How to visit the Farne Islands responsibly

Ranger helping visitors out of a boat on to the Farne Islands, Northumberland — Ranger welcoming visitors to the Farne Islands | © National Trust Images/Chris Lacey

We need your help to make sure the wildlife on the Farne Islands stays safe when you visit. This special place is vulnerable to invasive plants and animals, so we’ve put together some guidelines to follow. Find out what you need to do before you arrive, from checking your bags to rinsing your shoes. Plus read tips for taking photos without disturbing the seabirds when you’re on the Islands.

Biosecurity on the Farne Islands

When you visit the Farne Islands, we have to make sure that you're not bringing any unwelcome visitors such as rodents or other non-native species along too. This is to protect the Islands’ unique ecosystem – rats and invasive plants could decimate the wildlife.

It's especially important because the Farne Islands are a:

National Nature Reserve
Site of Special Scientific Interest
Special Protection Area
Special Area of Conservation

Before buying tickets, please ask yourself these questions:

Did you pack your bag yourself?
Are you sure no animals (particularly rodents) could have got in since then?

Before you depart, please:

Brush or rinse off any traces of seeds/burrs on your clothing or shoes.
Make sure that any food you’re bringing is in a sealed bag or container.
Don't leave your bag unattended.

And finally:

Please note that National Trust rangers may ask to check your bag if there’s food inside.
While we love dogs, we can't let them onto the Islands. Unfortunately this includes assistance dogs, due to the very sensitive nature of the colony.

Close-up of a shag sitting on its nest on the Farne Islands, Northumberland — Close-up of a shag sitting on its nest on the Farne Islands | © National Trust Images/Joe Cornish

Be seabird smart

Around 200,000 seabirds come to the Farne Islands to nest and breed every year. You can help to keep them safe by following this simple guidance:

Mind your step

The seabirds can nest anywhere on the ground so please be mindful where you put your feet. Sometimes chicks can wander far from the nest – if you find a chick or an egg on the boardwalk please tell a ranger.

Keep to the boardwalk

Please don’t lean over, or put your legs, arms or equipment (including cameras) over or under the ropes along the boardwalk. The fragile puffin burrows and eider nests are all over the islands, and the birds on the cliffs live on the edge in very small territories.

Wear a hat on Inner Farne

The Arctic terns might peck your head when they are protecting their young – particularly within the first 100 metres of the boardwalk. We recommend that you wear a hat when you land on Inner Farne. Don't linger in areas where the Arctic terns are present. Please don't wear hard hats or cycle helmets, though, because they can damage the birds' beaks.

When you hear clicking, keep moving

A clicking sound is the Arctic terns’ way of warning you off. It may also be a sign that they’re about to peck you. When you hear their warnings, please don’t stop to take photos – keep moving steadily through the colony towards the buildings or the lighthouse. This will allow the birds to attend to their eggs and young with the minimum disturbance.

Visitors taking photos on the Farne Islands while birds swoop around them, Northumberland — Photography and swooping birds on the Farne Islands | © National Trust Images/Joe Cornish

Nature photographers' code of practice

The Farne Islands provide almost endless photo opportunities and we want you to capture great memories. For you to get the perfect shot, the birds need to be calm and not feel threatened.

You can help protect them by following this code of practice:

Keep the boardwalk clear and please ensure that other visitors have a chance to take photographs too.
Make sure you don’t place anything – including your tripod, bags, arms or legs – over the edges of the boardwalks or ropes.
Don't take a photo if doing so will put the subject at risk of disturbance, physical damage, anxiety, consequential predation, restricted movement or lessened reproductive success.
Please don't be offended if the National Trust rangers ask you to move along – they only do this to help protect the birds and their welfare.

Remember that the welfare of the subject is always more important than the photograph.

Thank you for helping us to keep the islands and their animals and plants safe for everyone, for ever.

Please note

You must comply with the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 at all times. It is an offence to recklessly or intentionally disturb a Schedule 1 species while it is building a nest, or is in, or near a nest containing eggs or young; to disturb the dependant young of such a species or to remove nestlings or eggs from the nest of any species.