take you on walks, give talks and also take you snorkelling if you are interested.

The flora and fauna you see on your walks is what makes Lundy Island so interesting, or the beautifil marine habitats of cup corals, sponges and sea fans, keep your eyes open and you may also see out to sea, the basking sharks, or the seals.

Watch out for the saoy sheep too, lundy ponies and sika deer.

You may see achaeologists and geoligists whilst on Lundy Island as the Island always holds special interest for them, along with the many birdwatchers.

The buildings on the Island, you will see have been expertly and lovingly restored in light coloured granite.

Fancy a stay in the 13th Century castle, a georgian villa, lighthouse or maybe even a fishermans chalet, all are available.

You may think a small island will not have much in the facilities for comfort but rest assured, there is running hot and cold water, electric and gas and even a pay phone in the MariscoTavern, several flags are hung up in the bar here and look out for the pictures in the rooms, old, historic and interesting, shipwrecks, and maps.

Why not try some Lundy lamb, the sheep are born and reared on Lundy, with a diet of their mothers milk and unspoilt grass with its herbs like yarrow, the meddick and clover, all of which improve the taste.

Did you know there was even a King of Lundy', he was self declared and his name was Martin Coles Harman, Engish and born in 1885, he bought Lundy in 1925, and issued two coins in 1929, the half puffin and the one puffin having equal value to the halfpenny and one penny, they were made of bronze and had pictures of the puffin on them.

The National trust now owns the island after purchasing it from the Harmans, and they have made an agreement with the Landmak trust so that the Landmark trust would run Lundy for them.

There are 2 flagpoles situated on Lundy, one overlooking the landing bay and the other is on the church tower, the church being owned by the church of England and not the National Trust.

There is one working farm and 23 properties which are let out weekly.

Lundy is famous for its Lundy Cabbage which although a member of the cabbage family doesn't look anything like a cabbage at all, and has a unique type of endemic beetle, called the bronze lundy cabbage flea beetle that lives on it.

It is also the only place you will come across the purseweb spider, the only British member of the bird-eating spider family.

The M.S. Oldenburg does a thriving trade in trips to and from the island from Bideford or Ilfracombe, however it does not sail in the winter months.

A day trip to Lundy Island can set you back 25 and in the winter the only way to get to the Island is by helicopter, but as anyone will tell you, once you step on to the islands pastures you will feel a difference, at peace and in harmony with a feeling of well being not realised anywhere else. It certainly is worth the money.

Anyone getting to Lundy in their own boat will be charged a small fee of about 5.00 to enter the island, but money well spent I assure you.

Learn more about this author, Christine Bennett.
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