Shore-based Whale And Dolphin Watching

***Click here for details about our dedicated Shorewatch Programme or read on to learn about opportunities to see whales and dolphins from land in Scotland.

Seeing whales and dolphins in their natural environment can be an unforgettable experience… and it’s right on your doorstep in the UK! Scotland has an outstanding diversity of cetacean watching opportunities with its extensive coastline, numerous headlands and rich inshore waters. All you really need in order to have a chance of seeing a whale or dolphin is a view of the sea and a bit of patience.

If you want to see a cetacean in person, consider whether watching for whales and dolphins from land may be the best choice for the animals and for you! During a shore-based encounter, you will be able to see whales and dolphins behaving naturally in their own environment. You can watch as many times as you wish, for as long as you want, and be certain that you are not disturbing them from feeding or resting. A shore watch can also be tailored exactly to your own interests, budget, comfort, and experience by picking a site that meets your needs. You could prioritise proximity to facilities, opportunity to see other wildlife or a solitary, tranquil encounter at a more remote site.

*Don’t forget that anytime you have a view of the sea is an opportunity to see cetaceans in the wild if you keep an eye on the water. Some of the best land-based encounters may come when you’re out walking the dog or having a picnic and not specifically looking for dolphins!

Find out more about the whales and dolphins that you can see in Scottish waters and worldwide by browsing through our Species Guide.

Have a dolphin encounter…
If you want to watch the dolphins this summer, there are fanstastic land-based watching spots all along the Moray Firth Coast. WDCS runs two coastal visitor centres which are great places to start your land-based watching and staff there can also direct you to other land-based watching locations to suit your needs. Alternatively, check out our map of the Best Sites for Whale and Dolphin Watching in the Moray Firth.

Help to protect our dolphins…
Know the ABCDs of Responsible Wildlife Watching (Awareness, Behaviour, Code of Conduct, Disturbance) and help others to be aware of them as well. This will improve your chance of seeing wildlife, help to minimise disturbance to wildlife, and tell you what to do if you see an act of disturbance. If you choose to take a boat trip out to see the dolphins, please choose an operator who is accredited through the Dolphin Space Programme (Moray Firth) or Wildlife Safe Scheme.

Become a shore watcher…
Join our staff and volunteers on the hour at the centres and try your hand at focused shore watching. We can answer any questions you have and would love to hear your stories about seeing dolphins in the wild! If you are interested in helping to monitor a local site with regular shore watches, contact us and we’ll get you trained up and watching the sea!

Do you have any favourite shore watching sites in Scotland? Let us know.