiest, Puffins nest on the western slopes, and the island is home to England’s largest Manx Shearwater colony, which numbers several thousand pairs! Optional night-time forays will enable us to look and listen for the shearwaters, although you may be able to hear them from your room! We will also visit the seabird colonies on the west side of the island, observe flocks of Soay Sheep grazing on high ground as well as Lundy Ponies, and see Grey Seals on the rocks below.
June is also the peak time for some of Lundy’s special plants to be in flower, including its only endemic plant, the Lundy Cabbage, which in turn is host to two endemic beetles! The western cliffs should be clothed in carpets of Thrift and Sea Campion, and Rock Sea-spurrey and Sheep’s-bit also grow on these exposed areas. Balm-leaved Figwort and the scarce Wood Vetch grow on the more sheltered east side, and there are lush growths of ferns here too such as Hay-scented Buckler-fern, the magnificent Royal Fern and the rare Small Adder’s-tongue Fern.
Despite Lundy’s small size, there is plenty to keep us interested during our stay. Sika Deer also live on the island, along with several species of bat, and we will look for various moths and butterflies before settling into the characterful Marisco Tavern for our evening meals after each day’s wildlife ambulations!
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Ferries
- Accommodation: Millcombe House (shared facilities) and other National Trust cottages nearby.
- Food: All included in the price.
Reviews
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We spent four days on this lovely island, walking and exploring and looking at wildlife. We identified 74 species of plant, caught and identified (and released) moths, observed seals loafing on the beach, and watched many seabirds including puffins in their breeding areas.
S.T. West Midlands, June 19 -
The accommodation in Millcombe House was excellent - clean and spacious, and reasonably situated for access to the tavern and the rest of the island.
D.M. Surrey -
Tour leader Andrew Cleave - Marvellous fellow and an amazingly knowledgeable person, not just about Lundy.
N.W. Surrey
Dates & Prices
2025
2026
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[description] => Botanical Tours – See Wild Flowers with our Expert Botanical Guides
There are few more pleasing sights in the natural world than a meadow filled with wildflowers. Seeing plants in their native habitat is always exciting and our flower tours offer you an incredible choice, from dazzling tropical blooms and the thrill of finding elusive orchids or delicate alpines, to seeing island endemics or British flora. Our tours range from week-long holidays focusing on the ‘Alpine flowers of the Swiss Alps’, the ‘Italian Dolomites’ and the ‘Alpine Flowers of Slovenia’s Julian Alps’, to orchid-hunting on Italy’s Gargano Peninsula and searching for the Autumn Plants of Greece’s Peloponnese. We also visit more remote areas of the world in search of plant-life, from the Tien Shan Mountains of Kazakhstan where we look for wild tulips, to the rainforests and spiny deserts of Madagascar where over 80% of the flora is endemic.
Many of us want to know more about the plants we see around us. Whether inspired by an appreciation of the aesthetic appeal of flowers, or a more focused desire to identify individual species, everyone with an interest in botany will derive pleasure from joining one of Naturetrek’s flower tours.
Why choose Naturetrek’s botanical holidays?
- All our botanical holidays are led by expert botanist guides
- All levels of interest and expertise are catered for, from hobby gardeners and complete beginners to keen botanists who wish to explore a new area with the help of a knowledgeable leader
- We keep the overall focus on flora, though expert guidance is also given on other wildlife
What can I expect on a typical Naturetrek botanical holiday?
- Travel with a group of like-minded people
- Stay at a comfortable hotel or lodge, close to an area of outstanding botanical interest
- Enjoy a series of leisurely day excursions with ample time to appreciate the local flora
In addition to our dedicated flower tours, we also offer holidays with a wider theme to encompass birds, butterflies and other aspects of natural history as well as the flora. Our spring tours to 'Crete' and ‘The Island of Cyprus’ are both timed to allow us to enjoy the botanical highlights as well as the spring bird migration, whilst ‘Croatia and Slovenia – Spring in Istria’ also allows time to enjoy a little of the local culture. ‘Romania – the Wildlife of Transylvania’ combines an appreciation of the flora of the Carpathian Mountains with birding, butterflying and a trip to look for Brown Bears from a purpose built hide, and our holidays in both the ‘French Pyrenees’ and the ‘Spanish Pyrenees’ combine birds, butterflies and botany throughout the week.
Our specialist recommends...
David Tattersfield - Tour Leader
Short Break Wildlife Holidays
Among our programme is a significant range of short breaks, designed specially for those wishing to enjoy some of Europe’s top natural history highlights at the best time of year. All of these holidays have the bonus of being short-haul and supported by like-minded wildlife enthusiasts.
Naturetrek Short Break Wildlife Tours
Short breaks are becoming increasingly popular and in response to the high demand for this type of holiday we are continuing to increase our programme both within the UK and abroad. Most of our short breaks are within Europe, for convenience of travel.
For some of our mini-breaks there is an option to travel by plane or train, and we offer a choice of duration and type of break, from a weekend’s birdwatching in the Somerset Levels to a 6-day whale watching tour in the Azores.
A selection of our UK short breaks:
- A winter bird watching break in Norfolk
- An autumn holiday to enjoy the Red Deer rut in Ardnamurchan, Scotland
- A wildlife weekend in the New Forest
A selection of our overseas short breaks:
- In Spain we look for the world’s rarest cat, the Iberian Lynx
- Wolves on the plains in rural northern Spain
- An exploration of La Brenne’s exceptionally rich butterfly-life in northern France
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer two superb short breaks to the lovely island of Madeira in search of whales, dolphins and seabirds. It’s hard to beat our Just Brown Bears trip for families, while if you fancy something off the beaten track, try Estonia in Early Spring for some excellent spring birdwatching."
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Birding Tours Led by Expert Naturalists
The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Flight-free Wildlife Holidays
At Naturetrek we make full use of the Eurostar rail service through the channel tunnel, and of the ferry routes between England’s south coast and France and Spain, to offer a range of ‘flightless’ wildlife holidays in Belgium, Holland, France and Spain. In addition, we also offer the widest selection of wildlife holidays within the UK, none of which require a flight to participate in. Therefore, if you prefer not to fly, for whatever reason, we have a range of varied and exciting wildlife holidays for you to choose from, and we are committed to regularly adding more.
It is also the case that many of our other holidays within Europe are also accessible by rail. Generally, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and we’d be pleased to offer advice to anybody who wishes to join any of our tours within Europe by a means other than flying!
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Kerrie Porteous - Operations Manager
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
