Around Inverness Accommodation

The sandy expanes along the Moray Firth coast

Dolphin watching boat trips are popular to see Moray First dolphins

Plenty of boat trips are available all around the Moray Firth

Moray Firth Dolphin Watching Boat Trips Scotland

The coastline bordering the Moray Firth has a string of sandy beaches that have been popular seaside resorts for some time with plenty of B&B and hotel accommodation as well as caravan parks. The main towns along the Moray Firth coast are Forres, Lossiemouth, Buckie, Cullen as well as Nairn and Elgin slightly further inland. These are generally smaller towns but with services, tourist attractions and museums of their own that are well worth a visit. Accommodation in these towns give you a good base for exploring the distilleries, museums and historic sights of the region.

These days the Moray Coast is most famous for its resident populations of bottle-nosed dolphins which you can see by taking a boat trip from one of the nearby towns. From land Fort George, Nairn, Lossiemouth, Spey Bay and Cullen are good places where you might catch a glimpse of some of the dolphins. Alternatively boat trips running from all around the Moray Firth and Black Isle are the most experienced at finding dolphins, whales, seals and birdlife.

Moray Firth Dolphin Watching Boat Trips

These days the Moray Firth is most famous for its three resident populations of bottle-nosed dolphins which you can see by taking a boat trip from one of the towns on the Moray Coast.

From land Fort George, Nairn, Lossiemouth, Spey Bay and Cullen as well as Chanonry Point, North Kessock and Cromarty on the Black Isle are all good places where you might catch a glimpse of them breaking the water near the shore. The best time to see some of the 130 dolphins estimated to be resident in the Moray's waters is between May and September. Common and grey seals, minke whales and otters are also often spotted as well as a wealth of seabirds.

In an effort to minimise impacts of boat trips on the dolphins reputable companies are registered with the Dolphin Space Programme by which they abide by a code of conduct. This scheme has been brought together after research indicated that additional boat traffic was causing the dolphins an amount of increased stress particularly during the breeding season. The Wildlife Tour Boat Operator's Society is a group of eight operators who work together to ensure care is taken when operating tours and that a professional service is delivered. Companies offering dolphin watching boat trips are listed in the weblinks right. Fishing and diving trips are also offered by some of these companies. Mackenzie Charter in Portmahomack doesn't have a website but can be contacted at: Mackenzie Charter, Portmahomack, Mobile: 07970 220723. Tel: 01862 871257. Email: agrimole@aol.com.

The Friends of the Moray Firth Dolphins are a volunteer group who are keen to raise awareness of the dolphins. They produce some useful information on their website on how to identify different species of dolphins and whales, tips on dolphin watching, as well as a listing of recent sightings and there is a downloadable form for you to submit your sightings to them. The information they collect is then passed on to Aberdeen University as well as several other conservation and research societies.

Moray Coastal Trail

A good way to get out and see the beauty of the Moray Coast is by following the Moray Coastal Trail. This is a waymarked route from Forres to Cullen taking you along the coast for some fantastic views across the Moray Firth. The route is split up into sections so you can just walk a part of it or join several routes together. The guide produced by Moray Council points out some of the interest you're likely to see on the way as well as wildlife, shops, toilets and car parks. It also tells you the distance of that particular section of the walk and the terrain so you can make sure you're suitably prepared.

Check the Moray Council website for more information (weblink right) or for information or advice on the path network contact the Moray Coast Ranger Service on Tel: 01343 557048 (Mobile 07967 748937).

The Moray Coastal Trail forms part of the longer Moray Firth Trail which incorporates footpaths for 470 miles of coastline. It stretches from John O'Groats in the far north east of Scotland down to the lowlands of Moray.

There are web based maps and guides available from the Moray Firth Trail website, link right, to help you plan your route. These are themed by a Walks Map or a Sites of Interest Map.

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