'Mesmerising' Scottish island fully re-opens to public after upgrade

Staffa, which lies six miles west of Mull, has been intermittently closed to visitors since 2022 as urgent work was carried out to improve safe access and give the island’s flora and fauna more protection from the growing number of people making the trip to the island.

Getting onto Staffa has often been challenging, but now a new staircase beside Clamshell Cave leads visitors onto the upper island, from where the puffin colony can be viewed.

The first section of path to Fingal’s Cave has also been upgraded and a new landing jetty will also make it easier and safer to access by boat.

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The construction project was hugely challenging given the weather, high seas and remote location, with materials often arriving by helicopter.

The work has been completed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Staffa being gifted to National Trust for Scotland by New York businessman John Elliott Jr.

Clea Warner, Regional Director of the Highlands & Islands at the National Trust for Scotland, said: “Staffa is a magnificent island with incredible nature, history, and unique geological features that have amazed visitors for centuries.

“As a conservation charity, we take seriously our responsibility to care for Staffa now and into the future.”

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Up to 100,000 people now visit the island, with Staffa dominated by its stunning columns of basalt lava and the mythical Fingal's Cave.

Staffa is considered to be the most spectacular geological sights on the west coast, with its forms mirroring that of the Giant’s Causeway and the cave revered for its acoustics.

Staffa came into the care of the Trust in 1986 as a gift from John Elliott Jr. of New York, in honour of his wife Elly’s birthday. Fifteen years later, in 2001, Staffa was designated as a National Nature Reserve.

The island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, sits within the Loch na Keal, Isle of Mull National Scenic Area, and the sea around Staffa is a Marine Protected Area and Special Area of Conservation.

Ms Warner added: “While once upon a time, Queen Victoria, Lord Tennyson, and Jules Verne were drawn in by the wonder of Fingal’s Cave, it’s important to us that we also share the special wildlife that can be seen at this National Nature Reserve, especially in this 25th anniversary year since it received the NNR designation.

“Our team of rangers on Staffa do a wonderful job caring for the species that call Staffa home and protecting them as best we can for the future.

“Our seabirds are extremely vulnerable this year due to fears around avian flu, so we want to ensure they have the best possible breeding season.”

Highlights include puffins nesting and rearing pufflings from April to August and black guillemots pairing up on the island in April.

Visitors can also see the shag colony sitting on their eggs in May and eider duck chicks paddling in the rockpools in June.

A variety of butterflies - including painted lady, red admiral, and the elusive grayling - also make Staffa home. Seabirds found here include the swooping great skua, peregrines and white-tailed sea eagles.

The Staffa infrastructure project was supported by officers from Argyll and Bute Council and funded by the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF). The RTIF was established by the Scottish Government and is managed by VisitScotland to support strategic infrastructure projects in rural parts of Scotland.

David Adams McGilp, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: “Staffa has mesmerised visitors for many years and is recognised across the world. It’s exciting to see the completion of the project, ensuring the safety and sustainability of the site for visitors to the island.”