If seeing dolphins is on your bucket list, why not stay a few days in Fortrose or Rosemarkie and head down to Chanonry Point at the correct tide time, what a lovely walk that would be. On the willyweather website, you can enter the region and find the tide times as in the screenshot below. Keep up the Great work! The best places to see dolphins in Scotland The cool waters surrounding Scotland are the perfect habitat for the sleek marine mammal, with bottlenose, white Scotlands winter wildlife How to See Them. September is an ideal month to venture on a hiking journey in Scotland if you want to absorb the lovely sunlight of the summer, but would rather avoid the heat that comes with the season. Her favourite travel style is On the Road and she has perfected the art of road trip planning, covering multiple famous and undiscovered routes around Europe, UK and USA. 13th of February 2022, Find out more about Chris on the about page. Locally everyone loves dolphin watching, sometimes photos will be posted up to local Facebook groups or Flickr and there is always a great deal of interest in these beautifulcetaceans. Visiting Scotland in April you will be welcomed with lovely colours of green leaves as the trees are now in bud. There are around 200 Bottlenose dolphins that live all year in the chilly waters of the Moray Firth and around the East Coast of Scotland and half this population are seen regularly along the Black Isle coastline, especially in the spring and summer months. Want a quick recommendation? The country spans across the northern one-third of Great Britain and includes nearly 800 islands, only 130 of which are inhabited! The average lifespan can be as low as 17 years old, but some have been known to live for 40 years, and those in captivity have lived as long as 51 years. Most of the snow falls in northern mountainous areas like the Cairngorms, Glencoe and Torridon. Simply enter your email and we'll send it your way! Carry on up the A832 to the historic town of Cromarty and near the harbour there is EcoVentures, a superb 5 star Dolphin and wildlife watching boat trip that can whisk you out into the Cromarty Firth and beyond on their two Rigid Inflatable Craft where dolphins, seabird colonies and possibly a whale or two could be enjoyed! It is not only very budget-friendly but purely an extraordinary experience. What are Cloud Inversions and Why Are They So Beautiful? Check out this video below: Read more about what to wear for summer hiking in Scotland. The Atlantic Puffin is similar to its north Pacific relative, The Horned Puffin, but can be easily distinguished by a steel-blue triangle located on the base of its beak. He has travelled all over Scotland and experienced all it has to offer. Really, spring and summer are a good to time to go dolphin spotting in the Moray Firth. May to September. Whale Watching UK | Where to see Whales & Dolphins in the However no boat tour can guarantee that you will see the dolphins, and at around 150 for a family of four, it's quite expensive if you don't get to see what you want. The best time of day to see dolphins at Chanonry Point near Inverness is when the tide is rising. Clear skies provide jaw-droppingly beautiful views of the night sky and perhaps even a glimpse of the Northern Lights, and theres truly nothing like European Christmas markets! You can also take your water sports equipment and head out into the sea to see the dolphins up close to here. Rab,Driver of P300NJB @Grampian Continental.. Some stock photography is used. Chanonry Point is located between Fortrose and Rosemarkie on the Black Isle and has its own car park. The most exciting sight is to see the dolphins throw the fish in the water. WebThe best time to see minke whales in Scotland is from the end of May to September. Most of the land watching spots for dolphins are located in this area. Summer is definitely the high season in Scotland. Scotland may be fairly small, but theres no shortage of geographical diversity. The end of Septemberand the beginning of October is when the stunning golden and brown landscapes of autumn really start to make their presence known. In August, Edinburgh plays host to the Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world! When is the Best Time to Hike in Scotland? Similar to Killer whales Summer is an amazing time to look for Minke Whales, although, Spring is can also be a good time to see them but chances of a sighting lessen slightly. Their impressive size enables them to swim through the sea in a similar way to a submarine in essence, they are an organic submarine, although they are not fitted with the traditional submarine periscopes weve all seen in classic movies of yesteryear! The activity map is also available. It is something that has been on my bucket list forever! We did last 2 weeks in Aug because the kids are back in school then. Dolphins Choose an area to see article indexes from other parts of Scotland. museums, Scotlands largest city, Glasgow, for family-friendly attractions, the impressive botanical garden, and the countrys best shopping, Cairngorms National Park, home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in Scotland, Road-trip to Highland Perthshire (one of the most underrated areas of Scotland!) menu. Summer Solstice takes place inJune and marks the longest day of the year and many people in England celebrate at the famous Stonehenge monument, but in Scotland, we have a few standing stone monuments where you can celebrate the longest day in the amazing Scottish wilderness without the crowds at places such as the Standing Stones of Callanish in the Outer Hebrides, the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney or the three standing stones in Kilmartin Glen. Go wildlife watching in Scotland without tying yourself to just spotting dolphins. They are wild animals and probably wouldn't take kindly to human interference. in the major cities without any crowds, Layers, particularly wool base layers, to help regulate your temperature, Warm, waterproof boots (the taller the better!) All Rights Reserved. Bottlenose dolphins are larger than common dolphins and mainly grey, with lighter, whiter underbellies. Given the popularity of the North Coast 500, it's good there is a great area for spotting dolphins a Moray Firth in Inverness also offers boat tours for dolphin watching. Two Wandering Soles Copyright 2023. No problem. Enjoy thousands upon thousands of stars in our dark skies, and spy our nocturnal winter beasties like hedgehogs, bats, and badgers. One of the Free Scottish Wildlife Experience. Best gifts for first time travelers perfect for gap year or first vacations. Scotland gets a bit of a bad rap when it comes to weather. Pods often travel up this way after visiting Chanonry Point, and Kessock Bridge has the added benefit of being much more peaceful than that more famous viewing spot. Im going to pack my bags and wait at the border until Im allowed