Farne Islands celebrate 100 years
Inner Farne, one of the Farne Islands cared for by the National Trust, has re-opened for visitors to enjoy the annual spectacle of seabirds returning to breed, with the first puffins spotted back on the islands.
2025 marks 100 years of the 28-island archipelago being in the Trust’s care, and from April 1st visitor boats were landing on the Farne Islands in time for the start of the breeding season
Sanctuary for seabirds
The Farne Islands are a National Nature Reserve and are an internationally important home to approximately 200,000 seabirds, including the charismatic puffin, Arctic terns, and kittiwakes.
The birds return to the islands in the spring, departing once their chicks are fully fledged, at the end of the summer.
National Trust are excited to announce that Inner Farne has reopened for visitor landings just in time for the first puffins arriving back onto the islands.
Sail around tours will also continue to be available for those visitors that want to experience the magic of the islands from the water.
The seabirds returning to the islands and those that live there all the year round, remained free of bird flu in 2024, after being hit hard by the disease in 2022 and 2023, when rangers collected nearly 10,000 dead birds (6,000, and 3,647 in the respective years), giving some hope that immunity is building within the colony.
Celebrating centenary year
The Farne Islands were placed into the care of the National Trust on 10 August 1925, and have been cared for by the conservation charity’s staff, partners and volunteers for the last 100 years.
The National Trust will be marking this milestone with a series of events throughout the year which will reflect the inherent links the Farne Islands have with the local community as well as the cultural, environmental and scientific impact this unique place has regionally, nationally and globally.
As well as the fascinating wildlife, visitors will also be able to get closer to the cultural history on the island, which has links with early Christianity and St Cuthbert, with access inside the beautiful St Cuthbert’s Chapel and exterior views of the Inner Farne lighthouse and the Pele Tower.
Inner Farne will be the only island to open to visitor landings this year. On arrival on the harbour at Seahouses, visitors booked onto a boat trip are asked to visit the National Trust admissions point to purchase a landing ticket or to show their membership cards.
This Winter has been a fantastic pupping season for the seals and there has already been large rafts of puffins on the water. This is a very promising sign so early in the season. With the weather having been favourable so far, it's shaping up to be another prolific season for the wildlife out at the Farne Islands.