Puffin Island

Puffin Island lies off the eastern tip of Anglesey in Wales, uninhabited and privately owned. Its steep cliffs rise from the Menai Strait, the highest point reaching 59 metres above sea level. The island covers 0.28 square kilometres and is made of carboniferous limestone. A 12th-century monastery once stood here, with remains of a church that still stand today. The island’s Welsh name, Ynys Seiriol, honours Saint Seiriol, a 6th-century hermit who lived here. A telegraph station was later built on the northeastern tip but now stands disused. The island is a Special Protection Area for wildlife, home to over 750 cormorants—more than 10% of the national population. Guillemots, razorbills, shags, and kittiwakes nest here in large numbers. Puffins once bred in their thousands, but rats introduced in the 19th century nearly wiped them out. After a rat-eradication programme in 1998, puffins have slowly returned. Dense vegetation now covers parts of the island after rabbits were lost to myxomatosis. The surrounding waters teem with marine life, attracting grey seals, bottlenose dolphins, and harbour porpoises. Visitors can take pleasure cruises from Beaumaris to see the island’s wildlife and cliffs. The remains of the 12th-century church and monastery still stand, with a Grade I heritage listing. The island’s strong currents make it a prime spot for fishing trips, where mackerel and other fish are caught. The ruins of ecclesiastical buildings, including a central tower and nave foundations, are visible. The island’s history includes visits from King Cadwallon ap Cadfan in the 7th century and mentions by Gerald of Wales in 1188.