Scotland is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts. Eagles, whales, capercaillie, deer, sea otters, dolphins, puffins and pine martens – you name it, there’s a good chance it makes its home in the skies, seas or on the land of this stunning country. But where are the best places to maximise your chances of a close encounter with some of these beautiful species?
1. Bass Rock and the Scottish Seabird Centre
Bass Rock is an ancient volcanic plug formed from the same string of volcanoes that created the bedrock beneath Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. The isle sits in the Firth of Forth near North Berwick and is home to the world’s largest population of Northern Gannets. Indeed, its population is so large that this island appears white from the mainland due to the sheer amount of guano and nesting birds. The Scottish Seabird Centre, located on the mainland in North Berwick, organises boat trips to Bass Rock – weather permitting. It also boasts a number of live webcam connections which can be controlled by visitors, allowing people to see the wildlife without disturbing the animals.
Scottish Seabird Centre
Address: Harbour Lodge, 7 Beach Road, North Berwick, EH39 4SS
Price: From 8.06 GBP for adults (10.62 USD), 6.25 GBP for concessions (8.24 USD), and 4.45 GBP (5.87 USD) for children aged three to 15 years.
Opening Hours: Opens 10 am every day. Closing time varies between 4 pm and 6 pm depending on day and time of year.
Contact: +44 1620 890202
Website: Scottish Seabird Centre
2. Plockton
Seals can be spotted in many locations around Scotland, but the islands of Loch Carron near Plockton are such regular haunts that guide boat tours from the village offer you your money back if you don’t spot them. Despite running multiple trips every day during the tourist season, only four or five such journeys return without success. And, on those very rare occasions that seals don’t make an appearance, the stunning scenery of the surrounding area will more than compensate.
Calum's Seal Trips
Address: Leaves from Plockton’s car park pontoon (IV52 8TP) or the main pier (IV52 8TL) depending on the tide
Price: Adults 12 GBP (15.82 USD), Children 6 GBP (7.91 USD), Family ticket (two adults and two children) 35 GBP (46.14 USD). Trip is free if no seals are spotted.
Duration: One hour, although special cruises of longer duration are also available
Contact: +44 1599 544306 or +44 7761 263 828 or email info@calums-sealtrips.com
Website: Calum’s Seal Trips
3. Chanonry Point
This is one of the finest places anywhere in Britain to see bottlenose dolphins. Chanonry Point juts out into the Moray Firth from the misleadingly named Black Isle – in reality a peninsula that sits to the north of Inverness. This strip of land and a similar promontory on the other side of the firth at Fort George temporarily narrow the firth, channelling the incoming tide into a series of strong undercurrents which the dolphins exploit to snare incoming fish.
This ideal feeding spot means that dolphins are regularly seen just off shore, so much so that you can expect plenty of fellow wildlife watchers. The Point even has a dedicated car park to deal with the number of onlookers. A number of dolphin boat trips also operate from locations on the Black Isle, Inverness and along the Inverness-shire and Moray coasts.
Dolphin Spirit
Address: Inverness Marina, Longman Drive, Inverness, Inverness-shire, IV1 1FF
Price: Adult 18 GBP (23.73 USD), Child 12 GBP (15.82 USD), Family ticket 55 GBP (72.50 USD), Infants go free
Duration: One-and-a-half hours
Contact: +44 7544800620 or info@dolphinspirit.co.uk
Website: Dolphin Spirit
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4. Montrose Basin
This huge tidal basin, which sits right next to the town of Montrose in Angus, is a hugely important site for migratory birds. The sands, which are almost entirely exposed at low tide make for a very rich feeding ground, drawing all manner of bird species to the area. The basin’s shoreline also recalls traces of a massive tsunami that swept the east coast of northern Britain thousands of years ago, and is thought to have played role in cutting Britain off from mainland Europe.
A visitor centre at the basin has telescopes and binoculars to help you spot some of the wildlife that visits the area including ducks, geese, kingfishers, otters and seals.
Montrose Basin Visitor Centre
Address: Montrose Basin, Rossie Braes, Angus, DD10 9TA
Price: Adults 4 GBP (5.27 USD); Concession 3 GBP (3.95 USD); Children (five to 16 years) 0.50 GBP (0.66 USD); Children under five go free; Family 7.50 GBP (9.89 USD) based on two adults and two children
Opening Hours: Daily from 10.30 am to 5 pm (mid-February to 31st October); 10.30 am to 4 pm Friday to Monday (1st November to mid-February). Closed on 25th and 26th December and 1st and 2nd January
Contact: +44 1674 676 336 or email montrosebasin@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
Website: Montrose Basin Visitor Centre
5. Staffa
The island, which can be reached by a number of boat tours, is a superb spot to grab a photo of puffins during their breeding season. In fact, the puffins are so blasé about human presence that you can find them nesting and congregating as little as 20 ft (6 m) away from the island’s grassland tracks, completely unfazed – all visitors just need to make sure to keep a respectful distance and not to disturb them. Puffins are by no means the only wildlife to keep an eye out for on any trip to the island. As well as other birds, the seas around about also contain dolphins, seals, minke whales and even basking sharks at certain times of the year. Those who visit Staffa will also be able to take in the wonderful basalt columns of Fingal’s Cave, which inspired Felix Mendelssohn’s famous Hebrides Overture.
