All flipper, no flop — the best places to see whales in Scotland
With humpbacks and orcas, minkes and even sperm whales, Scotland is one of the best places to see these majestic creatures this side of a flight to southern California — with basking sharks, porpoises and the world's largest bottlenose dolphins a spectacular bonus. Lisa Drewe, the author of Islandeering, picks out five of her favourite places to see them from land.
At the tip of the Eye peninsula, near Stornoway, Tiumpan Head Lighthouse offers front-row views across the Minch. Below it, the strait's deep waters attract whales, dolphins and porpoises, making it one of the UK's best land-based locations for spotting them. Look out for distinctive grey-and-white Risso's dolphins and fin whales, or join the Whale and Dolphin Conservation's Shorewatch team for expert-led sightings.
Coll's wild waters are a summer hotspot for basking sharks, the world's second-largest fish; they're often spotted gliding through the shallows with gaping mouths. From the ferry port at Arinagour you can enjoy stunning views over Mull and the Treshnish Isles, while coastal walks reveal harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins. Keep watch from the shore or ferry — minke whales and common dolphins thrive around this quiet, wildlife-rich island.
On Mull's rugged north coast, the Glengorm estate enjoys sweeping views across the Hebridean Sea, where minke whales, bottlenose dolphins and basking sharks ply the waters. The castle at the estate's heart watches over wonderfully wild landscapes, while the shoreline is a prime spot for marine life. Join the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust rangers every Thursday for a guided whale watch before warming up in the café, or exploring the coastal trails.
• Never mind the Med, I'm longing to be back on Mull
Shetland's southernmost point is a prime spot for orca-watching, thanks to the semi-resident orca pods. From the towering cliffs here are panoramic views over seas where minke whales and porpoises also hunt. The lighthouse above has a welcome café, and a base to explore one of the most accessible seabird and puffin colonies in Britain. Expert advice is available from the on-site Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch team, or check the Shetland Orca & Cetacean Sightings Facebook page.
• Sumburgh Head lighthouse review — like stepping into Springwatch
The Deerness peninsula, on mainland Orkney's wild eastern edge, is a prime spot to watch dolphins and porpoises. Harbour porpoises are often seen gliding through the waves, while white-beaked, white-sided and Risso's dolphins also patrol these rich waters. Dramatic cliffs offer sweeping views of the North Sea, and there is a fabulous coast walk to the Brough of Deerness, a rocky outcrop that was once home to a Viking settlement.
Taken from Islandeering by Lisa Drewe (wildthingspublishing.com £16.99). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
I boarded the world's shortest scheduled flight, with a record time of 53 seconds
'What's your record time?' I asked the pilot, Alex Rendall. 'Fifty-six,' he replied. We both knew we were dealing in seconds here, not minutes. 'Will we beat that today?' Rendall knows this route well, having flown it somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 times. I sensed I was not the first eager passenger to ask him this question. 'There's a bit of wind,' he hesitated. 'But let's see what we can do.' He flicked a few switches and the twin piston engines fired into life. The wheels began to turn and through the window I caught a final glimpse of Westray Airport's terminal, effectively a white shed, staffed by a waving chap in a high-vis jacket. Of its five parking bays, three were empty; one was occupied by a tractor. The plane, a Britten-Norman Islander, is spiritually closer to a bread bin than a Boeing, with space for just eight passengers plus a single pilot. There are no loos. No in-flight entertainment. There's no seat selection, either, as passengers are told where to sit to ensure a fair distribution of weight in the aircraft. Hand luggage is popped in the boot. Today I didn't have any luggage with me, as I was keen to do my bit to make the plane as light as possible. The Westray to Papa Westray flight holds the Guinness World Record as the shortest scheduled flight on Earth, spanning just 1.7 miles, shorter than the runway at Edinburgh Airport. It usually takes around 90 seconds to complete, but former pilot Stuart Linklater, who flew the route more than 12,000 times, once completed it in just 53 seconds. As the wheels lifted from the tarmac I started the timer and indulged in a moment of hope. This could be the day that record was broken. The shortest flight on Earth At an altitude of a few hundred feet, 30 seconds already on the clock, I could see the gentle terrain of Papa Westray emerging like a whale's back surfacing from the sea (a comparison I borrow from local poet George Mackay Brown). As I took in the views with half an eye on my timer, I sensed a wry smile from the woman seated behind me. For Orcadians, this flight is the equivalent of hopping on a bus to go to the dentist. The Westray to Papa Westray route is part of Loganair's Inter-Isles service, connecting six of the more remote Orkney islands with Kirkwall Airport on the 'Mainland'. The network is a public service obligation, in operation since 1967, and locals get discounted tickets. They get first dibs, too, meaning round-trip sightseeing tickets starting from Kirkwall are only allocated to tourists on the day. There is an existential stopwatch hanging over the route, too. In 2014, Orkney Islands Council began looking into a series of fixed links including tunnels, bridges and causeways across seven islands. Those proposals went quiet, but as part of the 2024/2025 budget a £20m fund was allocated to improve inter-island connectivity across Orkney and Shetland. This could be put towards a variety of infrastructural projects, whether it be ferry or road connections, but