Top 4 Tailormade Wildlife Holiday Destinations in Scotland

Within the United Kingdom, Scotland is a rich and diverse destination for nature enthusiasts to visit on a tailormade wildlife holiday. The trickiest question is, where to go? Scotland’s varied habitats make for a wide variety of potential trips, whether seeing sea bird colonies and incredibly localised flora in the Orkneys, searching for Wildcat and Pine Marten in the Ardnamurchan peninsula, climbing Ben Lawers to see its Alpine flora, or setting sail to the islands of Islay and Jura for wild geese and Grey Seals.

Orkneys

The Orkneys, a group of islands just a short ferry ride or flight from the Scottish mainland, are a perfect location for a tailormade wildlife holiday. It is said of the Orkneys that you need only take a trowel to the ground and you will find archaeology: over 5,000 years of human habitation have left their mark on the archipelago. In such a fascinating setting, looking for local fauna and flora is even more memorable. Botanists will delight in a sighting of the incredibly localised Scottish Primrose and Oyster Plant, while birders will enjoy the large sea bird colonies of Noup Head on the island of Westray and the moorland Short-eared Owl and Hen Harrier inland. There is also the possibility of seeing seals, Otters and the Orkneys’ endemic Orkney Vole.

Ben Lawers

Ben Lawers (1,214 m) has a well-deserved reputation as one of the finest locations in the United Kingdom for alpine plants. Getting to the best sites on the mountain requires some strenuous walking, but for the fitter botanists it is an incredibly rewarding part of the itinerary on a tailormade wildlife holiday. From boggy glacial drift to rocky slopes, Ben Lawers is sure to excite, with plant species including the sought-after Snow Gentian, Drooping Saxifrage and Net-leaved Willow, the acid-based Bog Asphodel and Cotton Grass, and the delightful Scottish Asphodel, Alpine Saw-wort, Alpine Forget-me-not, Yellow Mountain Saxifrage and Rock Speedwell.

Ardnamurchan peninsula

The Ardnamurchan peninsula is the westernmost part of the United Kingdom mainland and home to a splendid selection of flora and fauna, making it an ideal place to visit on a tailormade wildlife holiday. From a local base, enthusiasts can search for the elusive and beautiful Wildcat and Pine Marten, as well as Red Fox, Badger and deer in the woodlands, Otters, seals and birds along the shore, and even Minke Whales on an excursion to nearby small islands.

Islay and Jura

The Hebrides islands of Islay and Jura are yet another stunning destination in Scotland with an especially rich bird population — and, of course, the famous malt whiskies. Islay is considered one of the United Kingdom’s principal places for wild geese, as well as considerable populations of Greater Scaup and Black Guillemot. The rugged island of Jura offers Grey Seals, Otter cubs, deer and wild flowers that grow in air warmed by the Gulf Stream.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re looking for a tailormade wildlife holiday Naturetrek specialises in expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

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