An area of Pembrokeshire has been highlighted by National Geographic, listing it as one of the top five UK wildlife experiences to do in 2022.
The world-famous society has listed ‘Spotting puffins on Skomer Island’ as one of the top five wildlife experiences which someone can do within the UK.
The summer of 2022 is predicted to be another busy one for Pembrokeshire, with many domestic tourists planning on holidaying somewhere within the British Isles as the months get hotter.
Now, National Geographic has given them a reason to make their way to west Wales, saying that Skomer Island is a hotspot for any wildlife enthusiast.
Brownsea Island in Dorset topped the list, where visitors famously spot red squirrels, while spotting deer and ponies on Exmoor in Devon and Somerset came second, ahead of Skomer Island.
Meanwhile, spotting eagles and otters on the Isle of Mull came fourth, while the list was finished by seal spotting in Norfolk.
The organisation said about the island: “Skomer might be less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coastline but arriving here still feels like landing on a distant shore.
“There’s a dramatic rawness to its rocky bays and high headlands, and its offshore setting makes it an annual magnet for nesting seabirds.
“During the breeding season (roughly April to early July), you can expect to spot sizable numbers of everything from razorbills and guillemots to speed-diving gannets, with fulmars and kittiwakes also busying the cliffs.
“And then, of course, there are the ‘Pembrokeshire parrots’ themselves: puffins.
“Whether they’re tottering around on clifftops, bobbing in the waves or flying in great whizzing arcs through the sky, the paintbox-pretty birds are the main reason people make the trip to Skomer.
“Once you’re here, though — after a 15-minute boat trip from Martin’s Haven on the mainland — you’ll realise there’s plenty more for kids to relish, from vast carpets of spring bluebells to porpoises, seals and dolphins bobbing out at sea.
“Visitor numbers are capped each day, so try to book your boat trip well ahead of time.”
Skomer is now open for 2022, with tickets available to book at https://www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk/boat-trips/land-on-skomer/
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