Labour's Torcuil Crichton described the idea of futuristic tunnels as a 'populist' measure. A one-mile stretch of water now beneath our aircraft, I could see Papa Westray's short air strip, marked by a drystone wall splashed in red and white paint. With a heavy clunk, we touched down, and I clicked stop to see a total flying time of 2 minutes and 7 seconds. It was a shame not to have broken two minutes, but I had no time to wallow, for I had precisely two hours until I would be boarding the flight back to Kirkwall. A tight-knit community (with Hollywood links) My bones still softly vibrating from the flight, I was welcomed onto the island (referred to as 'Papay' by the locals) by the ranger, Jonathan Ford, who was waiting for me at the terminal gate. I had heard about Orkney's islanders having a unique dialect, with Norwegian influences and an inflection similar to Welsh or Irish. But when we hopped into Jon's minibus I detected an English accent. What brought him to this most remote Scottish island? 'The great auk,' he said. 'I came here on Christmas Eve in 2013 to see where they lived. I had become very obsessed with black and white birds, mainly pied wagtails, but that grew into great auks. Obviously I couldn't see them because they're extinct, but I wanted to visit a place where they lived.' The following year the ranger job came up. 'I got the job, sold my house and came here,' he said, in the way someone might describe putting on a coat and popping to the shop. Ten years later, he remains in the post. Life is quiet here. What we just witnessed at the airport, a gathering of half a dozen people, is considered 'rush hour'. The island has a population of 85. People don't drive on the left or the right. 'We just drive straight down the middle,' said Jon. The local school has six students and three members of staff. People don't bother locking their cars, or front doors. Recently, Papay's football team even took part in the inter-island Orkney Cup for the first time. They lost 6-0 in their debut fixture against neighbouring Sanday, but made national news for having three generations of the same family in the starting 11. The heart of the community, however, is the village pub (effectively a pump in the corner of the hostel hall), which was the first stop on our tour. It opens only on Saturdays, and Jon described how the room slowly fills with locals and guests who end up joining tables. As the evening progresses, it often descends into a dance. Recently, there was a particularly famous punter in attendance. In December 2015, Amy Liptrot published her award-winning memoir, The Outrun, about life growing up in Orkney and struggling with addiction. In reality she grew up on Orkney's Mainland, but when the book was adapted into a film, scouts chose Papa Westray as the filming location. The lead star in the film was Saoirse Ronan, who spent many weeks filming on the island and was often seen at the pub during the shoot. A few people have travelled to the island off the back of the film, Jon said, but more seem to come for the flight itself. 'People do come from all over the world just to land at the airport. You can tell them a mile off because they are always dressed very inappropriately,' he laughed. Buildings older than the Pyramids Despite the speedy flight, and the Hollywood star, Papay's main attraction will always be the next stop on our tour: the Knap of Howar. Located in a nondescript field down a farm track, these two sunken houses represent the oldest standing stone buildings in north-west Europe, occupied 5,500 years ago, before the Pyramids had been built. In one you can see an old quern stone, like a giant pestle and mortar, that the neolithic residents would have used to grind grains. With time already running out, we sped up to the Fowl Craig sea cliffs on the northern end of the island. This is the best spot to see visiting seabirds, Jon said, and while the puffin remained elusive on our visit I could see guillemots and razorbills nesting above the crashing Atlantic waters. The biggest bird, however, was perched on land: an exact bronze replica of a great auk, unveiled to the world just days before with Jo Cooper, a curator from the Natural History Museum, in attendance. I looked at my watch and saw that my plane was due to depart in less than 15 minutes. To add to the sense of urgency, in the near distance we could see the plane approaching from the south-east. 'Ah,' said Jonathan. 'Yes, we are cutting it a bit fine now.' We raced back to the car, semi-jogging across the maritime heathland, and Jon zoomed us down the tracks to the airport. At one point the aircraft was directly overhead, and it felt like we were in a budget, very low-stakes action film. Four minutes to take-off. What is it with Papa Westray and races against the clock? We made it, of course. Jon said that even if we were a bit late, the pilot would have waited. And without so much as a check of my identity or evidence of a ticket, I hurried onto the runway, ducked under the wing and squeezed into my seat into the bread bin cabin. Next stop, Kirkwall. Spanning 27 miles and lasting 15 minutes, the journey felt practically long-haul. Getting there The Westray to Papa Westray flight is operated by Loganair and starts from £16. A sightseer round-trip ticket starting in Kirkwall costs £50, but this is subject to availability and can only be booked on the day of travel. Orkney Ferries operates services between Kirkwall, Papa Westray and Westray. Book a tour You can join Jonathan Ford, the Papa Westray Ranger, on a tour of the island starting from £60 per adult for a full day. He also skippers boats to the Holm of Papay (£30 per person) and can organise a packed lunch from the Northern Delights Cafe (£7.50). Where to stay Papa Westray has a charming, recently refurbished community-run hostel with six rooms – all with showers and sea views. Double occupancy starts from £72 per night, based on a minimum two-night stay. There are also two camping bothies which start from £62 for twin occupancy.
