Off the coast of North Wales, about two miles from the Llyn Peninsula, lies a captivating island steeped in legend and history, known as the ‘Island of 20,000 Saints.’ This intriguing place is Bardsey Island, or Ynys Enlli in Welsh.
Spanning 1.5 miles in length, Bardsey is home to an extraordinary array of wildlife, including approximately 200 grey seals and 300 sheep. Remarkably, only three people call this island home year-round, giving it a sheep-to-person ratio that surpasses even that of New Zealand.
Visiting Bardsey Island is like journeying back through time. The island is devoid of modern conveniences such as mains electricity, automobiles, or indoor plumbing. Mobile phone reception is a rarity, and when available, it often comes from as far away as Ireland, situated 55 miles across the Irish Sea.
The island supports a small seasonal community, as detailed by the website ‘Life on Enlli.’ Around 12 people live there seasonally, dedicating their time to working both the land and the sea.
On Bardsey, there are 15 properties, all recognized as Grade II listed buildings. These structures serve primarily as holiday accommodations or are occupied by workers during the island’s busy seasons.
There are 15 properties on the island, each of which is Grade II listed. Most are either holiday accommodation or are lived in by seasonal workers.
One of the houses is privately let to a family who has called Bardsey home for three generations.
And now, three positions have become available to work on the island.
Known as the ‘Island in the Currents’ or the ‘Island of the Bards,’ Bardsey Island is the fourth largest offshore island in Wales
Pictured: Tŷ Capel (Chapel House) and the adjacent chapel in Bardsey Island, Llyn Peninsula, North Wales
Bardsey Island attracts thousands of visitors each year for day trips and overnight stays.
To visit the island, you can catch a boat trip from Porth Meudwy, which runs ‘every day that weather allows and demand dictates’, according to the Bardsey Island Boat Trips website.
The boat can carry 12 people for the scenic, sometimes bumpy, 20-minute crossing, and costs £50 per adult. Dogs are not allowed to visit.
The island is Europe’s first Dark Sky Sanctuary, a National Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
For centuries, this small Welsh isle was a centre of power and one of the holiest places in Britain.
Bardsey Island has a deep Celtic Christian history, being a site of early monasticism founded by St Cadfan.
Legends from the Middle Ages state that 20,000 saints are buried there, making it a highly sacred burial ground for the devout.
In the 12th century, Pope Callixtus II declared three pilgrimages to Bardsey equivalent to one to Rome, and bards called it the ‘gates of Paradise’ and a direct path to heaven.
If it’s your dream to quit the nine-to-five and live on a remote island, this could be your chance.
Bardsey Island hosts a significant colony of Atlantic grey seals, who frequent its rocky shores for resting and breeding
The island is recruiting a project officer who will be responsible for delivering the outreach and engagement projects on the island and the mainland.
The successful applicant will work from home (island-based) part-time with a salary of £26,437 pro rata.
Another job on offer is an assistant visitor warden, who will be part of the team of staff welcoming visitors.
Starting the job in March, free shared accommodation is provided and the successful applicant will receive access to one boat trip to the mainland per month, shared space to grow food and internet connection.
Finally, the island is looking for a couple or family looking to live and work on Ynys Enlli as farmers.
The applicant should have farming experience and would move to Enlli in September 2026, with handover periods during 2026 with existing tenants.
The farmers will be responsible for 300 Welsh mountain sheep and 20-30 cattle. There is also space for chickens, goats and ducks.
All grazing livestock and machinery are provided, and the incoming farmers will live in an off-grid three-bedroom farmhouse – complete with an outside compost toilet.
The island is a place of historical and spiritual interest, once a site of pilgrimage with a monastery built by Saint Cadfa
It comes after Isles of Scilly, located off the coast of Cornwall, have been handed the title of the UK’s best islands.
The archipelago is made up of five inhabited islands as well as over 140 other smaller islands and inlets.
Popular islands in the region include St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s, Bryher and St Agnes.
Each island has its own unique features – including gorgeous beaches, hidden coves, rugged coastlines and walking trails.
There’s plenty to do there, too, including coastal walks, kayaking, wildlife watching, and exploring the islands’ unique flora and fauna
