The Ultimate Guide to Pembrokeshire Puffins: My Trip to Skomer Island

It’s one thing to see a puffin on television, a tiny, colourful bird described in a familiar, soothing voice.

It’s another thing entirely to stand on a clifftop, surrounded by a swirling, chaotic, wonderful mass of them, and have one crash-land at your feet, its beak overstuffed with shining silver sand eels.

This is the Pembrokeshire coast. This is Skomer Island.

For years, I’d seen the photos and heard the stories. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a hiker’s dream, a rugged line of cliffs, sea stacks, and hidden coves.

But I was here for one main reason: the “clowns of the sea”. My journey to this wind-swept island was more than just a hike; it was a pilgrimage to see one of Britain’s most iconic wildlife spectacles.

But getting there isn’t simple. It requires planning. This guide is built to share my personal story, but more importantly, to give you the practical, “how-to” information I wish I’d had.

This is the ultimate guide to planning your own Pembrokeshire puffin adventure.

Skomer Island Trip: At-a-Glance Fact-Sheet

Why are Pembrokeshire’s Puffins So Famous?

The “Clowns of the Sea”

The names “sea parrot” or “clown of the sea” make perfect sense when you see them. They are surprisingly small, but their character is huge.

That iconic, rainbow-coloured beak is only for show during the breeding season; it’s moulted in winter, leaving a smaller, duller version.

They are birds of delightful contrast. In the water, they are masters, “flying” underwater with powerful wing strokes to dive for fish.

In the air, they are… less graceful. Their short wings require a comically rapid beat to stay airborne, and landings are often a clumsy, tumbling affair.

Skomer Island: The Puffin Stronghold

The Pembrokeshire islands of Skomer and Skokholm are the most important puffin colonies in Southern Britain.

And the population on Skomer is thriving. The 2024 count recorded over 41,000 puffins on the island.

But they aren’t alone. The island is a noisy, bustling metropolis for seabirds. It’s home to vast numbers of Guillemots, Razorbills, and Kittiwakes, as well as the world’s largest colony of Manx shearwater.

How to Book Your Skomer Island Trip (Read This First!)

This is the most critical part of your planning. You cannot simply show up and buy a ticket.

The Only Way to Land on Skomer

There is only one boat operator licensed to land visitors on Skomer Island: Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips. All landing trips depart from Martin’s Haven for the short 15-minute crossing.

Booking is online pre-booking only. The old system of queuing at the dock at dawn is gone.

The Most Important Date: December 1st

This is the single most important tip: Bookings for the entire 2026 season will open on December 1st, 2025.

This is not an exaggeration. Visitors from across the world plan trips around this, and as one US-based visitor noted, the entire season can be “booked out”.

If you want to go in the peak months of June or July, you must be ready to book on or near December 1st.

Skomer Island 2025/2026 Ticket Prices & Cancellation Policy

Ticket prices for 2025 (which include the boat fare and landing fee) are:

Peak Season (14 April – 31 July):

• Adult (12+): £44
• Child (2-11): £30

Off-Peak (April & August/Sept):

• Adult: £30 – £40
• Child: £24 – £30

Be warned: tickets are non-refundable. The only exception is if the operator has to cancel the trip due to poor weather or sea conditions.

My Skomer Story: The “Puffin Shuffle” and Arriving at Martin’s Haven

The anticipation on the drive to Martin’s Haven is a feeling in itself. The roads get narrower, the landscape wilder, until you’re on the very western edge of Wales.

How to Get to Martin’s Haven

By Car: The departure point is Martin’s Haven (SA62 3BH). There is a National Trust car park, which is about a 0.5-mile walk from the departure point at Lockley Lodge.

By Bus (The “Puffin Shuttle”): For those without a car, this is a fantastic service. The Bus 400 (Puffin Shuttle) is a summer-only service that connects St. Davids, Broad Haven, and other coastal spots with Marloes, the nearest village to Martin’s Haven.

From Marloes, it’s about a 1-mile walk to the check-in. The 2025 service runs from late May to late September.

Checking In: What You Need to Know

You must check in at the Lockley Lodge ticket office exactly 1 hour before your scheduled departure time.