Times
18 hours ago
- Times
16 of the most beautiful places in Scotland
For many, Scotland is all about the great outdoors: hiking through Highland glens lined with lochs that look like slices of fallen sky, exploring the giant forests of Perth and Kinross, its rivers rippling with salmon. If the weather gets rough, there'll be a rugged castle at hand, usually with a legend attached, and a distillery tour just down the road. And then there are its biggest cities, Glasgow for cutting-edge arts and breezy good humour, and architecturally elegant Edinburgh, the serious seat of government — two cities that couldn't be more different if they tried. My mother comes from the Isle of Skye, so for many years family holidays were annual pilgrimages north to rendezvous with cousins, scramble up mountains and stagger into peat bogs, cursing at midges. In more recent years I've ranged more widely across the whole country, particularly for my book Four Scottish Journeys. And I am pleased to say that the days when the accommodation was basic and the food was mainly beige have long since gone. There's every kind of quality — here are the most beautiful places to start. This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue There is a deeply spiritual aura to this little green chip of land that lies off the southwestern corner of the island of Mull. Iona has been a place of pilgrimage ever since St Columba arrived in AD563 and today pilgrims step off the ferry and weave their way to Iona Abbey. At Iona's northern tip is the White Strand of the Monks, springy machair — wildflower-rich grassland — lined with white sand. The turquoise water is the perfect backdrop for contemplation while watching the gannets dive into the Sound. The island is at its best when the day-trippers have gone, so stay over at the St Columba Hotel and enjoy produce from its organic garden. If there's anything that epitomises wild and romantic Scotland, it's the northwest coast up to Cape Wrath, the most exhilarating stretch of the popular North Coast 500 driving route. It begins at Applecross, a remote peninsula reached by a dramatic switchback road. Halfway up the coast is Ullapool, a free-spirited ferry port on Loch Broom, full of creativity and gastronomy. And while hiking Cape Wrath itself is only advisable for the fit and brave, this northwestern tip has surprisingly fine white sand beaches at Balnakeil. Stay in Ullapool's Ceilidh Place, where there's live music most nights. • Read our full guide to Scotland The Dukes of Atholl, who some 200 years ago owned most of the land between Perth and Inverness, planted 25 million trees, including larch, Douglas fir, maple, western hemlock and redwood, which is why this region has been designated Big Tree Country. The Queen's View, a historic viewpoint high above Loch Tummel, is particularly fabulous in autumn. Key resorts are Victorian Pitlochry and genteel Dunkeld, on the silvery Tay, where you should stay in the Dunkeld House Hotel for riverbank views. It's a 20-minute walk downstream to Birnam Wood, as mentioned in Macbeth. The Great Glen is a giant fissure that runs diagonally from Fort William in the west to Inverness in the east. Several lochs line its length, including awe-inspiring Loch Ness, and there's a long-distance trail to pack your walking boots for too ( The lochs have all been linked to create the Caledonian Canal, connecting sea with sea, with cruises and boat rental. Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, at 1,345m (4,413ft), looms over its western end by Fort William. The Ben is an arduous but straightforward 11-mile hike for the fit and the well prepared. Stay above Loch Ness in the quirky-cum-traditional Whitebridge Hotel. Regularly cited as the most remote part of mainland British Isles, Knoydart is a mountainous peninsula on the west coast, opposite the Isle of Skye, with eagles overhead and whales and dolphins offshore; you can look out for all on a boat trip. A handful of small settlements are distributed along its only road, with the main community and Britain's most remote pub, the Old Forge, gathered at Inverie on a sheltered bay in Loch Nevis, where regular ferries connect it to the port of Mallaig. Stay at Doune Knoydart, which is on the peninsula's point looking towards Skye. • More great hotels in the Highlands Too often overlooked in the hurry to get north, the peninsulas around Scotland's west coast south of Oban are delightful tessellations of water and land. Probably the best known is the dangling Mull of Kintyre, mainly thanks to Paul McCartney and his song of the same name. Here you'll find Campbeltown, which is well known for its whisky festival held in May, and on a clear day you can see