Pickings are even richer in the scattered Western Isles. Their secret is The Minch: a channel between the mainland and Outer Hebrides that attracts sei, fin, humpback and pilot whales with reasonable frequency, plus much more commonly sighted porpoises, bottlenose dolphins and minke whales. Even blue whales – the largest animal ever to have lived – are not unknown here. Conditions are so ideal that it’s also possible to whale-watch from land, a prospect aided by the Hebridean Whale Trail’s 30-strong network of cetacean locations.
Calm, flat-sea conditions from May through September offer optimal whale-spotting, when plankton blooms attract shoals of fish upon which whales feed. So could the British Isles one day compete with Cape Cod, the Azores and other whale hotspots? “Geography is against us,” says Hannah Wilson. “We lack the deep-water canyons and nutrient upwellings that encourage great whales to linger, plus we’re not on any major migration routes. So although dolphins are increasingly commonplace here in Cornwall, brushes with really big whales will likely remain rare – but incredible – thrills.”
Cornwall’s wild west (where the humpback whale was rescued over Easter) is a certified sealife hotspot. Expect to spy dolphins, seals and basking sharks on a four-hour Marine Discovery voyage departing from Penzance (from £57pp, marinediscovery.co.uk). Sailing on a catamaran ensures stability and comfort for a trip combining coastal habitats with the cetaceans’ deep-water fishing grounds (actual itineraries depend on sea conditions and recent sightings). Stay nearby in rolling countryside at Rosehendra, a stone barn conversion located between Penzance and Marazion. A week’s self-catering in May costs from £892 (sleeps four; luxurycoastal.co.uk).
Boat trips are no fun if you suffer from seasickness but in Scotland, land-based whale-watching rivals that at sea. Harris, Lewis and Skye are home to several Hebridean Whale Trail sites (whaletrail.org). Visit Kilt Rock, Tiumpan Head, the Butt of Lewis and others on a Highlands & Islands self-drive tour with kayaking, hiking and paddleboarding to round out the experience. The 13-night trip starts and ends in Fort William and costs from £1,645pp, including B&B accommodation, ferry crossings, various activities and detailed directions for the self-guided elements. Travel to/from Fort William not included (adventuretoursuk.com).
By maximising time spent in the animals’ environment, small-ship cruises abound in whale-spotting potential. Hurtigruten’s nine-night Edinburgh to Iceland voyage sails via the Shetlands (an archipelago renowned for orca sightings) as well as Fair Isle and the Orkneys (departs June 29, 2024, from £3,390pp with £300 on-board credit, mundyadventures.co.uk). Or go flight-free on an eight-night Scotland’s Scenic Isles itinerary sailing round-trip from Newcastle on May 28 with Fred Olsen, taking in the Orkneys, Small Isles and The Minch alongside an expert from wildlife charity ORCA to locate and identify species (from £1,199pp, fredolsencruises.com).
Whale-watching is just one highlight on this week-long Isle of Mull Wildlife Extravaganza escorted tour. As well as heading into The Minch to seek harbour porpoises, minke whales and various species of dolphin, the tour (led by presenters Mike Dilger and Nick Baker) focuses on puffins, hen harriers, short-eared owls and both golden and white-tailed eagles (for which Mull has perhaps the greatest density in Western Europe). Accommodation throughout is at Knock House in the 32,000-acre Benmore Estate. From £2,295pp, including half-board accommodation, guided excursions and return ferry from Oban (departs June 9, 2024; wildlifeworldwide.com).
Although deliberately swimming with cetaceans in the UK is not allowed, these curious mammals don’t play by our rules. On Celtic Deep’s tours to swim with blue sharks off Pembrokeshire, dolphins frequently approach for encounters on their own terms. The boat itself is a platform from which to spy pilot, fin and minke whales, plus other ocean giants such as basking sharks and bluefin tuna. Available from July to October, the full-day tours cost £195pp (celticdeep.org). Stay at Milford Waterfront’s Tŷ Hotel, whose on-the-water “floatel” cabins complement the maritime experience (two-night July stays from £392, ty-hotels.com).
