Bempton Cliffs

Around five kilometres of chalk cliff up to a hundred metres high hold one of the largest seabird colonies in Britain, with roughly half a million birds between March and August: guillemots and razorbills packed on ledges, kittiwakes, fulmars, puffins in burrows and crevices, and gannets. The gannetry is the only one on the English mainland, all others being on islands, and has grown from a handful of pairs in the 1920s to over thirteen thousand. Six viewing platforms project from the clifftop path so birds can be watched at close range without disturbance. Until 1954 the cliffs were worked by climmers, men lowered on ropes to collect eggs commercially, a trade ended by law. Boat trips from Bridlington give the colony from below.

What you actually see

• The gannetry - England's only mainland colony, over thirteen thousand pairs.
• The packed ledges - guillemots and razorbills at close range from platforms.
• The puffins - present in smaller numbers from April to July.
• The chalk cliffs - a hundred metres high over five kilometres.

When to go

April to August for the full colony; puffins leave first, from mid-July, and most birds are gone by the end of August. May and June are the peak. The cliffs are quiet and largely empty of birds in winter.

Honest expectations

The smell and noise of the colony are considerable and surprise first-time visitors. The clifftop is exposed with strong wind and no shelter along the path. Puffins are far fewer than at island colonies and are not guaranteed. Sea fog can close the view entirely.

Nearby

Flamborough Head and its lighthouse are south; Bridlington lies beyond.