The Isle of Staffa and a tour to see puffins in Scotland had been on my bucket list for ages, and my recent weekend trip to Mull was the perfect occasion to finally tick off both! We booked an half-day tour with Staffa Tours, the ‘Staffa & Treshnish Isles Wildlife Tour’. This is a guide to the different stops of this extended Staffa tour, some tips about surviving seasickness and of course a little packing list!
This post contains affiliate links from which I may make a commission. Find out more here. All opinions are my own.
We began our day with an adventurous drive on the single road track from Craignure to Fionnphort. On the scale of driving in Scotland, driving on the Isle of Mull scores pretty high. Single-track roads mean slowing down, and so you should allow plenty of time for the drive towards the ferry. We picked up a hitchhiker along the way and arrived at the edge of Mull with plenty of time for our ferry crossing to Iona.
Stop 1: Walking on the Isle of Iona
Staffa Tours include the option to visit the Isle of Iona, except for Sundays, which was of course when we had booked… We spent the morning exploring Iona independently and joined our tour from there around 12pm.
Iona had been the Gaelic spiritual centre for many centuries and even today, many visitors come here to participate in spiritual retreats and experience the unique tranquility of the island. You can visit the medieval church Iona Abbey (£7.50) or explore the ruins of the nunnery for free.
We went for a little walk in the meadows behind the main village and managed to almost cross the island before we had to return to catch out next boat. The views were incredible and the walk a good warm-up for what was to come.
Back at the harbour, the sun was out, but the rain clouds were hanging in the north – just where we were heading…
You might also like: The best things to do on the Isle of Mull
Stop 2: Seeing Puffins in the Treshnish Isles
After a calm ride north, we arrived on Lunga, the first island on our tour to see puffins in Scotland. Lunga is one of the Treshnish Isles which the tour is named after. During the summer months the island is home to a big puffin colony. The puffins can be spotted when they breed between late May and early August. The humorous birds spend the rest of the year at sea.
We had the island all to ourselves, but as soon as we stood at the edge of the cliff, the puffins came flying, knowing that we would keep the seagulls away. They let us come close enough for some awesome shots and when they had posed enough, they simply flew off again to fish in the waves.
We even saw a baby puffin stick its head out of its hole in the ground -unlike other birds, puffins don’t build nests, but rather digs holes into the soft earth on top of cliffs and thus hide their chicks away from predators.
For more bird watching read this post about puffins on the Isle of May, just off the east coast of Scotland.
You might also like: The best ethical encounters with Wildlife in Scotland
Stop 3: Exploring the Isle of Staffa
The final stop of our tour was the Isle of Staffa. Here you can find the famous Fingal’s Cave that I’m sure you know from photos. Unfortunately, on Staffa we were not so along anymore, as a lot more boats visit this island continuously throughout the day.
Visitors can even book a day tour from Oban, which includes the ferry to Mull, a bus transfer to Fionnphort and the actual Staffa boat tour. However, if you like a sense of calm and quiet, I’d recommend staying overnight on Mull and choosing the longer tour option like us!
The cave is a short walk away from the landing place across the bizarre basalt rocks on the island’s edge. Once inside, it can get a bit crowded, because the path leading in is actually quite narrow. It pays off however, to hang around and wait for a little break between groups arriving.
You might also like: Exploring Mull and Iona with Local Guides
Once you’ve seen enough, make your way back and up to the top of the island. You won’t have time to stroll all the way to the other end of the island, but you can climb to the top for some more amazing views across to the mainland and back towards Iona.
And so our tour to see puffins in Scotland had come to an end. We returned to Fionnphort around 5 pm and drove back to Craignure for our well-deserved dinner.
You might also like: 18 Fun Outdoor Activities to try in Scotland
Prone to seasickness?
While the sun had finally come out as we explored Staffa – and stayed with us throughout the sail back – the wind had also turned against our odds. The sea was really rough on our way back to Fionnphort, to the point where not even the heavy yellow fishermen’s coats could keep us entirely dry in the spray. Needless to say, chose your spot on the boat wisely – if you absolutely don’t want to get wet, find a seat inside – even though the views are better on the outside…
Unfortunately, on small boats like the ones used by Staffa Tours, rough sea can easily end in seasickness. If you are prone to seasickness, have a few backup plans for how to deal with it on board.
What helps with seasickness?
- Spend time outside on deck and focus on the horizon.
- Eat a green apple.
- Eat something containing ginger – I like to bring Hob Nobs biscuits!
- Try a Sea-Band wrist band. It has a little bead that presses against a pressure point on your wrist.
- Worst case, take seasickness pills, but only if you’re not driving!
We never spent more than an hour on the boat between the stops, and from experience most seasickness pills I’ve tried knocked me out for considerably longer than that.
So, unless you really can’t avoid it, I’d recommend to hold off the meds – you don’t want to miss out on the puffins because you’re drowsy from the pills!
Good to know about the Staffa & Treshnish Isles Wildlife Tour
The Staffa & Treshnish Isles Wildlife Tour will set you back £60 per person and takes around 5 to 5.5 hours. To book this or another Staffa tour, check out Staffa Tours’ website.
There are no toilet facilities on the islands you visit during the tour (except for Iona)!
It is possible to bring dogs on the Staffa tour – a lady on our boat actually had two big dogs with her – but it’s not the easiest task, as the dogs will have to be lifted on and off the boat, walk over floating jetties and keep their calm in the face of flying wildlife.
What to pack?
