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  • Ramsey Island

Ramsey Island

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Address
RSPB Ramsey Island, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. SA62 6PY
Grid ref
SM706237

This dramatic offshore island has cliffs that rise up to 120 metres, making them the perfect place for breeding seabirds, flocks of choughs and peregrines. Take a walk along the coastal heathland and enjoy the wildlife, taking in the spectacular views across the Irish Sea.

Plan your visit

Opening times

Open every day, from 1 April or Easter (whichever is earlier) to 31 October, between 10am and 4pm.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
£6
Children
£3
Free entrance for under 5s
Other discounts
  • Friends of Ramsey: Free
  • Concessions: £4
  • Boat fees apply: Return boat crossing for adults £12, children £5.50

Facilities

  • Visitor centre
  • Car park off-site
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets off-site
  • Refreshments
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Nature trails
  • Shop

Accessibility

  • Download full accessibility statement (PDF)

How to get here

By train

The nearest station is Haverfordwest.

By bus

The No. 411 bus service runs between Haverfordwest and St Davids about every hour. From St Davids a shuttle bus runs to St Justinians every hour (April - September).

By bike

National Route 4: The Celtic Trail.

By road

Nearest town: St Davids. From the centre of the village (Cross Square) take a left onto Goat Street. Take a right onto Pitt Street, then left onto Feidr Treginnis and follow signs for St Justinians (1.5 miles/2.5 km). Parking is provided.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

Boats cross (weather permitting) from the 1 April or Easter (whichever is earlier) to 31 October. Depart from the Lifeboat Station at St Justinians at 10 am and 12 pm, returning at 4 pm. Book your boat ticket through Thousand Island Expeditions at Cross Square, St Davids, Pembrokeshire SA62 6SL. Tel: 01437 721721. Email: info@thousandislands.co.uk

Get directions from Google Maps
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group booking information

We welcome group visits, but as we are just a small team, please contact us in advance so that we can accommodate you and your interests.

Schools booking information

We welcome visits by accompanied school groups. Please contact us in advance so that we ensure you get the most from your visit.

What will the weather be like?

12 degrees, Heavy rain

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 570Kb

Ramsey Island map

Contact Ramsey Island

  • RSPB Ramsey Island, St Davids, Pembrokeshire. SA62 6PY
  • ramsey.island@rspb.org.uk
  • 07836 535733

What will you see?

Our star species

    Chough

    Chough

    Watch for choughs flying along the cliffs and diving into their cave nest sites.

    Guillemot

    Guillemot

    Large numbers of breeding guillemots line up on the cliff ledges from late winter until July.

    Peregrine adult

    Peregrine

    These dashing falcons nest and hunt on the island's cliffs and off-shore islets.

    Raven

    Raven

    You can see their plummeting display flights from late winter, through the spring and hear their honking calls throughout the year.

    Manx shearwater

    Manx shearwater

    Thousands nest underground in rabbit burrows, but only venture out after dark.

Nature spectacles

During the summer families of chough gather to feed on the sheep-grazed grassland. Their distinctive calls pierce the air as newly fledged youngsters beg and learn to fend for themselves.

From mid-August onwards Atlantic Grey seals return to the safety of Ramsey's beaches to give birth and mate. Ramsey is the largest single pupping site in the south-west and it is not unusual to see more than 60 seal pups on one beach alone by the middle of September. With females coming in and out to feed their hungry pups and male seals fighting to hold territory, there is plenty of interesting behaviour to watch from the cliff-tops and you might even see a pup being born.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

The island's coastline is alive with breeding birds. Peregrine falcons, choughs, ravens and seabirds nest on the 100-metre high cliffs. Wheatears and little owls nest in the stonewalls and forage for insect prey in the maritime grass, grazed by the island's flock of Welsh mountain sheep.

Families of chough feed in large flocks on the short grassland and the heather comes into bloom, filling the air with the heady scent of honey and attracting bees and butterflies.

Atlantic Grey seals arrive from across the Irish Sea to Ramsey where they give birth, with every beach, cove and cave occupied by nursing mothers and their white-coated pups.

In winter the island is closed due to sea conditions. Boats stop running a daily service at the end of October and recommence at Easter or at the beginning of April, which ever comes first.

About Ramsey Island

Habitat

Ramsey Island is a reserve which encompasses heathland, cliffs, coast and ocean habitats.

