Weather
The weather on Lundy is if anything slightly warmer than the mainland, with snow extremely rare. I have though been lucky enough though to witness this phenomena once! As an island, surrounded by sea, the main consideration is of course the wind, which frequently seems to blow from all directions at once. This makes for somewhat exhilarating walks. The west side of the island, facing the Atlantic is naturally less sheltered than the east, which can be relatively calm when a gale force wind is blowing to the west.
On an island with limited shelter, the summers can be blistering hot, and the winters extremely cold. Therefore take care to dress accordingly, and carry adequate amounts of water and sun cream. A hat is invaluable to protect you from the very real risk of sun stroke.
Both weather and shipping forecasts can be obtained from
here.
What to bring with you
This will of course depend upon the season of travel. There are certain items however which are essential at any time of year. These include good quality walking boots, and a set of waterproofs (both jacket and trousers), as well as toiletries and a basic first aid kit. It is probably best to take a variety of different clothing, since even in summer, the weather can be unpredictable with gales and heavy rain. The island does have a laundry service, should you run out of clean clothes, but it is prohibitively expensive at £15 for a service wash. It used to be possible to wash your own clothes using the island facilities, but this was withdrawn due to unscrupulous visitors using staff tokens. If then you are staying for any length of time, then remember to bring washing liquid and a clothes line with pegs!
As a general guide, during the winter months I would recommend that you bring:
3 pairs long trousers or leggings
3 long sleeved shirts, plus 1 t shirt
2 sweaters or fleece tops
and for summer:
2 pairs shorts, plus 1 pair each of cropped and full length trousers (the zip off convertible ones can also be useful)
1 long sleeved shirt or t shirt
The Marisco Tavern
This is the island's one and only Pub, named after the famous Marisco family who owned the island for many tempestuous years. The Tavern forms the hub of island life, and is a wonderfully friendly and atmospheric place with an excellent selection of food and drink to suit all tastes and palettes.
Although the door is always kept open, food is only served at set times. Breakfast is available between 8.30 and 10 am, lunch from 12 until 2pm, and evenings meals from 6 to 8.30 pm (desserts served until 9pm). Bar hours vary, but are generally from 12 noon 'til 10pm, with 11am opening on boat/helicopter days and 11pm closing Fridays and Saturdays. On boat days, the kicthen remain open until 30 minutes before sailing.
Lunch typically consists of a selection of jacket potatoes with various filings, as well as baguettes and other hot dishes. These always include veggie pasties and burgers, unfortunately neither of which are wheat free. The jacket potatoes are however huge and delicious. I particularly recommend the cheese and coleslaw (remember to ask for melted cheese).
Unlike other country pubs and restaurants, the Tavern has an exclusive vegetarian menu, available (unlike the meat dishes) throughout the day. The food is not fresh, but cooked in advance. frozen and re-heated. There is usually a choice of six dishes, which vary from visit to visit with liberal use of rice and pasta. These include such things as Aubergine Ratatouille, Vegetable Balti, Mushroom and Courgette Risotto, Vegetable Pasticcio (pasta with Mediterranean vegetables), and Vegetable Stew with Red Wine and Dumplings. There is always at least one dish which is suitable for vegans (clearly labelled), and most rice based dishes are wheat free. The two chefs are very accommodating, and will do their best to cater for specailist needs and answer any questions you may have.
The choice for meat eaters consists of a special Lundy menu featuring island produce such as game stew (goat, venision and soay lamb), Lundy lamb and local crab and lobster. There is also up to three daily specials. All dishes are served with a selection of seasonable vegetables, which vegetarians will be pleased to know, are cooked separately from the meat. In the summer months, the Tavern organises occasional barbeques in the small beer garden, featuring burgers, salmon, etc as well as vegetable kebabs, with rice, coleslaw and delicious salads. If you get the chance to go to one of these, then I recommend that you do, as they are great fun.
The Tavern is much more than a place to eat and drink, as it also serves as an informal island headquarters where one can call it in report problems with the properties, make future holiday bookings, or just sit and listen to island gossip. Many of the warden's events such as bird walks also depart from here.
