Lundy island celebrates 40 years of conservation

Lundy island - often called 'Britain's Galapagos' - lies 10 miles off the coast of north Devon where the Atlantic meets the Bristol channel. The island is three miles long and rises 400ft (122m) above sea level Photograph: Alison Mcdougall/Rex Features

The Devil's Slide, a natural plane in the granite, on the north-west side of Lundy. The National Trust acquired Lundy island on 28 September 1969 for £150,000 thanks to a donation from Sir Jack Hayward, of Wolves FC fame, who placed it in the joint care of the National Trust and Landmark Trust. Since then the island has developed into an important living laboratory Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

An Atlantic grey seal - at least 100 live off the coast of Lundy. The waters around Lundy were designated as England's only marine nature reserve and the UK's first no-take zone. The mixture of currents where the Atlantic Ocean and the Bristol Channel meet create a unique underwater habitat home to seals, basking sharks and rare corals Photograph: Alan James/NPL/Rex Features

Golden hair lichen (Teloschistes flavicans) growing on the western side of Lundy. There is more golden hair lichen on Lundy than in the rest of the UK combined Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Guillemots on the rock stacks of Lundy. Lundy's cliffs are home to the largest seabird colony in south-west England with species including kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, puffins, manx shearwaters, fulmars and shags Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

A colony of red sea fingers clearly showing the many white polyps. Lundy is the only location where all five British species of shallow water cup coral are found Photograph: Paul Kay/Rex Features

A view of the southern end of Lundy. The island has many designations: it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a special area of conservation, part of the heritage coast, the UK's first marine nature reserve, and part of a 'no take' fishing zone Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Stonecrop (Sedum caeruleum) in flower on Lundy. There are many rare species of plant on Lundy including balm-leaved figwort, royal fern and the endemic Lundy cabbage with Britain's only endemic beetle, the bronze Lundy cabbage flea beetle Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Five and six spot burnets (day flying moths) on Lundy. The island has been dubbed 'Britain's Galapagos' because of its high biodiversity Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Wild ponies with the Old Light visible in the distance. In 2006, Lundy was declared a rat-free island – the largest in Europe. Since then puffins have returned and numbers of Manx shearwaters have rocketed Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

An archaeological survey of the western coastline. Lundy is one of the most important sites for archaeology in Devon and Cornwall, with 44 ancient monuments from the bronze age and a Victorian quarry Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

A granite 'stack' Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

Early Christian memorial stones in the cemetery beneath the lighthouse Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL

The remains of cottages beside the Old Battery on the west side of the island. There are three lighthouses, a farm, a pub and a shop on the island. Lundy is visited by over 20,000 people each year Photograph: Joe Cornish/NTPL