The islands of Flat Holm and Steep Holm are located in the middle of the Bristol Channel, 8 mi/13 km off the coast from Cardiff. Both are protected nature reserves.
On Flat Holm, visit the priory ruins, Victorian gun batteries, seabird colonies and sea caves. (There is also a monument to Guglielmo Marconi, who made the first radio transmission over water from Flat Holm in 1897.)
Steep Holm, which is open to visitors daily from April to October but only by advance booking, is also noted for its bird life and rare plants. Neither island is a major tourist destination—they're really for nature lovers who aren't pressed for time.
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