Scotland Good places for wildlife in Scotland?

[Joeturner11]

Iam planning a week long holiday early spring next year up Scotland, Mainly around Dumfries for 2 nights and then upto Fort William and Inverness and around that area, Iam looking for good places to go for wildlife, Mainly looking for Eagles, Sea birds like gannets etc. anything interesting really and maybe some landscape locations, I have already got down the WWT at Caerlaverock, Any help on this would be great

Cheers

Joe

 

[Bawbee]

Joe,

Whatever your choice, be sure to have a great time.

WWT Caerlaverock is one of my favourite places and I was there at the end of October. As Dumfries is my place of birth, I do tend to go there when visiting family. Although there is not much wildlife, be sure to visit the nearby castle. After the castle head round to the village of Glencaple where you will find plenty of seabirds.

If you can find the time, be sure to visit SWT at Montrose Basin.

Plenty of 'wildlife' is available in any city centre at the weekends

 

[MartynK]

If you're interested in red kites, they've become pretty common in the area around Castle Douglas - about 20 miles from Dumfries - since they were reintroduced a few years ago. There's a red kite trail too: http://www.gallowaykitetrail.com/, and a nature reserve with bird hides on the western side of Loch Ken. A pair of Ospreys normally arrive around the end of March - beginning of April and nest close to Threave Castle. Just follow the signs from CD to the castle, park and walk down the path. The huge flocks of geese that winter in the area leave in spring, but you might be in time.

I've seen Golden Eagles in the remoter parts of the western highlands, and white tailed (sea) eagles have been reintroduced in a couple of areas, but I'm sure someone will be able to give you better pointers than I can. Enjoy it!

 

[applemint]

Loch Garten and Rothiemurchus (near Aviemore) would be the obvious places for Osprey when they arrive - Rothiemurchus also have a hide for Pine Martins, Red Squirrels and Badgers. http://www.speysidewildlife.co.uk/Hides.aspx

If you want to get very close to deer then there is a herd which hang out outside the Kingshouse Hotel in Glencoe and get fed daily by tourists: http://www.ephotozine.com/canongallery/photo/red-deer-near-to-kingshouse-hotel--glencoe-35853704

Treshnish Isles for Puffins - boat trips from Mull and Oban. Not sure if they will be there that early though (May is when I went): http://www.staffatours.com/wildlife/birdlife/puffins/

Oh and Chanonry point for dolphins - not far from Inverness (Black Isle): http://www.moraydolphins.co.uk/watch/chanonry-point.html#.UopR2sRIYj4

 

[Joeturner11]

Thanks everyone for the reply's ! Just checked out the Kingshouse Hotel, Looks stunning will have to get it booked up straight away! Also the Chanonry point looks breathtaking!

 

[hoochy1]

how about
http://www.lindisfarne.org.uk/birds/




and you need to do applecross

 

[monkeyballs]

For landscapes, you're spoilt for choice, see the list below. If you can only do one, do Elgol for sure.

Elgol
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Loch Earn
Sanna Bay
Loch Morlich
Neist Point Lighthouse
Eilean Donan Castle
Rannoch Moor
Kilt Rock
Loch Nah-Achlaise
Kilchurn Castle

More here: http://www.shothotspot.com/lists/photo-locations/picturesque-spots-in-the-highlands-of-scotland

For wildlife - there's a few ideas here: http://www.shothotspot.com/hotspots...untry=&types=4&place=Highland,+UK&acc=&kw=&x=

best spots seem to be the puffings on the Lunga Isles, and Temptation Hill

 

[dinners]

Hi Joe

Good suggestions so far - I'll throw my two penneth in when I've got a bit more time to reply with links.

 

[Joeturner11]

For landscapes, you're spoilt for choice, see the list below. If you can only do one, do Elgol for sure.

Elgol
Glenfinnan Viaduct
Loch Earn
Sanna Bay
Loch Morlich
Neist Point Lighthouse
Eilean Donan Castle
Rannoch Moor
Kilt Rock
Loch Nah-Achlaise
Kilchurn Castle

More here: http://www.shothotspot.com/lists/photo-locations/picturesque-spots-in-the-highlands-of-scotland

For wildlife - there's a few ideas here: http://www.shothotspot.com/hotspots/?nelng=-3.614501953125&nelat=57.80965135970151&swlat=56.23113850341279&swlng=-7.03125&country=&types=4&place=Highland, UK&acc=&kw=&x=

best spots seem to be the puffings on the Lunga Isles, and Temptation Hill

Thank you for the list of places, Looks brilliant Thank you for the help!

 

[easylife]

Another vote for Loch Garten, I was up in spring, called in to see the red squirrels at the RSPB centre, the feeders also had crested tits, the year earlier I got lots of Pine marten shots just below Fort Augustas, in the garden of in a cottage we rented.