Spotting Puffins at the Isle of May Near Edinburgh, Scotland

There are many islands in the UK where you can see puffins. In the end, we chose the Isle of May, which is closer to Edinburgh. We booked the ferry tickets to the island on the Anstruther Pleasure Cruises website. It’s important to book early during the breeding season in June and July when it’s especially busy. 🐧 🌐 Arrive at Anstruther Harbour at the designated time specified on the website. You can take the X60 🚌 directly from Edinburgh, which takes about two and a half hours (check the route on the map). Remember to keep an eye on Google Maps and ring the bell to get off the bus in advance. Sometimes the driver may skip stops. When you arrive at the harbor, you can find a small house. Just go there and show your voucher to check in for the boat. The weather was sunny on the day we went, but the waves were huge. It’s advisable to bring seasick medication in advance. Sitting on the side of the boat, you might get splashed by waves that can wet your clothes, pants, and backpack. Watching the other passengers on the boat reminded me of the movie “The Big Year,” and I felt like I was in a movie. I really enjoyed it. 🎬 🛥️ After a while, as the boat sailed, we started to see many seabirds. Besides the common seagulls, we could see puffins flying and swimming in the sea, as well as black and white birds that might be razorbills or auks (probably guillemots). Occasionally, we could spot northern gannets and cormorants flying by. As we approached the Isle of May, more and more birds filled the sky, which was truly spectacular. As soon as we landed on the island, we were attacked by a flock of terns and had to protect our heads (I still got pecked before leaving—it hurt!). 😂 ⛰️ Standing on the island, we watched flocks of birds flying around overhead. Many puffins were carrying fish in their beaks. We could hear different bird calls and the strong wind blowing. There were also a lot of birds perched on the rocks. The island’s landscape and scenery were completely beyond our expectations. Everything was so beautiful and dreamlike. Life is amazing. 🌿 We stayed on the island for about one or two hours. You can check the map and walk around more. I walked too slowly and only covered half of it. Fortunately, I saw seals on the way back on the boat. 🐝 🏠 We lined up to eat the famous fish and chips, which were indeed delicious and not greasy at all! However, I think one portion is enough for two people (the serving size was a bit large for us). Anstruther itself is very beautiful. The Airbnb we stayed in had an incredible sea view from the window. The weather was clear, with blue skies and a bright blue sea. Walking around was really pleasant (except for the cold). 😊 I wanted to keep a record of my favorite trip and made a wish to see the puffins again next year. 💓 I hope I can have a telephoto lens next time. 📷 #Travel #Puffin #Puffin #MayIsland #NatureReserve #Nature #NaturalScenery #Edinburgh