About

Bempton Cliffs, on the spectacular Yorkshire coast, is home to one of the UK's top wildlife spectacles. Around half a million seabirds gather here between March and August to raise a family on the towering chalk cliffs that overlook the North Sea.

The huge white chalk cliffs at Bempton are impressive at any time of year. But visit between April and July, and you'll find them transformed into England’s largest seabird city. Here Puffins, Gannets, Kittiwakes and Guillemots live life on the edge. There are more Gannets acrobatically diving into the deep here than anywhere else on mainland England.

But it’s not all about the cliffs. In spring and summer Corn Buntings, Skylarks and Linnets breed in the grassland and scrub where land meets the sea, while Kestrel and Barn Owls hunt under wide open skies, often joined in winter by Short-eared Owls.

RSPB Bempton is part of the headland at Flamborough and inside the recording area of Flamborough Bird Observatory (FBO) which covers most of the headland. FBO update their sightings page every day. If you go here you can find out what has been seen at Bempton Cliffs and nearby. If you explore the site you can discover more about the FBO and other local areas that are good for birds.

For group visits to RSPB Bempton Cliffs (10+ people or external tours), please pre-book by emailing [email protected] or calling 01262 422212; note that we only have parking for two coaches per day. Follow us for updates on Instagram, Facebook, and X.

Download our trail maps below to help you plan your visit:

At a glance

See what’s here

This is a great location to spot Puffins

Plan your visit between April and mid-July to watch Puffins nesting on the cliff edge.

Puffins are colourful and clownlike and one of our most endearing birds. However, they’re on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern Red, at risk of global extinction. They’re threatened by predators eating their eggs and chicks and a loss of food made worse by overfishing. That’s why we’re campaigning for more protected areas to be created, to safeguard the most important places for Puffins, both on land and at sea. We’re also protecting important nature reserves for Puffins to help ensure they have safe places to raise their chicks.

Save nature while you staycation

Holidaycottages.co.uk is working with the RSPB to restore UK woodland for future generations to enjoy. Every booking with Holidaycottages.co.uk supports woodland restoration projects at key RSPB reserves around the country, protecting the wildlife that makes the UK an extraordinary place for a holiday.

New to Holidaycottages.co.uk portfolio of handpicked self-catering holiday cottages is the Showcase Collection: Near RSPB Reserves. At these extraordinary homes, immerse yourself in the diverse landscapes of RSPB reserves and get up close to some of the UK’s most cherished native wildlife.

Contact Bempton Cliffs