If you want to experience Britain at its best, then why not travel its coastline via boat? It has plenty of island-hopping experiences waiting to be discovered, full of history and wildlife to enjoy.
Best boat trips in Britain
The Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
After boarding the Scillonian III in Penzance, stand on deck as you slip out of the harbour to gain a unique perspective of the West Penwith Peninsula before heading to St Mary’s, the largest island of the Isles of Scilly. The route passes hidden smugglers’ caves, picture-perfect harbour villages and sandy coves nestled between soaring cliffs. The architectural feat of the clifftop open-air Minack Theatre heralds the approach to Land’s End before you head into open waters.
Sailing where the English Channel meets the open Atlantic puts you within rich marine feeding grounds, home to bountiful wildlife. The resident dolphin pods of Mount’s Bay regularly chaperone the boat along the coast, while grey seals, sunfish and basking sharks are frequent sightings from the deck.
The largest archipelago in the UK, the Isles of Scilly may only be 28 miles off the coast of mainland Britain but the islands feel utterly unique, otherworldly and breathtakingly beautiful. Each of the five inhabited islands has its own character and devoted fan base among regular visitors and, once you’re on the archipelago, hopping between islands is relatively easy with the inter-island ferries. Hiring a motorboat or kayak enables you to explore some of the 140 smaller, uninhabited islands yourself, where you can rock-pool, ramble and indulge any Robinson Crusoe fantasies.
The Scillonian III sails from March to November and the journey takes two hours and 45 minutes; dogs are permitted on board. Pre-book tickets online at Isles of Scilly Travel.
Brownsea Island, Dorset
Nestled in the shelter of Poole Harbour, Brownsea Island is a diverse wildlife reserve, offering sanctuary in its managed woodland, heathland and wetland areas. Rare red squirrels thrive and it’s one of their last strongholds in England. Nocturnal nightjars visit from Africa for the summer and warm days see multitudes of lizards sunbathing on rock tops. At the lagoon, boardwalk paths follow the reedbed banks, and the wildlife spotting opportunities are unrivalled.
Brownsea Island is first and foremost about nature, but it’s also thought of as the birthplace of the scouting movement after Robert Baden-Powell held his first camp here in 1907.
Owned by the National Trust, Brownsea Island is jointly managed with Dorset Wildlife Trust. The 20-minute trip out is aboard Brownsea Island Ferries’ yellow boats that pootle across the natural harbour from Poole Quay between March and October. Tickets can’t be pre-booked but are available from the yellow kiosk on the quay. Children under six go free and while dogs are allowed on the ferry, they are not welcome on the island.
Noss Island, The Shetlands
A tiny island with a vast reputation among ornithologists, the towering 180-metre cliffs of Noss are a breeding sanctuary for over 100,000 pairs of seabirds.
Shetland Island Seabird Tours offers the original Noss Boat service with local naturalist and skipper Phil Harris, whose knowledge of these breeding and feeding grounds is unsurpassed. Phil will introduce you to a vast range of birds, from gannets, guillemots and fulmars to shags, puffins and kittiwakes. His commentary infuses everyone on board with a passion for the birds and his knowledgeable skippering prioritises time both at the soaring seabird cliffs of the Noss National Nature Reserve and in among the gannets’ feeding frenzies.
The waters off Shetland are a sanctuary for marine life, so expect to spot common and grey seals and look out for otters, orca, three different species of dolphin and even minke and humpback whales.
The most northerly archipelago in the UK, the Shetland Islands are an inspiring base, whether you want to hike the untamed landscapes and see Shetland ponies or delve into the area’s rich Viking heritage.
The Noss Boat wildlife trips take around two hours and run from April into October; the prime seabird, whale and dolphin-viewing months are May to September. Boats depart and return via Victoria Pier in Lerwick; children are welcome but not dogs. These trips are extremely popular, so book ahead via Shetland Seabird Tours.
