Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. A pair of Dolphins stopping by the boat to say hello to Wilderness Scotland travellers. The summer months are the peak times to see them and if you want to see them close up like I did at Chanonry Point then its also worth checking the tide times for a specific time of day to see them. This trip is operated by our England team. Dolphins During Autumn the Scottish climate begins to cool, the days shorten, and the leaves turn into a lovely golden brown colour. There are still plenty of activities to do and places to explore before the last of the warm weather says goodbye for winter, so fall is one of the best times to visit Scotland. Photo: Charlie Phillips/WDCs, Bottlenose Dolphins. Keep up the Great work! While sightings can readily be made from the shore, local firms are available to take customers out on the water, thus presenting an even better opportunity to see the animals up close without the potential need for binoculars. Though the water is cold here and dolphins usually prefer warm water, they are here for the Scottish Atlantic salmon. This file is auto-generated */ !function(c,d){"use strict";var e=!1,n=!1;if(d.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},!c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage)if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(t)if(t.secret||t.message||t.value)if(!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var r,a,i,s=d.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),n=d.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=0;oBest time to visit Scottish Highlands 6 Reasons to go Winter Walking in Scotland, VIDEO: Winter days in the Scottish Highlands, Winter Wildlife: How to Recognise Those Tracks, Search for Minke whales on an unforgettable hiking and wildlife adventure to the incredible. Click on one of the links below to find out more: Hiking the remote location of Knoydart during the month of Spring. Your best bet is to go with a guide and look out for dolphins from the headland or take one of the regular ferries out to the surrounding islands. If you fancy driving to Chanonry Point from Fort George, it will take you 45 minutes via the Kessock Bridge, Inverness. Tripods will likely be too slow to "get the shot", you could try a monopod but the best way is handheld, give those upper arms a workout! This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, This website and its associated newspaper are members of Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Both Our local area is one of the best areas in Scotland for porpoise and we see them on the vast majority of summer trips. Warmer temperatures bring lots of people out, both visitors and locals alike, hoping to take advantage of the warmer weather, longer days, and many fun things to do. Breeding occurs mostly in spring and relationships are polygamous. Dolphins can be found around the world - from the warm waters of the Ionian Sea off Greece to the chillier climes of the Azores and Scotland. The rugged southern Uplands form Scotlands 110-mile-long border with England. ), were all taken by me or James while at Chanonry Point. Although it is possible to see them from most headlands, many sightings are reported from Neist Point. All our trips support communities and preserve nature - which helps you get closer to both. Located between Fortrose and Rosemarkie, south of Cromarty, the narrow peninsula of Chanonry Point is well known as the best place to see pods of dolphins in Scotland. Red Deer are Scotlands largest land mammal and are also the biggest of the deer family they are a huge icon of Scotland and the Stag has become a symbol of the Highlands famous Speyside Glenfiddich Whisky. It is perfect for families to take kids and pets here and they can play at the beach, watch the sea and ships while waiting for the dolphins. Dolphins in Scotland, where to see Moray Firth Dolphins! Choose an area to see article indexes from other parts of Scotland. Puffins are sometimes described as The clowns of the sea, because they look like they have a whale of a time clowning around in the water it really has to be seen to be believed!. Really, spring and summer are a good to time to go dolphin spotting in the Moray Firth. However, summer is a fantastic time to go Dolphin watching along the Moray Firth as youll benefit from the lovely sunny days with hours of daylight stretching throughout the hours. However, dolphins can also be spotted during autumn and spring. Read more about my return journey tackling the infamous Bad Step here! Really, spring and summer are a good to time to go dolphin spotting in the Moray Firth. While you very well may experience all four seasons in the span of just a few hours (packing layers is key! The grass on the Moors gradually begins to fade to red and the trees come alive with shades of yellow, red, and orange. However, dolphins can also be spotted during autumn and spring. This is a lovely spot with a wide variety of habitats for different animals. ), the overall weather just might surprise you. Yeh me neither Hannah, but that was my best discovery as I really enjoyed seeing dolphins from the land in Inverness. Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to hear about trip news, blogs and offers. If youre dying to swim with dolphins in Scotland then this page isnt for you. Theres also a cafe to get some food while youre watching. The best time of year to watch dolphins in Scotland is in July. In fact, May is National Whisky Month in Scotland (whisky is a BIG deal here Scots refer to it as the water of life). Killer whales (or Orcas) have a very distinctive black and white appearance and are very large creatures in fact, they are the largest member of the Dolphin family. If youre wondering how to see dolphins near Inverness then read on for my tips on where to go and different ways to see them! One superstition is to make sure that you have money in your pocket in case you hear a Cuckoo because you will be financially secure for the rest of the year. The most exciting sight is to see the dolphins throw the fish in the water. The images on this page, while not professional by any means (!!! We have lots of resources on travel in Scotland and destinations throughout the country. Interestingly, and unlike many other destinations, spring is one of Scotlands driest seasons. Scotland gets a bit of a bad rap when it comes to weather. Comment. Unofficially, the majority of the month is really a cooler summer than full autumn it is a transition period of the weather changing from summer to autumn. WebBest place to see dolphins in Scotland (Dolphin watching) Chanonry point. Located at the east side of the mouth of the Spey, the WDC Scottish Dolphin Centre is dedicated to whale and dolphin conservation. With a square head spotted with patches of white, the Risso is one of the most distinctive dolphins still in existence and also features an usually large dorsal fin. It is true when people say that there can be many seasons in one Scottish day but that should not be taken as a negative as there are moments where you could confuse a Scottish spring day as the middle of summer with the sun shining all across the land. A great way to keep entertained is by waiting for dolphins to arrive. Summer promises long days, pleasant temperatures, and festivals galore. Spring is somewhat similar to fall in terms of weather and crowds, making it what some consider the best time to visit Scotland. Despite the name, Red deer are actually coloured dark brown with a tint of reddish-orange painted onto their fur so nearly red, but not quite 100%. Autumn is a time of colourful landscapes and glowing skies. Sign up for the mailing list and receive this free travel itinerary. Best Time to Hike in Scotland - Wilderness Scotland My favourite travel style is On the Road and I have perfected the art of road trip planning, covering multiple scenic and undiscovered routes around Europe, UK and USA. Where do you think the best locations for dolphin-spotting are? It is a common stop off point for many on the North Coast 500 itinerary where you can catch a glimpse of some marine life. But keep in mind that there is truly plenty to enjoy year-round in this stunning, welcoming country. You can watch these amazing dolphins hunting and playing from shore or from well behaved, award winning tour boats the choice is yours. Simply enter your email and we'll send it your way! The end of September is when autumn starts in Scotland, but really thanks to the glorious weather it stills feel like summer, although this month is when it starts to cool in temperature with an average temperature of 14C/58F. Moray Firth in Inverness also offers boat tours for dolphin watching. Lets get right into it and break down the best time to visit Scotland and what you can expect during your trip. Moving further along the cost to the Bay of Nigg also offers spectacular views of the dolphins as well as a sea unspoilt by the bustle of the harbour. On the willyweather website, you can enter the region and find the tide times as in the screenshot below. No wonder St Kilda is also affectionately known as Puffin Island! I didnt realize dolphins were so prominent in Scotland. Best known for its stunning natural beauty and rich history, Scotland is a world-renowned travel destination, and yet still somehow a bit mysterious. Autumn is the deer breeding season (or rut) and it is during this time that there is a higher chance to see a male Stag wandering around the mountainsides roaring at the top of his lungs. Visiting Scotland in April you will be welcomed with lovely colours of green leaves as the trees are now in bud. All photography by Chris Thornton, John Luckwell and Alan Butterfield. Short-beaked common dolphins can be identified by a figure of eight on their flanks formed through distinctive yellow and white flashes around their dorsal fins. And you can see all that just from the land in some of these spots. Galloway Forest Park for top-notch stargazing and hopefully, the Northern Lights!
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