WILDLIFE ABOVE AND BELOW THE WAVES
Discover unforgettable wildlife from the comfort of the St Hilda on a cruise around Scotland’s unspoiled coastlines
WHEN IT COMES to enjoying the UK’s most spectacular wildlife, the shores of Scotland offer an embarrassment of riches – and the crew on the St Hilda have been helping guests spot rare birds and stunning marine life here for 10 years.
Experts aboard the traditional wooden ex-tall ship take up to six guests at a time on a private cruise specially designed to encounter a wealth of wildlife in the area, meaning a holiday on the St Hilda can showcase everything from Minke whales to mountain goats.
Sightings of more than 24 species of birds – including Manx shearwaters, guillemots and sea eagles – have been recorded in just one day on the St Hilda, while roe deer and otters can be viewed when the boat is anchored near the shore. There’s also plenty to explore below the waves, with onboard microscopes available to examine the fascinating world of plankton and lobster pots on hand for guests to fish for their dinner.
Porpoises and dolphins are regular visitors and are only outshone by the occasional orca or basking shark coming into view. And for those wanting to get up close and personal, the tender can be used to carefully approach colonies of seals basking in the sun.
With new St Hilda cruises exploring the Inner and Outer Hebrides, including world famous islands such as St Kilda, Isle of Skye, Staffa and Iona, there’s never been a better time to discover Scottish wildlife.