A spotter’s guide to Britain’s seaside
SEA OTTERS
Isle of Mull, Scotland
Sea otters, whitetailed eagles (aka sea eagles) and dolphins make Mull a top base for walks with a marine theme, and Ardnamurchan Lighthouse on the mainland is a potential site to see minke whales and dolphin. The Hebridean Whale Trail (whaletrail.org) highlights a number of good sites across the Hebrides.
DOLPHINS
Cardigan Bay, Wales
Europe’s largest resident population of bottlenose dolphins lives in this bay and you’re almost guaranteed a summer sighting in New Quay. Strumble Head in Pembrokeshire has recorded sightings of Risso’s and common dolphins as well as orca, sunfish, humpback and minke whales. Nearby Skomer Island is one of the best places to see puffins.
WHALES & SHARKS
Lands End, Cornwall
At England’s most westerly point there are recorded views of minke whale, orca and basking shark, as well as dolphin and porpoise. This area is your best chance to see a loggerhead turtle; fulmar, kittiwake, razorbill and even chough are more likely though.
SEAWEEDS
Kimmeridge, Dorset
Walk from Lulworth to Durlston and you can swim the snorkel safari at Kimmeridge Bay, floating over a beautiful array of seaweeds including rainbow wrack. Also known as magic seaweed, it’s dull brown on a beach, but turns turquoise, indigo and violet underwater. You might also spot cetaceans from the coast path.
BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
Chanonry Point, Moray Firth
There are around 200 bottlenose dolphin in the Moray Firth and if you time your arrival for around an hour after low tide, then Chanonry Point is one of the best places to see them, hunting as the tide turns and leaping out of the water.
SEABIRDS
Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire
Between March and October around half a million seabirds nest on these towering chalk cliffs over the North Sea. The 12-mile walk from Bempton Cliffs to Flamborough has been voted one of the country’s top routes, promising sightings of a riotous (and pungent) crowd of guillemot, gannet, puffin, and this year even an albatross.
GREY SEALS
Donna Nook,
Lincolnshire
A hotspot where walkers can take advantage of viewing platforms in the dunes to observe pups during the breeding season (Oct to Dec).
GREY SEALS
Blakeney Point, Norfolk
With over 3000 pups born every winter, this is England’s largest grey seal colony, and just a short walk away are the lagoons of Cley Marsh: home to wintering wildfowl and waders.
STARFISH & CRABS
Seven Sisters, East Sussex
Birling Gap offers excellent rock-pooling with starfish and velvet swimming crabs, while the Seven Sisters are home to fulmar and kittiwake (but keep well back as these chalk cliffs are notoriously unstable). Look for peregrine falcons – the world’s fastest creature – as well as seals, and pods of dolphin and porpoise.