Clifftop Giants and Cottage Comforts - The Three Amigos Return to Yorkshire

Image courtesy of Nicola Johns and some help from AI.

After what felt like far too long, the Three Amigos were finally back on the road.

On the morning of 1st June 2026, Paul Joy, Nicola Johns, and I loaded up the car in South Wales and pointed it north-east towards the dramatic coastline of East Yorkshire. Our destination was West End Farm Cottage, a wonderful countryside retreat that would serve as our base for the next few days of wildlife watching, photography and plenty of laughter.

Vintage-style AI-generated picture.

The BBC had confidently predicted rain. Yorkshire, however, clearly hadn't read the forecast.

By around 3.30pm, we arrived under blue skies and sunshine, checked into our accommodation and wasted no time heading straight for one of Britain's finest seabird spectacles – RSPB Bempton Cliffs.

First Impressions of Bempton

Few places prepare you for your first view of Bempton's towering white chalk cliffs. Stretching along the Yorkshire coastline, these dramatic cliffs are home to one of the UK's most important seabird colonies and support hundreds of thousands of breeding birds each year.

The scene before us was simply breathtaking.

The view from one of the viewing platforms.

The cliffs were alive.

Thousands upon thousands of birds crowded every available ledge. Gannets wheeled overhead, Kittiwakes filled the air with their constant calls, whilst Razorbills and Guillemots packed the narrow cliff shelves below.

The sheer scale of it all was incredible.

The white cliffs are composed of Chalk

We bumped into several familiar faces from South Wales, including Steve Benton and Steve Claire. It's always amusing travelling over 250 miles only to discover people you know have had exactly the same idea.

The Search for Puffins

Although Bempton is famous for its seabirds, Puffins are far less numerous here than on places such as Skomer Island back home in Pembrokeshire.

That didn't stop us searching.

A lonely-looking Atlantic Puffin

Eventually, we managed distant views of a few individuals perched amongst the crowds of Guillemots and Razorbills. Every sighting seemed to generate excited whispers from nearby birdwatchers.

Meanwhile, a Great Skua appeared briefly offshore.

Unfortunately, it was so distant that it resembled little more than a suspicious pixel floating above the sea.

Flowers, Sparrows and Owls

Away from the cliff edges, the reserve was equally beautiful.

The clifftop meadows were awash with vibrant Red Campion and clouds of white Cow Parsley. Tree Sparrows seemed to be everywhere, a delightful sight for visitors from Wales, where the species has become increasingly scarce.

Common Whitethroats sang from the hedgerows whilst Swallows darted around the visitor centre.

As evening approached, we waited hopefully near the reserve's Barn Owl territory. Eventually, one of the resident birds appeared, quartering the flower-rich meadows in the fading light.

Barn Owl quartering the wildflower meadows late in the evening.

Although distant, it was a wonderful way to end the day.

Adding to the atmosphere, a Roe Deer appeared in a barley field behind the visitor centre. Most of the animal remained hidden, leaving only its head occasionally popping above the crop like some sort of wildlife-themed whack-a-mole game.

A Roe Deer pops up its head in a field of Barley.

Pizza and Friendship

By 8pm, our stomachs had begun making more noise than the Kittiwake colony.

A quick trip into Bridlington solved that problem, with each of us acquiring a well-earned Domino's Pizza before returning to the cottage.

As darkness settled over the Yorkshire countryside, we reflected on what had been a superb first day.

Wonderful wildlife, dramatic scenery, good food and even better company.

The Three Amigos were officially back in business.