The Isle of May lies about eight kilometres off the Fife coast. It's only 1.5 km long, a flat-topped slab of rock with cliffs that, from April to July, hold thousands of puffins, along with guillemots, razorbills, shags and terns. Seals are around all year, and they pup here in autumn and winter. NatureScot runs the island as a national nature reserve. Nobody lives here permanently, but there's a medieval priory ruin, the old lighthouse beacon, and the Gothic lighthouse of 1816.
From Anstruther, the May Princess takes about 100 passengers and the crossing is under an hour. Landing trips give you two or three hours ashore. Faster RIB trips also leave from the middle pier. Book ahead in summer, and expect cancellations in rough weather. The island is closed to visitors from October to Easter to protect the seal pups.