Northern Ireland from its west coast. Moving north, other notable landmarks are the Crinan Canal and the Ardfern peninsula, busy with yachts in summer. Don't miss Seil, with its Bridge over the Atlantic, which may sound grand but is actually a narrow tidal stream. Here you can get cosy in Ardfern's Galley of Lorne Inn, popular with overnighting yachtsmen. The Heart 200 is a much easier and more varied drive than the North Coast 500 and does what its name suggests, looping around Scotland's striking heartlands, linking the towns of Stirling, Crieff, Perth, Dunkeld, Pitlochry, Aberfeldy and Callander. That means gorgeous castles at Stirling, endless golf courses at Gleneagles, great whiskies at Dewar's distillery in Aberfeldy, a thriving salmon river in the Tay and plenty of brilliant hiking routes, particularly the two-and-a-half-mile Birks of Aberfeldy circuit. Aberfeldy is the centre point of Scotland, so the Fortingall boutique hotel just outside the town in Glen Lyon makes for a handy place to stay. • More great Scottish road trips• Best Airbnbs in Scotland It's the archetype of mystical and romantic Scotland — eagles overhead, deer in the glens, lochs that look like fallen slices of sky, and the Cuillin mountains rising into the mist. Skye's clan legends and crofting culture have long attracted visitors, but until the opening of the bridge that linked it to the mainland, its hospitality was spartan. These days the island has new distilleries, great gastronomy and hotel accommodation, and that has encouraged a steady flow of film directors who come to use the dramatic landscapes of the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr as locations. The Bracken Hide is a stylish base, with glamping pods and an excellent bar. • Best luxury hotels in Scotland• Best spa hotels in Scotland The border between England and Scotland has long been heavily contested, which is perhaps why the towns that lie just to its north — the likes of Melrose, Hawick, Kelso and Coldstream — have been such a force in Scottish rugby, and in the Scottish military, over the years. This is a place of handsome Georgian and Victorian town centres, of striking abbey ruins (at Melrose), and of rolling hills that nurture salmon rivers (the Tweed). It is also the location of grand country mansions such as Abbotsford, the home of author Sir Walter Scott. Schloss Roxburghe is the place to lay your head nearby, with huge, old-world rooms and a great spa. Each of the Outer Hebrides has its own natural beauty. Barra is rugged, with its airstrip making use of a tidal beach. The Uists are low lying and waterlogged, lined on the west with springy wildflower-rich machair. But it is Lewis and Harris, two separate 'islands' but actually the same lump of land, which have the big-ticket attractions. On Harris it's the west coast's Caribbean-style white sand beaches such as Luskentyre, plus the architect-designed homes (some of which you can rent out). On Lewis, the standing stones at Callanish draw the visitors — as does Stornoway, the metropolis of the Outer Hebrides. As for where to bed down after a day of exploring, consider the boutique, modern Hotel Hebrides, conveniently located right by the Tarbert pier. The archipelago that lies offshore from John O'Groats is quite unlike the Scottish Highlands. Orcadian accents are far gentler, reflecting Scandinavian origins, and the land is smoother and more fertile, well suited for grazing. Most remarkable on Mainland, the biggest of the islands, are the neolithic tombs and excavated villages, which had to be well built to withstand the weather. Also long-lasting is the tradition of the Ba' Game, a rugby-related mass scrum that rampages through the main town of Kirkwall every winter. Stay at the centrally located Ferry Inn for its comfortable rooms, bar, and restaurant serving posh pub grub. • What to do in Orkney Not as well-trodden as their northern relatives Skye and Mull, the Southern Hebrides are gentler, quieter landscapes, well worth an island-hopping odyssey. Colonsay, reached by ferry from Oban, is a land of farms and immaculate beaches, particularly up at Kiloran. Islay, which is ferry-connected to Colonsay and to the mainland, is whisky heaven, with nine distilleries, including Bowmore, Ardbeg and Laphroaig, all producing distinctive and peaty single malts. Family-run Port Askaig Hotel is known for its seafood and proximity to some of Islay's best beaches. • Best distillery tours in Scotland Ben Nevis may be the highest of Scotland's mountains, but the wildest are in the Cairngorms National Park, which cover a massive 1,748 square miles. Among the tops, a series of plateaux create a bleak, boulder-strewn semi-tundra, littered with rocky