Staffa Trips
Address: Tigh na Traigh, Isle of Iona, Argyll, PA76 6SJ
Price: Adult 30 GBP (39.54 USD), Child (aged five to 15) 15 GBP (19.77 USD). Under fives go free.
Opening Hours: Trips run twice a day from the harbours at Iona and Fionnphort (on the isle of Mull) between 1st April and 31st October (subject to sea and weather conditions). Morning: Iona 9.45 am, Fionnphort 10 am; Afternoon: Iona 1.45 pm, Fionnphort 2 pm.
Contact: +44 1681 700358
Website: Staffa Trips
6. Loch of the Lowes
The Loch of the Lowes wildlife reserve near Dunkeld in Perthshire covers nearly 247 acres (100 hectares) and welcomes a wide range of wildlife. The main attraction though has to be its famed pair of ospreys. The birds of prey return year after year to breed, and the visitor centre has an observation hide just 492 ft (150 metres) away from their nest, providing the perfect location to watch them in action.
A host of other wildlife also call the area home, including red squirrels, woodpeckers and even beavers. Those keen to spot ospreys should also check out Loch Garten in the Cairngorms National Park, where the RSPB runs a visitor centre dedicated to this iconic species.
Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre
Address: Loch of the Lowes, Dunkeld, Perth & Kinross, PH8 0HH.
Price: Adults 4 GBP (5.40 USD); Concessions 3.50 GBP (4.72 USD); Children 0.50 GBP (0.66 USD). Access to the reserves trails is free.
Opening Hours: Daily from 10 am to 5 pm (1st March to 31st October); Friday to Sunday from 10.30 am to 4 pm (1st November to end of February
Contact: +44 1350 727 337 or lochofthelowes@scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk
Website: Loch of the Lowes Visitor Centre
7. Noss
An island in Shetland, Noss has been granted the status of a national nature reserve thanks to its cliffs and their large population of nesting seabirds. Fulmars, guillemots, gannets and kittiwakes are among the seasonal visitors who rear young every spring and summer. But these are just some of the many birds that have been seen on the island – indeed, nearly 200 different species have been recorded. These include everything from curlews and lapwings to ringed plovers and skylarks. Great Skua also make their nests in the island’s interior. The island can be reached by a short rigid inflatable ferry boat journey operated by Scottish Natural Heritage, during which you may be lucky enough to spot some of the area’s aquatic wildlife.
Noss National Nature Reserve
Contact: +44 1595 693345 or nnr@snh.gov.uk; Noss Ferry Line +44 800 107 7818
Website: Noss National Nature Reserve
8. Burghead
The coastal cliffs of Burghead in Moray are a popular location for a bit of whale spotting. Pilot whales, minke, orca and even the odd humpback can be seen in the waters of the Moray Firth if you are lucky – although patience and researching locations of recent sightings, are a virtue. The cliffs near John O'Groats in Caithness are another popular spot too. While you await a sighting from Burghead’s cliff top viewing area, why not check out the neighbouring visitor centre, which relates the story of the huge Celtic fort that once occupied much of the land of modern day Burghead?
Burghead Visitor Centre
Address: Next to Bath Street, Burghead, IV30 5TZ
Opening Hours: Midday to 4 pm daily (from April to the end of September). Outdoor viewpoint open all year round
Contact: +44 1343 835518
Website: Burghead Visitor Centre
9. Highland Wildlife Park
Located near Kingussie in the Cairngorms National Park, the Highland Wildlife Park may be a large open air zoo, but its extensive array of animals include iconic Highland species like the wildcat, which you will have great difficulty spotting in the wild, red squirrel and the wolf – the latter of which was hunted to extinction in Britain in the 1700s but is one of several species being considered for possible future reintroduction programmes. The park is also home to a number of more exotic species, from polar bears and tigers to snow leopards and wolverines.
Highland Wildlife Park
Address: Kincraig, Kingussie, PH21 1NL
Price: Adults 15.90 GBP (20.96 USD); Concessions 13.50 GBP (17.80 USD); Children (aged three to 15 years) 12 GBP (15.82 USD)
Opening Hours: 10 am to 5 pm daily (April to October 1); 10 am to 6p m daily (July and August); 10 am to 4 pm (November to March). Last admission is one hour before closing.
Contact: + 44 1540 651270
Website: Highland Wildlife Park
10. Applecross
Although not strictly ‘wildlife’, few visitors to Scotland would not wish to get up close to the iconic Highland Cow (or Heilan Coo in local speak). While you will come across these cattle in many locations, one road with a high chance is at Applecross on Scotland’s north-west coast. It is not uncommon for the cows to be standing, or even sitting, in the road, nonchalantly staring down cars.
Applecross peninsula
Website: Applecross peninsula
Keep those eyes peeled
Scotland’s rich seas and lands make it a great country for watching wildlife. These are just some of the locations where you stand an excellent chance of spotting some truly iconic species, but you could just as easily stumble upon a beautiful scene while out and about your daily travels – so keep that camera handy!
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