Lundy is an island three and a half miles long and half a mile wide which rises steeply from the Bristol Channel between England and Wales.

It is famous for its seabirds, including the Puffins which gave the island its name (from the Norse for Puffin Island) but there is also a wealth of other animals and plants on the island and in the waters around it. As the name means Puffin Island, there is no need to add another "Island" after Lundy.

Previous inhabitants have also left evidence of their presence, from prehistoric flintwork to Victorian quarries. The present inhabitants work for the Landmark Trust who manage the farm and holiday accommodation. Landmark lease Lundy from its owners, the National Trust.

Getting to Lundy

Between early April and the end of October day trips to Lundy are possible on the island's supply ship MS Oldenburg, which undertakes the 2-hour crossing from Ilfracombe or Bideford up to four times a week. Depending on the tides and the sailing schedule this can give you between three and a half hours and seven hours ashore. To enjoy more time on the island it is possible to stay in one of 23 rental properties. During the winter season a twice-weekly helicopter service operates from Hartland Point for staying visitors. Details of travel to Lundy and accommodation on the island can be found on the website of the Landmark Trust.

What to do and see on the island

For the explorer there are spectacular walks around this magnificent island. There are many places to look out for that have mysterious names such as Hell's Gates, Shutter Point, Needle Rock, Punchbowl Valley, the Devil's Slide and many more.

The island has a turbulent history of piracy, smuggling and periods of peaceful habitation. During one of the peaceful periods, Lundy was owned by the Heaven family and the island was known as the Kingdom of Heaven. There are small clues that give away the dramatic history that surrounds this tiny island. Many of the buildings such as the Old Lighthouse and even a 13th-century castle now provide accommodation for the welcome visitor. The central point of the whole island is the Marisco Tavern, a warm friendly place with plenty of fine food and shelter.

An excellent YouTube film, Lundy, the Glory of the Bristol Channel has been produced by LFS member, Rob Durrant.

The Lundy Cabbage Coincya wrightii is a species of primitive brassica growing only on Lundy and nowhere else in the world. Its nearest relative grows in southern Spain and North Africa. It is likely that Lundy is far enough away from the mainland to have allowed the plant to evolve into a separate species.

It is one of about a dozen endemic plants in the British Isles. However, even amongst this select company, it stands out. It is unique in having its own endemic insects. There is a Bronze Lundy Cabbage Flea Beetle Psylliodes luridipennis and the Lundy cabbage weevil Ceutorhynchus contractus pallipes, which live only on this plant.

If all the areas of growth on the Island were put together, it would cover a square of about 100m, which, for the total world population of a plant, is miniscule. Although the sheep, goats and ponies on the Island will eat it, its main threat was from the rhododendrons that were spreading along the east side. These have now been cleared after many years of work by LFS members and others.

Butterflies

Over 350 species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) have been recorded on Lundy, and some of them occur regularly in spectacular numbers. Visitors to Lundy in the summer months will see many species of butterfly on the wing, including resident species such as the Large and Small Whites, Grayling, Small Copper, Meadow Brown and Small Heath.

Migrant butterflies like the Painted Lady and Red Admiral turn up in late summer, and occasionally visitors from further afield like the Clouded Yellow will appear. Sheltered areas like the gardens in Millcombe and the Quarries can be good areas to observe butterflies, but some favour the more open spots where their food plants occur.

Moths

Day-flying moths often attract attention and the brightly marked Garden Tiger and Cream-spot Tiger Moth are amongst the most conspicuous and can usually be found in Millcombe in the summer. In sheltered spots where the Red Valerian grows tiny Hummingbird Hawk-moths may seen visiting the flowers on sunny days. One of the least conspicuous day-flying moths is the Thrift Clearwing, which resembles a large fly. It flies on sunny days in mid-summer where Thrift is abundant, and is probably more common on Lundy than anywhere else in Britain. The slopes around Jenny's Cove are a good site for this elusive insect. The Six-spot Burnet moth has shiny black wings with bright red spots and there are often hundreds visiting Thistle flower heads on summer days. Their empty cocoons may be seen on nearby grass stems.

Most moths fly at night and are unseen by visitors, whilst during the day they rely on their camouflage to remain hidden on rocks, bark or lichens. One species of moth, the Lesser Yellow Underwing, appears in a colour form here unique to Lundy and Scilly, and a tiny micro-moth, Nothris congressariella, lives on Lundy and only two or three other spots in Britain, its larvae feeding in tiny burrows inside the leaves of Balm-leaved Figwort.

A full list of species recorded on Lundy may be viewed here.

Text by Andrew Cleave - September 2013