outcrops and rich in wild species such as capercaillie and golden eagle, as well as the UK's only free-ranging herd of reindeer. Aviemore is the adventure hub, but also in the national park is Braemar, known for the annual Braemar Gathering with its Highland games. For a unique, stylish stay, book into the Fife Arms, a former coaching inn in Braemar with a fabulous art collection and a fittingly cool crowd. Read our full review of the Fife Arms The Neuk (nook) of Fife is an intimate place of fishing villages such as Crail and Pittenweem, whose red-roofed cottages cluster together along the harbour wall. Colourful boats bob in the bay, and Pittenweem still has a morning fish market, mostly for lobster and crab. Further round the Neuk, the scene changes at St Andrews. This handsome town is dominated by two institutions, the Royal and Ancient, one of the most historic golf clubs in the world, and the university, which attracts students from the top echelons of society, including royalty. The Peat Inn is the place to stay, a 15-minute drive from East Neuk's villages, with elegant rooms and an excellent, Michelin-starred restaurant. This hugely accessible national park just north of Glasgow has a bit of everything. Scenic Loch Lomond is a place of boat cruises and water sports, with the long-distance West Highland Way following its eastern shore. There are more cruises over in neighbouring Loch Katrine, which visitors can cruise aboard the steamship Sir Walter Scott. Between the lochs, the hills and glens are cloaked in oak and fir, particularly around the adventure centre of Aberfoyle. And finally, several mountains rise silently out of the northern part of the park, a foretaste of the wilderness beyond. Cameron House has an unbeatable location on the southwest banks of Loch Lomond, as well as a sprawling spa and rooftop infinity pool. A dramatic set of hills, the seat of government, a famous castle, a major annual festival and a long literary tradition — it's hard to know where to begin with the Scottish capital. Experience the views from Edinburgh Castle, which hosts its Royal Military Tattoo every August; take a ghost tour through the dank alleys and staircases of the Old Town; and see the elegant New Town, which — despite the name — is mostly from the late 18th century. Affordable stays in Edinburgh aren't always easy to come by, but we love 3 John's Place, which has B&B doubles from just over £100. • More great affordable hotels in Edinburgh• Best restaurants in Edinburgh
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Major blow dealt to plans for controversial Flamingo Land resort in Scotland
Plans for a controversial holiday park in Loch Lomond have been stalled by the Scottish Government. Ministers had been expected to give permission for the resort development but have now reconsidered due to its 'potential impact on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park'. Operated by Flamingo Land, the proposed £40m resort was set to feature a monorail, waterpark, hotel and restaurants. Ivan McKee, Scotland's Minister for Public Finance, said he is now recalling the plans as 'the appeal should be determined at a national level', reports the BBC. The original proposal was first rejected in September 2024 amid protests by local residents. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park authority said the park did not comply with environmental policies. Flamingo Land then appealed to the Scottish government reporter who had said they planned to allow the resort as long as Flamingo Land signed a legal agreement with the national park. But following the recall, the final decision on the Flamingo Land resort's future will now be made by ministers. Ross Greer, a Scottish Green MSP, said McKee's decision to recall the plans was the 'right move'. He said: 'Once ministers consider the flood risk, loss of ancient woodland, hundreds of additional cars which would have be brought onto notoriously congested roads and the litany of other devastating impacts it would have, I am sure they will reject the mega-resort application and finally end this decade-long saga.' Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie also welcomed the decision, claiming that the SNP had 'ignored concerns' about the park 'time and time again'. The Balloch and Haldane Community Council said it had had more than 50,000 new objections to the plans last week. Flamingo Land submitted updated plans for its park in 2020 and described the development, set to be called Lomond Banks, as a 'major step away' from its other theme park style resorts. The company currently runs the Flamingo Land resort in North Yorkshire which offers amusement rides and exotic animals.