Lundy Island, Devon
Just three miles long and half a mile wide, Lundy Island forms a familiar and enticing landmark off the North Devon coast. Its soaring cliffs, sandy beaches and heath-speckled hills are a lure to those seeking a peaceful day or short stay spent immersed in wildlife.
Lundy’s clifftops are home to huge populations of seabirds including puffins, kittiwakes and razorbills. Its waters are also rich in marine life, with grey and common seals basking on its rocky outcrops and both dolphins and porpoises frequently spotted frolicking offshore. Biodiversity is tightly managed on the island using rotational conservation grazing by sheep, goats, ponies, pigs and cattle.
Not only is it a protected wildlife haven, thanks to its National Trust ownership, but Lundy has a rich history dating to prehistoric times. Visitors can travel through time by exploring Bronze and Iron-Age settlement remains, the 13th-century Marisco Castle built by Henry III to protect the island from pirates, and discover the escapades of Martin Coles Harman, who attempted to establish the island as an independent sovereign state in the early 20th century.
Trips to the island run from the end of March to the end of October on board MS Oldenburg, a gracious, traditional boat that departs from either Ilfracombe or Bideford. The journey takes two hours and allows day-trippers four hours on the island. Tickets must be bought a minimum of 14 days prior to departure on the Landmark Trust's website. Pets are not permitted on board.
Longstone Island and the Farne Islands, Northumberland
A National Nature Reserve off the Northumberland coast, the Farne Islands are famed for their huge colony of Atlantic grey seals and around 200,000 annually visiting seabirds. Plenty of boat tours here offer trips around the islands or landing visits to the National Trust’s Inner Farne, where you can pick your way between puffin burrows and clifftops laden with the nests of guillemots, razorbills and shags.
But these islands are also famed for a daring rescue by a heroine of maritime history. Grace Darling was the 22-year-old daughter of the lighthouse keeper on the Longstone Lighthouse and, during a storm in 1838, she witnessed a paddle steamer strike a reef. Grace realised the perilous situation of crew members stranded on rocks and, with her father, rowed a boat to recover nine survivors.
Departing from Seahouses, the two-hour Golden Gate Boat Trips sail around the bird sanctuaries and seal colonies before docking alongside the lighthouse. Book online at Farne Islands Boat Trips. Children and dogs welcome.
Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm Islands, Pembrokeshire
Lying off the coast of Pembrokeshire in west Wales, the islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm are a trio of protected seabird colonies, a haven of isolation for record numbers of birds.
Skomer is the largest at 295 hectares and is best known for its puffin colony which, together with neighbouring Skokholm Island, forms the largest puffin breeding colony in southern Britain. Both islands are also home to the biggest breeding colony of manx shearwater in the world and host thousands of razorbills, guillemots, shags and cormorants.
With food sources plentiful, buzzards, short-eared owls and peregrine falcons have all been spotted here, alongside many migratory species. The striking red sandstone cliffs of Skokholm are the perfect refuge for the tiny storm petrel – the island hosts 20% of the European population. Grassholm is wilder, further from the mainland and one of the oldest RSPB reserves. With 39,000 pairs, it is the third most important gannet breeding site in the world.
Pembrokeshire Islands boat trips offers a sea safari around all three islands. It runs from Martin’s Haven beach at Marloes on select days from April to September and lasts 2.5 hours. Children over the age of eight are welcome as are dogs, as this route does not land on Skomer. Buy tickets online at Pembrokeshire Islands.
The Shiant Isles, Outer Hebrides
Uninhabited, remote and dramatic, the Shiant Islands – meaning ‘enchanted isles’ in Gaelic – lie 35km off the north-western Scottish coastline and form part of the Outer Hebrides. They are a birdwatcher’s paradise, where golden eagles and white-tailed sea eagles pepper the sky, while the soaring cliff-faces and verdant shorelines offer breeding grounds to thousands of visiting seabirds.
Circumnavigating the islands, you could see nearly quarter of a million puffins, together with countless guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes and shags.
