Most visitors to Lundy will arrive on board the island’s ship, MS Oldenburg. The ship operates out of the north Devon coastal towns of Bideford (her home port) and Ilfracombe, the point of departure depending on the tidal cycle (spring tides providing enough water to clear the sand bar at the entrance to the Taw-Torridge estuary). The sailing time from either of these points of departure takes about two hours. She can carry 267 passengers, most of whom will be day visitors, with the remainder being those intending to stay on the island. Sailings from Ilfracombe allow passengers about 4 hours to explore the island; sailings from Bideford allow about 6 hours. Further information about sailing to Lundy on board the MS Oldenburg and for booking tickets can be found on the Landmark Trust/Lundy website here.
A number of local charter boats also visit Lundy on a regular basis, between spring and autumn. The majority of these are based at Ilfracombe. These boats cater for anglers, divers, snorkellers, sightseers and even wild swimmers. Some charter boats also visit the island from south Wales.
If you’re wanting to know more about diving at Lundy whilst staying on the island, please go to the diving pages of the Landmark Trust/Lundy website. Alternatively, there are day boats which go over to the island from Ilfracombe. More information about getting to and from the island can be found here and for diving around Lundy here.
During the summer months, the island is also a port of call for a number of cruise ships which have included the island in their itinerary around the west coast of Britain. Most of these vessels will stop for a half-day at the island, allowing passengers to disembark, manage a drink at the Tavern and explore as much of the island as they can in the limited time available.
Regular visits are also made by boats belonging to the two local dive clubs (Ilfracombe and North Devon Sub-Aqua Club and Appledore Sub-Aqua Club) as well as by yachts and other craft from the North Devon Yacht Club based in Instow and the Ilfracombe Yacht Club. All visiting craft are requested to abide by the MPA’s Code of Conduct.
Note that a landing fee is charged to every person landing on the island. This cost (£10 per person in 2025) is included within the cost of a return ticket on the MS Oldenburg (although it is free for National Trust members).
