Weather: Thick fog, cold, overcast. Max 15.
Accommodation: Clock Tower B&B
We woke to very heavy fog and didn't realise the implications of this on the ferry service to see the puffins on Skomer Island. John, our B&B host drove us to the ferry via a small country lane and we couldn't see anything when we arrived - no boat, no sea only thick pea soup fog! The trip depended upon the fog lifting so we spent an hour with other hopeful tourists at the Lockley Lodge sending good vibes to the universe wishing the fog to shift. At ten o'clock we were told that the fog was slowly lifting and we would set off on the fifteen minute ferry journey at 10.30am. We became very excited.
The sea was quite calm and on our arrival on the island we were greeted by a Warden who gave an introductory and friendly talk on the do's and don'ts for the National Nature Reserve. Skomer Island is one of the most important and accessible seabird breeding sites in Europe. Our ferry wasn't returning until 3.30pm so we had plenty of time to walk to all the different parts of the island to see the different breeding areas.
After having morning tea in the centre of the island at a covered picnic area we immediately walked over to the far side of the island to the cliffs at Wick where there were many puffins.
We were surprised at how tame the puffins were and how close we could get to them. Many were collecting little sticks and taking them back to their nests in burrows as this is the month for nest building and egg laying.
There were a couple of volunteers giving useful information on the breeding habits and research being conducted. We took countless photos trying to get a good shot of them as they darted about.
We returned to the picnic area for lunch and then headed through in the opposite direction to Garland Stone the north point of the island. We walked through acres and acres of bluebells. It was exquisite and again we couldn't stop taking photos. We saw a couple of seals bobbing in the water.
When we started returning to the boat I struck up a conversation with an elderly man who was a retired medical specialist from London. He came to London in 1949 as his Polish parents insisted that he study medicine the same as his previous four generations. He has always felt all his life that he is neither Polish or English and nor would he have studied medicine. I felt rather sad for him.
It was very cold waiting for the ferry and whilst we waited we saw Razorbills and Guillemots resting on rocks just below us.
The ferry ride back was quite bumpy. We had a 3.5kms walk back to our B&B at Marloes but after only walking for about ten minutes on the country lane my new doctor friend stopped and offered us a lift. We were very pleased he stopped and we all piled in to his little car with all our gear.
Dinner was a three course meal at our B&B. It was delicious and a nice change from eating at another pub. The B&B is across the road from the village clock tower hence the name of the B&B. Our guide book thinks it's a clock tower looking for a building to sit upon!
Tomorrow we are looking forward to meeting up with our UK walking buddy, Ron at St Brides. We met Ron on the Pennine Way when we were undertaking our Land's End to John O'Groats walk in 2009. Ron is joining us for a few days and it will be good to catch up. On Friday evening our other UK walking buddies, Clifford and Mylo also will be joining us for a few days. So our band of four will go to five and then to seven.
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