This is also where you’ll get your biosecurity briefing. To protect Skomer’s ground-nesting birds from non-native predators (like rats), all bags must be sealed before boarding.

This means zipping up all rucksacks and bags—no open carrier bags.

What to Expect on Skomer Island: A Practical Guide

As our little boat pulled away from Martin’s Haven, the 15-minute journey was a buffer between the mainland and a different world. Skomer is a “wild” island in the truest sense.

The 87 Steps: Accessibility on Skomer

The boat lands at a small cove, and the first thing you face is “The 87 Steps”. This is a steep, unavoidable climb from the dock to the island’s clifftop.

It’s crucial to know that the island is not wheelchair accessible. The paths are uneven, rocky, and hilly. You must be physically able to climb the steps and walk on rough terrain.

Facilities: What to Bring (and What’s Not There)

There is no cafe, no shop, and no shelter on Skomer. You are on your own for the 4.5 hours you’re on the island.

The only facilities are a set of compost toilets located at the Farm in the center of the island.

What to Pack for Skomer: A Checklist

• A full picnic and all your water. You must bring everything you need for the day.
• Waterproof coat and layers. Even on a sunny day, the island is exposed and the weather can turn quickly.
• Camera with an empty memory card.
• Binoculars (you can hire a pair for £5).
• Sealed bags for your biosecurity check.
• A bag to carry all your rubbish home, as there are no bins.

My Walk on the Island: Where to See the Puffins

This is what we came for. Once you’re up the steps, the island opens up. The paths are clearly marked, and you are immediately surrounded by burrows. The air is thick with the sound of seabirds and the sight of puffins.

They are everywhere. Waddle-running across the path, standing guard outside their burrows, and crash-landing from the sky with beaks full of fish.

They are “surprisingly unfazed by humans,” which allows for incredible, respectful, up-close photography. The Wick, a steep-sided inlet, is a famous spot for seeing them cluster on the cliffs.

My 4.5 hours flew by in a blur of frantic photography and moments of just standing still, watching the beautiful chaos.

When is the Absolute Best Time to Visit?

This is an expert tip that’s often missed. While the general puffin season is April to mid-August, the absolute best time to visit is mid-June to mid-July.

Why? This is when the puffin chicks (pufflings) have hatched in the burrows. The adult puffins are at their most active, constantly flying back and forth from the sea to feed their chicks.

This is when you’ll see those classic “beak full of sand eels” shots.

Be careful booking too late. One visitor in the last week of July reported “95% of the puffins already left,” while another on July 17th saw “loads”. Aim for that peak window.

Beyond the Puffins: What Else to Do Near Martin’s Haven

Your Skomer adventure is often finished by mid-afternoon, leaving time to explore the stunning Marloes Peninsula.

Explore Marloes Sands

Just a short drive from Martin’s Haven (with its own National Trust car park), Marloes Sands is one of Pembrokeshire’s most spectacular beaches.

It’s a huge, sweeping bay of sand, famous for its dramatic geology—layers of sandstone and volcanic rock that form jagged outcrops. It’s a 0.5-mile walk from the car park to the beach.

Crucial Tip: Check the tide times. At high tide, the beach can disappear completely.

Other Things to Do: Snorkeling and Local Towns

• “snAUKling”: For the truly adventurous, local operators offer “snAUKling”—a trip to snorkel with the puffins and seals around the islands.
• Broad Haven: This is a perfect nearby “base” village. It has a beautiful, family-friendly Blue Flag beach, cafes, and water sports hire (surfing, kayaking).
• Pembrokeshire Coast Path: The walk from Martin’s Haven to Marloes Sands is a stunning, easy-to-follow section of the 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pembrokeshire Puffins

Visitor Safety & “Leave No Trace”

A final word of advice: Skomer is a protected National Nature Reserve.

• Stay on the marked paths at all times to avoid crushing burrows.
• Do not sit below cliff edges, as rocks can be unstable.
• Adhere to the biosecurity rules (sealed bags) to protect the wildlife.
• Follow the “Leave No Trace” principles: take all your litter home with you.

For more puffin adventures in the UK check out our articles: The Isle of Staffa And Its Puffins and RSPB Bempton Cliffs – Puffins and Other Sea Birds