Places to visit! Southern Wales Attractions

Flat Holm Island is one of two Welsh islands in the Channel and the only one where landings are allowed. Neighbouring Steep Holm is kept as a wildlife reserve, although there is usually plenty of animal life to see on Flat Holm as well. Depending on the time of year you choose, visitors might see any number of birds and butterflies. Those with sharp eyes might even spot a rare slow worm sunning itself on the path. Wildflowers are also a major drawcard.

Flat Holm has a rich history too. In times past the island served as a cholera hospital and gun emplacements where built there in the 1860s, but traces of Viking and early Christian settlements have been found there too. The two Holms may now belong more to the birds and the wildflowers than to people, but it's clear that this wasn't always the case.

If you've ever stood on the pier at Penarth or walked along the hilltops of the Ridgeway and seen Flat Holm and Steep Holm out in the Channel, you've probably wondered what lives on those islands, and what there is to see on them, so why not visit? It's sure make a great day out for anyone interested in history or wildlife, or just those who delight in the remote and hidden.

Going out to Flat Holm is worth it for the boat trip alone. Those who are used to seeing the two islands far out in the water will be delighted to see the view reversed and find out what Cardiff looks like from the sea.

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