whale watching

[jacob]

Could anyone inform me on what would be a nice spot for whale watching in April, not with a tourboot, simply from the mainland, rather not too far away from the Kyle of Lochalsh area?
Many thanks in advance.

[jmarkb]

Your best chances would be on Skye: the nearest WDC Shorewatch site is Armadale Pier http://www.wdcs.org/national_regions/scotland/shorewatch/shorewatch_sites.php
Neist Point is supposedly a good spot, and Point of Sleat might also be worth a try. You will need some luck though, and calm sea conditions. Your chances of seeing something are probably a lot higher from a boat.

[Skyelines]

I've heard of people seeing whales from Rubha Hunish https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/rubhahunish.shtml and I had a sighting of possibly a Minke whale from near Duntulm last year. Too far out to be sure, 600mm lens on the camera but didn't get the shot before it disappeared.

The "season" for whale sightings is generally regarded as from May to September with the peak being around August although there are whales around Scotland all year.

[jacob]

Many thanks to the both of you! Very helpful.

[KatTai]

This may help you pick out a good spot - https://whaletrack.hwdt.org/sightings-map/ you can select by species and also by the date so you can see what has been seen where in April (handy to look at just before you go to see if anything has been reported too). Unfortunately April isn't the peak time for whale sightings.

[jacob]

Thank you as well KatTai, very useful.
I know April is slightly of-season, but hey...midgefree whalewatching counts for something as well, doesn't it? Beats seeing whales through a cloud of the little beasties anytime if you ask me.

[jmarkb]

Beats seeing whales through a cloud of the little beasties anytime if you ask me.

Indeed - sitting still on a calm day in the middle of midge season on Skye is not recommended!

[Caberfeidh]

I often see whales from the ferries to Lewis from Ullapool and Harris from Uig on the North end of Skye, also Raasay - a very short ten minute trip from Sconser on Skye which is on the Portree bus route from Kyle. Raasay is also good for walks and wildlife like otters, seals, deer and birds. The south end of the Isle of Raasay looks out over the channels between the islands of Scalpay, Raasay and Skye so any marine mammals are going to pass through the channels, making them easier to see. Basking sharks sometimes show themselves too. At Staffin Bay on the North-East part of Skye I saw a Minke Whale, I was out in my canoe when I heard a snort like a horse, and when I looked round there was the big back of a whale arching over to dive. Dolphins sometimes cavort in Loch Ainort but that is not easy to get to from Kyle unless you don't mind hitching. https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/raasay/raasay/index.html

Neist Point Cliffs - careful now...

Pilot Whales

[jacob]

thanks Caberfeidh for your advice as well.

[brian2434]

The forum won't let me post a link as I've not posted enough but lots of land based whale watching locations here whaletrail dot org