Conservation

Ramsey is a Special Protection Area for chough and keeping the grassland short and grazed enables these birds to probe for their invertebrate food. We manage a flock of between 100 and 200 welsh mountain sheep for this reason, with all the shepherding duties, including lambing carried out in-house by our resident wardens and the island's very own sheepdog.

The small shallow pools in Ramsey's heathland are home to several nationally or internationally important plant species. It is essential to keep the ponds open and the edges poached and this is the job of our Welsh Mountain Ponies.

In 1999/2000 Ramsey was cleared of the brown rats that had decimated the island's bird populations for 100 years. We maintain the highest standards of bio-security in order to ensure rats and mice, which have disastrous impacts on seabird colonies, are never re-introduced to the island.

Site information

Ramsey Island is one of the best places for wildlife in the UK, and is recognised as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Natura 2000 site.

Ramsey Island is now free of rats and mice, which means that ground and burrow-nesting birds can breed safely. 

Latest forum posts

  • Re: Any body going to Ramsey island next year??

    HI All, Just heard that I have two weeks volunteering on Ramsey island next July. Anybody had any experience of this. Any advice you wish to give me? Am so looking forward to it all!!

    Posted 22/11/2012 by Gwyneth
  • Yellow centaury

    We found some diminutive yellow centaury in flower on the south path near the farmhouse on 25th July, mixed in with the tormentil. I'd never seen it before, it's something of a rarity, I've posted a photo in the "Photos" section. Is this on the Ramse...

    Posted 02/08/2017 by SueW
  • Recent sighting

    We recently visited Ramsey Island where we spoke to Lisa about a sighting we made on the way from St Davids to the island. We described a bird of prey the size of a rook and of a cream colour with brown flecks. We have since recognised the bird as a ...

    Posted 02/07/2016 by mick h
  • Open for business...

    Visitor season has now officially started on Ramsey and we had our first three people arrive to see us today. Their timing was perfect as the sun was shining, the sea was calm and as the first visitors of the season they all received a free cup of ‘w...

    Posted 04/04/2014 by Amy C
read our forum

Latest blog posts

  • Car Park Closure at St Justinians

    Due to a planning decision by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority the car park at St Justinians has been closed. At present there is an hourly Park and Ride service from St Davids to St Justinians, provided by Pembrokeshire County Council...

    Posted 16/04/2018 by Greg Morgan
  • Ramsey In The Freezer

    As i type this on the afternoon of March 18th it is snowing outside...again. I should be talking about the first chough nest building activity, the arrival of migrants and promising signs of spring. I can touch on some of those topics but March 2018 ...

    Posted 18/03/2018 by Greg Morgan
  • Pembrokeshire Scouts Tackle Plastic Pollution

    Regular readers of this blog will be well aware of the plastic pollution issues facing our RSPB reserve of Grassholm, home to 36,000 pairs of breeding gannets - see here for a report from our 2017 mission. We were delighted when the 1st Johnston Scou...

    Posted 14/03/2018 by Greg Morgan
  • New season is upon us...and a P.S from 2017

    We are back on Ramsey for the new season after a short winter break. The island is very wet but everything is in good order. I was going through some paperwork on my return and found a blog which our 2016 and 2017 intern Sarah had written about last ...

    Posted 19/02/2018 by Greg Morgan
read our blog

What people are saying about Ramsey Island

Excellent trail and beautiful views. Wheatears in abundance and treated to a flock of choughs. Want to go back in spring for the seabirds.

Andrew Kent

We had a superb day, the staff on the island were v friendly to us. Tho it was misty in places, we got excellent views of the peregrines on the cliff. A very tranquil time.

Louise Warrington

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Ramsey bingo sheets are available for all ages on arrival and children's backpacks and binoculars are available to hire.

Leisure activities

Ramsey is a quiet escape from the everyday world. With numbers limited each day the island offers the solitude that many people crave and is much loved by walkers and nature-watchers alike. With two walking trails you can choose from a gentle stroll to a more challenging ramble up and over the island's hills. The reserve team offer a friendly welcome and are available to offer advice and answer questions, we can even make you a cup of tea.

Events

  • May
  • June
Thursday 31 May
Ramsey Island Guided Walks - Year of the Sea
Pembrokeshire
Thursday 7 June
Ramsey Island Guided Walks - Year of the Sea
Pembrokeshire
Thursday 14 June
Ramsey Island Guided Walks - Year of the Sea
Pembrokeshire
Thursday 21 June
Ramsey Island Guided Walks - Year of the Sea
Pembrokeshire
Thursday 28 June
Ramsey Island Guided Walks - Year of the Sea
Pembrokeshire
More events

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