But a boat trip here has another major enticement. Between the Shiant Isles and the mainland lies the North Minch, a stretch of water revered by sailors and marine biologists alike. It forms part of the Atlantic Ocean and is famed for its strong tidal currents, deep underwater trenches and abundant marine life.
From late April, Hebridean Whale Cruises heads out across the North Minch; its most popular whale-watching trip lasts four hours. Tickets should be booked ahead from Hebridean Whale Cruises. Children over four are permitted but no dogs.
The Isles of Staffa and Iona, Inner Hebrides
Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides and has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times. It’s a fabulous destination in its own right, boasting ancient stone circles, golden sandy beaches and plentiful whisky distilleries. However, it’s also a great base for visiting Iona and Staffa.
Iona is only three miles long but as the birthplace of Scottish Christianity it boasts a wealth of spiritual significance. The important pilgrimage retreat of Iona Abbey dates to AD563, while St Oran’s Chapel has a burial ground said to hold the remains of 50 Scottish kings. The island is known for its serenity and is a magical place to wander, with crescents of powder-white beaches bordered by turquoise waters and wildflower meadows.
From the sea, your initial view of the small, uninhabited island of Staffa will be of the hexagonal, basalt columns that surround Fingal’s Cave. The cave’s acoustics create a deep resonant echo that has inspired musicians and artists for centuries. These include Felix Mendelssohn, who composed his Hebrides Overture after visiting in 1829. You can climb into the cave from the shore before visiting the vast puffin colony above.
Islay Sea Adventures runs Staffa and Iona trips from Islay between May and August. Children over three are welcome but no dogs. Passengers have 1.5 hours at each island. Book ahead at Islay Sea Adventures.
Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland
A remote haven off the coast of County Antrim, Rathlin Island is the only inhabited offshore island in Northern Ireland and marks its northernmost point. It has been inhabited since 6,000 BCE and, invaded brutally by the Vikings, English and Scottish, was the site of many a massacre. The island was declared Irish in 1617.
Rathlin is an extraordinary island to visit, from its soaring cliffs punctuated by vast sea stacks to its caves and coves and its tight-knit local community. It boasts stunning walking trails with panoramic coastal views. It’s also home to the largest seabird colony in Northern Ireland, providing bird-spotting opportunities from April to July via the RSPB Seabird Centre.
Rathlin is easily accessible from Ballycastle on the mainland using the ferry service but the best way to experience its striking geography is to circumnavigate it by sea. Kintra Boat Tours offers a two-hour tour from Ballycastle. Views on board span Ireland’s north coast across to the Mull of Kintyre and Scottish islands. Book in advance at Kintra Boat Tours. Dogs and children are welcome on board.
Seacoast Safaris, Anglesey
Vertiginous cliffs topped with coastal wildflowers, pristine curves of golden sand and a plethora of castles and ancient sites make Anglesey a popular destination. Sitting off the north-west coast of Wales, it’s a wonderful spot for hiking thanks to the Anglesey Coast Path, but it’s also a prime location for spotting marine wildlife.
Seacoast Safaris offers a half-day wildlife cruise that takes you along the eastern Anglesey coastline and around five of the small uninhabited outer islands known for their wildlife colonies. A naturalist team offers unique insights into the waters, their islands and the species that call them home.
From the vast puffin and cormorant colonies of Puffin Island you’ll head to the northernmost point in Wales: Middle Mouse Island. Known as Ynys Badrig in Welsh, it’s said that St Patrick was shipwrecked here before swimming ashore and founding the church of Llanbadrig in 440 CE.
There’s an impressive variety of species to spot on this trip, from harbour porpoises, seals and bow-riding dolphins to countless seabirds diving and rocketing around you as you circle the colonies.
The round trip runs from Beaumaris on Anglesey, takes 3.5 hours and is open to all ages but not to dogs. Last-minute tickets can be bought at the quay-side kiosk, but it’s advisable to book ahead at Seacoast Safaris.
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Top image: St Agnes in the Isles of Scilly. Credit: Getty