Inner Farne is 2 miles north east of Bamburgh. It can be accessed by boat from Seahouses. Various operators run trips to the Farne Islands. The islands are composed mainly of very hard dolerite.
St Cuthbert retreated to Inner Farne from Lindisfarne in 676 and lived there until 684 when he was made Bishop of Hexham. He returned shortly afterwards and lived on Inner Farne until his death in 687. In 1255 the convent of Durham established a Benedictine Monastery on the island.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse, 2024
Buildings at the Lighthouse, 2024
The first lighthouse on the island was a timber fire on top of the Castle Tower from 1673. The current lighthouse was designed by Daniel Alexander and built in 1811. It was automated in 1910. There used to be two more lighthouse keeper's cottages.
Guano covered cliffs
When I visited Inner Farne for an afternoon in mid May 2010 thousands of very noisy terns had arrived to breed but they hadn’t started nesting, so they weren’t divebombing the visitors, which is apparently what happens a bit further into the breeding season. Three types of tern breed on the island - Sandwich, Arctic and common. Rare roseate terns occasionally nest on the island. When I visited the island for a second time in late June 2024, we were attacked by divebombing terns. It is essential to wear a hat and preferably to walk next to someone is taller than you!
There were also lots and lots of razorbills, eider ducks, guillemots, puffins, fulmars and shags. The female eider ducks are very camouflaged against the rock, which makes them very difficult to spot, as they remain very still even when you get close to them, and all to easy to nearly tread on. During the breeding season (April to July) Inner Farne can be home to up to 50,000 birds. Grey seals breed in large numbers on the Farne Islands.
There is a blowhole called The Churn on the western tip of the island.
There were also lots and lots of razorbills, eider ducks, guillemots, puffins, fulmars and shags. The female eider ducks are very camouflaged against the rock, which makes them very difficult to spot, as they remain very still even when you get close to them, and all to easy to nearly tread on. During the breeding season (April to July) Inner Farne can be home to up to 50,000 birds. Grey seals breed in large numbers on the Farne Islands.
There is a blowhole called The Churn on the western tip of the island.
Seabird Cliffs
Nesting kittiwakes and razorbills
A baby razorbill can be seen to the left of its parents.
Arctic tern
Castle Tower
St Cuthbert's Chapel
Castle Tower
Castle Tower is now home to the National Trust Wardens. It is reputed to be the site of St Cuthbert’s Cell. It was built in around 1500 by Prior Castell of Durham. He also constructed a priory, guesthouse and 2 chapels. The chapel dedicated to St Cuthbert is still standing. It was rebuilt in the 1370s and was restored in 1848 by the Archdeacon of Durham. The site of the second chapel, which was dedicated to St Mary’s, is now the information centre. In addition to the information centre, Inner Farne has a toilet, which is an improvement on Staple Island, which has no facilities at all!
After the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1536 the islands became the property of the Dean and Chapter of Durham. They were tenanted for 300 years and the seabirds and seals were greatly exploited. In 1861 the Inner Farnes were purchased by Charles Thorp, Archdeacon of Durham. He employed wardens to protect the seabird nests from Victorian egg collectors. The Farne Islands were purchased by the National Trust in 1925.
Lighthouse, St Cuthbert's Chapel and Castle Tower
St Cuthbert's Chapel and Castle Tower
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