Make sure to bring your own lunch, as pre-tour options on Iona or in Fionnphort are limited (especially if you don’t eat meat or fish) and there are no services on Lunga or Staffa.
Don’t forget your camera, extra batteries and a waterproof bag or case to keep everything safe. As always with wildlife tours I was worried that my standard camera zoom lens would not be enough to get decent shots of the puffins. Luckily though, puffins are not really scared of humans, so I could get close enough to take awesome photographs with my regular photo kit!
What to wear?
Waterproof hiking boots, a warm layer and rain clothes (also to protect yourself from the spray on the boat) are an absolute must – you can find my recommended items in my Scotland packing list! Mind we did this tour in the middle of summer, yet the temperatures were rather baltic… There is no shelter on Lunga or Staffa (expect for Fingal’s Cave) and once you’re off the boat, you are quite literally stranded on the island until they come and pick you up again! There are trails, but they can be muddy, so good footwear is essential.
Hooked on island hopping? The best Scottish Islands to visit
Have I convinced you to add a tour to see puffins in Scotland to your bucket list? Or did you do a similar trip to another place in Scotland, that you think I should know about? Let me know in the comments!
Pin this post for later:
Pingback: 'Island Hopping' - Iona, Staffa and the Treshnish Isles - Wild for Scotland
Pingback: Best Places for Scottish Islands Holiday
Pingback: My Off-Beat Scotland Bucket List for 2017 | Watch Me See
Hello! Planning an upcoming trip to Scotland and your site has been amazingly helpful! I actually need a pair of hiking boots for the trip, and I love the ones with the red laces you are wearing in these photos! Which brand are they?? Thanks!!
They’re amazing – best hiking boots I’ve ever had! The brand is called Zamberlan and I reviewed this particular boot right here: https://watchmesee.com/blog/zamberlan-hiking-boots-review/ They come with brown shoelaces though, I bought the red ones in a random outdoor shop!
This one definitely goes on my list! Funnily enough I just finished a book by an Icelandic author where puffins were kind of the highlight.
And by the way, your pictures are simply amazing! It definitely looks like one of those rare sunny days Scotland is famous for
Thanks for your comment, I’m so glad you liked the story and photos! Which book was it? Sounds cool – I love Iceland!!
This sounds like so much fun! Yes, I want to go to Scotland, and yes yes yes to puffins! Thanks for the awesome tips. I’d never heard that green apples can help with seasickness. Who would have guessed!
Ohh you got to see the giant pencils too! I was so excited to see these rock formations in Iceland and Ireland. I think they’re completely fascinating. But after all, everything looks incredibly fascinating there. Every photo you have here is beautiful! Definitely worth the rocky boat ride!!
Apparently people for a long time believed that there was a secret underwater passage from Staffa to Northern Ireland (where they also have these basalt formations) – imagine it went all the way to Iceland!!
Absolutely loved this! I’ve been in London for five years and never made it up to Scotland, I should really go one day! Those puffins are too cute haha
I am convinced to see the puffins and the beautiful caves! I visited Scotland for the first time last month and spent most of my time on the Isle of Skye, but now I really would like to go back and explore some of the other Isles and less-traveled areas. And that’s so cool that you can bring your dog on this tour. I know mine would love it.
Skye is really pretty, but a lot of people now find it too busy – and there are sooo many other islands that are just as gorgeous. Come to Mull next time 🙂
Unbelievably beautiful! What an experience. I’d love to see puffins in person. Now I know where and how to! 🙂
I absolutely LOVE puffins. I’d love to see them in the wild as it’s still on my bucket list! This isle looks so beautiful too
Scotland is a great place to tick that off the list – there are so many colonies all over the coastline!
I love your raincoats ?? and PUFFINS IN SCOTLAND?! How did I not know about this sooner!
Thank you! I really needed something colourful to brighten up the rainy days here… And yes, during the summer the puffins are everywhere along the Scottish coastline!!
wow beautiful pictures! I would love to visit that area of Scotland, it looks beautiful. I saw puffins a few months ago in Iceland and I couldn’t believe how fast they fly!
I know, right? They look so clumsy, but once they’re in the air, they’re so agile!
Oh my goodness!!! On my bucket list is to see Puffins!!! This post was fantastic! And I love they build little caves instead of nests!!
They’re probably the most fun bird to look at! When that little puffin chick stuck its head out if the ground, my heart melted!
I so wanted to go to out to see Staffa before leaving but it’s not to be! One day though! I’ve heard good things about that tour company aswell 🙂 beautiful pictures x
We really enjoyed the tour with them, but if you can take the time when you visit next, I highly recommend to stay overnight on Mull and not just do the day tour from Oban! It just means you can spend more time on the islands, and the day tours from Oban don’t go to Lunga!
Those puffins are so cute! Looks like it was worth the adventure to get there. I actually had the pleasure of seeing puffins when I was in Iceland a few years back. They were so cute and mesmerizing! Loved your photos, you may have just inspired a second puffin trip for me 🙂
They’re really a joy to watch! I’ve seen them before in the Faroe Islands, an even bigger colony, but more shy. I can only recommend coming to Scotland to see them, there are so many places they breed in!
This looks so fun. I am prone to being seasick, so I appreciate all of your tips to address that. Thank you for sharing!
Same here – I can be fine for the majority of the trip, but when it hits me, it’s quite bad… Luckily on this trip you really never spend more time than an hour on the boat at once. Lots of breaks to walk it off!