For those looking for a remote and secluded trip, this tiny island just off the coast of Devon is home to just 28 residents, is car free – and can only make phonecalls from the phone in the pub
A tiny island off the UK is home to a large flock of puffins – and it’s so remote there are only 28 residents that live there.
Lundy, which is located just off the coast of North Devon in the Bristol Channel, is a three-and-a-half-mile long island that only got high-speed internet in 2023.
It’s also not connected to the National Grid and is instead powered by a generator that turns off at midnight every day and while the island is car-free, it’s easily accessible for day trips via ferry, MS Oldenburg, between April and October.
The journey typically takes two hours from Bideford or Ilfracombe and only accessible during the winter via helicopter. Ranking amongst the top 30 of Britain’s secret places to visit, Laundy Island in Devon stands out for its captivating appeal.
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But although it’s small, there’s still plenty to explore and see including the island’s only pub, the Marisco Tavern, which has a strict no-phones policy.
Anyone caught breaking the rule is required to pay a fine of £1. The pub is licensed to serve alcohol and is the only building on the island to have lighting in the night.
Those visiting the island can also enjoy the 13th-century castle and the Old Lighthouse and walking along the shore, there are plenty of spots to watch the seals or other wildlife. For those wanting to stay in the small community, there are 23 self-catering properties as well as a campsite and a small shop for essentials.
For those wanting to make a call may need to use the pay phone at the Marisco Tavern as mobile phone service is generally intermittent. The service is provided by satellite link, meaning the 28 permanent residents and hundreds of weekly visitors, can connect properly with the rest of the country – and wider world.
The small number of locals, including a warden, an island manager, a farmer, a shopkeeper, maintenance and housekeeping staff, and a kitchen team in the Marisco Tavern, all call the island home, but are outnumbered by 15 to one with puffins.
Resident Rosemary Ellis, warden of Lundy Island, said the high-speed internet connection was “already delivering fantastic benefits, speeding up frustrating jobs that used to take hours” according to Daily Mail.
She said: “I was able to upload an hour-long talk on our conservation success stories in just a few minutes, when it had previously failed to send multiple times.
“This frees me up to get out of the office to focus on surveying our wildlife, and I can much more easily engage with researchers and students. As a resident of the island, Coastguard Rescue officer and Community First Responder, it also gives me peace of mind that if we need any mainland medical advice, we can easily video-call from the village.”