What is Ramsey Island?
Ramsey Island is 640 acres acres in size and has been designated as an Important Bird Area by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because it provides habitat for many species such as seabirds, raptors, wetland birds and passerines. This makes Ramsey Island extremely popular with tourists from all over Europe who come to enjoy its picturesque scenery and rich wildlife.
You can go for long walks on its beaches or explore its woodland. If you’re lucky, you may spot one of its many red kites nesting in the trees. The islands birdlife is thriving with over 50 different species recorded so far!
The island offers many opportunities for recreation such as walking, cycling, horse riding and fishing. There are also opportunities for other outdoor activity such as boating or bird watching.
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Does Ramsey Island have a historic backstory?
Initially, Ramsey Island was owned by the Church before it was sold in the early 1900’s into private ownership. It was used as a general farm until the 1960’s before it was used as a deer farm. The RSPB then purchased the farm in the 1990’s and now manage the island as a nature reserve.
The island has an ancient history too; it was once home to an Iron Age fort which archaeologists believe was used as a trading post between Britain and Ireland.
There are many legends about the origin of Ramsey Island, but the most popular one tells that St. Patrick himself came to Wales in AD 447 and cursed the dragon who lived on Ramsey Island, turning it into stone and banishing it from Welsh lands forever.
In 1812, there was a shipwreck on Ramsey Island with only one survivor (an 8-year-old girl). She was found by three shepherds who found her wandering around naked after being washed up on shore. They took her back to their hut for shelter and clothes but were so terrified to take her back home because they believed she had been abandoned by the devil’s work that they threw her off a cliff into an area called “The Hanging Place” below so no one would find out about their crime or be given bad luck due to their bad deed .
They declared that this was where St. Patrick banished the dragon from Wales centuries ago . After examining some of these legends closely, you can see how this place holds much more than just an eerie story in its history – it has become
Where is Ramsey Island located?
Ramsey Island is a small, peaceful nature reserve island off the coast of Pembrokeshire, Wales.
The island is composed mostly of forestry, and there are few inhabitants to be found on Ramsey Island. The island offers many opportunities for recreation such as walking, cycling, horse riding and fishing. There are also opportunities for other outdoor activity such as boating or bird watching.
Ramsey Island is inhabited by two people, the RSPB warden and the assistant warden who live in a farmhouse. Other than those 2 people, the island is uninhabited.
How to get to Ramsey Island?
The only way to get to Ramsey Island is on a ferry boat trip from St David’s which is suitable for all ages. The island is open daily to tourists and visitors through the summer months, with limited trips in the winter.
Do you have to hike to reach Ramsey Island?
You can only reach the island by boat, but there is a main trail around the island of about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) which can be divided into two loops.
When is the Best Time of Year to Visit Ramsey Island?
The best time of year to visit Ramsey Island is during the summer months. For one, it is easier to get there due to the daily boat trips. Also, in the summer, you can see more of the wildlife on the island.
What Should I Pack If I Plan on Visiting Ramsey Island?
Some things that you may need to pack for a visit to Ramsey Island are some drinks and snacks, especially if you plan to hike on the island. Depending on the weather you may need some warm waterproof clothing, or if it’s a hot day, you may need sunscreen and sunglasses.
You will also want to pack a camera to capture the wildlife.
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I love everything about travel, from seeing new places, learning about new cultures and trying new foods! I believe that travel is one of the best forms of education you can get, I have learnt so much about myself and about the world from travelling all over. Travel is something I feel so passionately about, and I love the fact that we are now lucky enough to have this opportunity to do what we love as much as we can, it’s a dream come true.
Before we started travelling, I worked in local government in administration. I had been in this job for several years and had reached a complete brick wall where I was so fed up, but didn’t know what else to do. The only thing I knew that I wanted to do was to travel, and had wanted to do that for many years.
There were hundreds and hundreds of places on my wishlist that I wanted to go to, and I knew that going on a weeks holiday maybe twice a year if we were lucky wasn’t going to cut it.
After being in lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, and working from home staring at the same 4 walls every day, 2021 seemed like the perfect time for us to take the risk to finally do what we had dreamed of for so long.
It was a hard decision to completely change our lives, but so far it has been the best decision we have ever made!
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