Rathlin Island in May — The Best Month to Visit
Ask anyone who has visited Rathlin Island across multiple seasons which month they would choose above all others, and the answer is almost always the same: May. It is the month when everything comes together — the puffins on Rathlin Island are at or approaching their peak numbers, the days are long, the wildflowers are at their most spectacular, the weather is at its most reliably settled, and the island has not yet reached the full intensity of the summer visitor season.
If you are trying to decide when to visit Rathlin Island and have any flexibility at all, May is the answer.
The Puffins in May
By the time May arrives, the Atlantic puffins that returned to Rathlin’s western cliffs in April are fully established and in breeding mode. The colony is active throughout the day — birds arriving and departing from the water, collecting fish to bring back to their underground burrows, displaying to their partners, and going about the entirely serious business of raising a new generation of pufflings.
From the viewing platform at the RSPB West Light Seabird Centre, the spectacle in May is genuinely extraordinary. Thousands of puffins occupy the clifftop turf, the ledges and the air above the cliffs in a constant, chaotic, joyful swirl of activity. The viewing platform puts you at eye level with the birds, close enough to see the detail of their extraordinary beaks and the almost cartoonish orange of their feet. RSPB staff and volunteers are on hand throughout the day with telescopes and binoculars, and their enthusiasm for talking visitors through what they are seeing adds considerably to the experience.
Late May is widely considered to be the single best time for puffin watching on Rathlin. Numbers are at or close to their peak, the birds are actively feeding their newly hatched chicks, and the combination of longer days and generally good weather makes for ideal conditions.
The Rest of the Wildlife in May
The puffins share the cliffs with huge numbers of other seabirds in May — guillemots packed shoulder to shoulder on the ledges, razorbills tucked into rock crevices, kittiwakes calling constantly from their precarious cliff-face nests, and fulmars gliding on the updrafts with barely a wingbeat. The combined noise and spectacle of the full seabird colony on Rathlin Island in May is something that stays with visitors long after they have returned home.
Beyond the cliffs, May is excellent for wildlife across the whole island. Grey seals on Rathlin Island are regularly visible from the harbour and from various points along the coastline. Irish hares can be spotted on the open ground, often in the early morning or evening when they are most active. The island’s wildflowers are at their most diverse in May — orchids appear in the grassland, sea campion blooms on the clifftops, and the verges of the road to the West Light are full of colour.
The Practical Advantages of May
Beyond the wildlife, May has several practical advantages over the busier months of June and July. Ferry bookings to Rathlin Island, while still recommended in advance, are generally easier to secure than at peak summer. Accommodation on Rathlin is more available, though the best options still fill up quickly and early booking is always sensible.
The days in May are long — sunrise is before 5am by the end of the month, and it stays light until after 9pm. This gives visitors considerably more flexibility than in winter or early spring, and those who stay overnight on Rathlin Island can take full advantage of the extraordinary quality of light in the early morning and evening hours.
A Perfect May Day on Rathlin
A well-planned May day on Rathlin might look something like this. Take the first morning ferry from Ballycastle, arriving at Church Bay in time to pick up a map from the Boathouse Visitor Centre. Take the Puffin Bus to the West Light Seabird Centre, arriving as it opens at 9:30am and spending the best part of two hours watching the colony at its most active. Walk back to Church Bay along the island road at a leisurely pace, stopping to look at wildflowers and scan the clifftops for other wildlife. Have lunch at McCuaig’s Bar in the early afternoon. Spend the remaining hours exploring the harbour, the beach and the village before catching the late afternoon ferry back to Ballycastle.
It is, by almost any measure, an exceptional day out. For more ideas on how to spend your time, see our guide to things to do on Rathlin Island.