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Lundy

To borrow an old joke, “If you’re going to Lundy, I wouldn’t start from
here.” In this case, ‘here’ means anywhere outside Devon, but persevere:
Lundy is well worth it and a real adventure destination on England’s
doorstep! The problem is that the ferry leaves Ilfracombe quite early in
the morning, so you have to stay in the area the night before, if you
are travelling any distance. A further complication is that at the
beginning and end of the summer season, there is a chance that the sea
will be too rough to operate the ferry, but the helicopter still
operates – at an additional charge of £50 per person. This happened to
us and although an extra £200 on the bill was extremely unwelcome, it
has provided us all with a magical first memory of Lundy. If you find
yourself on the helicopter, make sure you are either tall or are wearing
heels – the tallest gets the front seat and the best view.

Lundy is a private island run by the Landmark Trust. It has a small
village, lighthouses, a castle, an hotel, a church, a shop and a
campsite. The accommodation ranges from barrack blocks reminiscent of
the Army circa 1950, via detached cottages in the middle of the island,
to apartments in the castle with fantastic sea views. If you are on a
budget, do not assume that camping is going to save you money – the
pitch fees for a family of four are only fractionally cheaper than the
cheapest rooms – and share the same washing and kitchen facilities.

The island has a resident nature warden, who, during our visit, could
not have been more helpful. There are tours to the shore, rock-pools,
cliffs, evening slide shows in the church and he always had time to
answer questions from the children.

The small size of the island (about 1½ miles by ½ a mile) appeals to
children: it is somewhere they can explore completely in just a few
days. There are walks up and down, across and around the island. The
shoreline is fairly steep and great care needs to be taken with the
younger ones, but the main tracks are safe enough. The land is farmed
for sheep and deer. Longer walks, say to the northern lighthouse, can be
turned into expeditions, with a picnic as a reward! There are intriguing
archaeological sites, just waiting to be explored. A further consequence
of the steep shores is that access to the sea is effectively limited to
just a few places. Best access is near the jetty. At low tide, it is
possible to walk out to tiny islands and alarm the children with stories
of being cut off by the incoming tide! The dock also has an aquarium
with hands-on displays. There is also the possibility of going on a dive
from here.

The island shop operates the island’s letterbox hunt. Many of these are
readily located, but a couple are fiendishly difficult and eluded us
despite hours of searching. Maybe, this is a cunning plan to ensure a
second trip to Lundy is needed! The shop sells virtually everything you
might need and the prices are surprisingly normal, given its location
and monopoly status. It has more the feel (and stock) of a deli, with
island lamb on sale as well.

Beware of the hotel! The food is good and available from breakfast to
dinner. Worse: a comfortable room lined with books, friendly staff and a
well-stocked bar. Plans for a self-catering break can be destroyed in
less than a day!

The return journey on the ferry provided a final, vivid memory. The wind
was gusting gale-force and the ferry pitched and yawed alarmingly.