From majestic red deer to comical puffins and soaring sea eagles, Scotland’s seas, skies and shores are home to a huge range of incredible wildlife – and there’s no better way to discover them than by undertaking a #LegendarySailing adventure!
We’ve picked out just a few of Scotland’s amazing animals – along with where and when to see them – to help you explore our wild places and discover the wild things that call them home.
Create your own unforgettable moments as you sail Scotland and make sure you share them with us on social media by tagging them with #LegendarySailing or uploading them to our gallery!
Bottlenose dolphins
Where to see them: Moray Firth
When to see them: Spring/summer
One of the best places in Europe to see dolphins in the wild, the marvellous Moray Firth is estimated to be home to more than 130 of the playful creatures. Set sail for a magical experience as you watch them frolic in this stunning ocean inlet.
(c) Sue Middleton
Puffins
Where to see them: St Kilda, Mull, Shetland
When to see them: Spring
These comical wee birds bring their lovably clownish faces back to Scotland each spring, where they never fail to enthral visitors with their antics. Seek some #LegendarySailing and head for the lost world of St Kilda. This isolated archipelago is home to soaring sea cliffs, abandoned villages, unforgettable landscapes – and the largest colony of puffins in Europe.
(c) Mark Entwistle
Grey seals
Where to see them: Isle of May, Moray Firth
When to see them: Year-round
While you can see these beautiful creatures (Scotland’s largest species of seal) sunning themselves on the coasts or gliding through the water year-round, head to the Isle of May or the Moray Firth between late September and late November and you might just catch a glimpse of a grey seal pup!
(c) Gary Newbury
White-tailed sea eagles
Where to see them: Skye, Rum, Mull
When to see them: Year-round
The UK’s largest bird of prey, these giants of the sky have a wingspan of almost 2.5 metres and stand nearly a metre tall! Watching one of these majestic birds soaring through the sky before diving and snatching prey from the sea is a breathtaking experience – the very definition of #LegendarySailing!
(c) Eddy Lane
Basking sharks
Where to see them: West Coast
When to see them: Summer
Set sail for the West Coast between May and September and you might just find yourself sharing its waters with the second biggest fish on the planet – the mighty basking shark. Don’t worry – these gentle giants only feed on plankton – but seeing them glide through the water, mouths agape, is a humbling, epic experience.
Orca
Where to see them: Orkney, Shetland
When to see them: Summer
Catching a glimpse of the “whale of the kingdom of the dead” as it scythes through the sea is something you won’t easily forget. These massive mammals – the largest member of the dolphin family, despite their name – are rare but can be spotted off the shores of the Sheltand and Orkney islands in summer.
Red deer
Where to see them: Jura, Arran
When to see them: Autumn
The red deer stag – majestic, noble and powerful – is one of the undeniable symbols of Scotland. Set sail for the wild, untamed and utterly unforgettable island of Jura for the chance to see its famous herds of red deer, which outnumber its human inhabitants by 25 to 1! Head there in the autumn for the chance to see in an incredible (and violent) spectacle as the island’s stags battle for dominance and the right to mate with the females – but be sure to keep your distance!
Red squirrel
Where to see them: Highlands
When to see them: Year-round
Home to 75% of the UK’s population, there’s no better place than Scotland to see these pretty wee animals. Much smaller (and fluffier!) than their grey counterparts, you can spot them dashing around the forests of the Highlands year-round. Taking a trip to seek them out? Bring hazelnuts – these wee beauties love them!