to cross over from England! Plan your trip with our round up of all the best things to do in Edinburgh, including the quintessential activities and some off the beaten path experiences you wont want to miss! How did I have no idea you can see dolphins in Scotland??? By now the leaves on the trees have turned into a lovely golden brown and Pine forests look spectacular in the distance providing an incredibly unique view. Fish are easy to find here and so its a natural hunting ground for the dolphins. Dolphin & Whale Watching in Scottish Highlands, Scotland road Trip Itinerary for 2 weeks in Scottish Highlands. This site contains affiliate links and as such any purchases or bookings made after clicking may earn me a commission. during the fall, particularly in October and November, but that also means the many amazing waterfalls are at their peak flow. READ: Scotland road Trip Itinerary for 2 weeks in Scottish Highlands. for postcard-worthy scenery, several easy hikes, and charming Victorian towns. Your email address will not be published. Whether you intend to travel to Scotland during either spring or summer do not underestimate the potential of the sun in Scotland and remember to bring adequate sun cream to prevent the not so elusive Scottish suntan! Further south, between Moray Firth and Beauly Firth, and just north of Inverness, the shoreline at Kessock Bridge offers excellent dolphin-spotting opportunities. I find it hard to put in words sometimes how amazing it was to see dolphins quite so close up as I did in Scotland once. My kids are grown now but do come along sometimes! best time to visit Scotland July continues with long days of Scottish daylight in the Highlands, we are blessed with an incredible 16 to 17 hours of light in the summer months where it may be as late as 11 pm before the light starts to dim. I was so fortunate to experience dolphin watching at Chanonry point Inverness during a road trip in Scotland. Go island-hopping near Skye, the Outer Hebrides, or Shetland, Rain gear to keep you dry (although spring is the driest month here, the weather is also in a transition period with ever-changing conditions! WebBest time to watch dolphins in Scotland Scotlands summer sunshine presents the best time to watch dolphins in the wild, with weather conditions during May to September Home Blog United Kingdom Best Time to Visit Scotland: When to Go & When to Avoid! 1-866-821-6866 . A pair of Dolphins stopping by the boat to say hello to Wilderness Scotland travellers. In fact, nearly 90% of the countrys population resides in the Lowlands. Because we also have individual travel guides for more specific wildlife holidays, such as our safaris, bear watching and whale watching. Generally, the Scottish Highlands are excellent from May through August, when the days are long and warm. It is typically the male that creates the cuckoo sound while a female Cuckoo calls out with more of a gurgling sound almost like water flowing down a sinkhole after removing a plug from your sink! Summer promises long days, pleasant temperatures, and festivals galore. Mostly we are the bottlenose dolphin pods are seen most of the year round! If you prefer to spot Minke Whales during the warmest time of the year then it is recommended to travel to Scotland during the Summer, but if you enjoy the cooler weather then spring is a great season for a Scottish holiday adventure. Dolphins in Scotland, where to see Moray Firth Dolphins! Undoubtedly, the best way to see these wee creatures is to travel to the famous island of St Kilda in the Outer Hebrides which is home to Scotlands largest single colony of seabirds and an incredible estimated 270,000 birds are scattered across the island! In late October, the days start to become noticeably shorter, with 10-13 hours of daily sunlight. WebAs some dolphins are residents around Scottish shores you can see them all-year-round however, as they prefer the calmer and sunnier sea conditions associated with spring During Autumn the Scottish climate begins to cool, the days shorten, and the leaves turn into a lovely golden brown colour. An adorable Red squirrel enjoying a nice rest in the Cairngorms National Park. Dose up on motion sickness medication before your boat trip, I felt very unwell. Ive only passed by Inverness once and that was on the way to Skye, so I had no idea you could see dolphins here! This is a lovely spot with a wide variety of habitats for different animals. Some Grey Seals having a splash in the cool water of North Ronaldsay in Orkney. Where do you think the best locations for dolphin-spotting are? Where and when to see marine wildlife in Scotland Our local area is one of the best areas in Scotland for porpoise and we see them on the vast majority of summer trips. You should not miss the perfect chance to see the dolphins here One of the Free Scottish Wildlife Experience. The Cuckoo migrates to Scotland in April and this signals the beginning of the Spring season. This area is primarily rural and agricultural, defined by picture-perfect gently rolling green hills. Sightings There are healthy populations of both 33 Famous landmarks in London which one is new to you. Due to Scotlands far northern latitude, summer days have up to 18 hours of daylight, but in the winter, that number drops to just seven or eight. The spit of land by Chanonry Point lighthouse is ever changing with the tides so, especially if you arrive when the tide is coming in, watch your belongings and your feet. September might be too wet for long-distance treks, but October is drier, and stunning with fall foliage. Honestly, Id say it was the best place for seeing dolphins you can see them without disturbing them and quite often too. Another spot is Merkinch Nature reserve which has views over the Moray Firth. There was once a time that it was actually quite rare to see Dolphins swimming in the Hebridean Islands of Scotland, but now they seem to now be much easier to spot in the area. There are no guarantees. Scotland has a very temperate climate. Psst! If you fancy exploring the Scottish Highlands and want to make the most of the long stretches of daylight then visiting here in the summer months is definitely an amazing time to embark on an unforgettable adventure holiday. If you are interested in Scottish wildlife, why not check out my articles on bears, wolves,adders, newts, pine martensand highland cows. If the conditions are right, Scottish winters are the epitome of winter wonderland. The countryside transitions from vibrant green to breath-taking purple as the heather blooms. Best time to visit Scottish Highlands ), the overall weather just might surprise you. Experience the magic of traditional European Christmas markets and winter festivals. Scotland Camping: Essential Tips + Best Campsites. One of the biggest, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival, takes place in October, but there are many other niche festivals as well.