Centuries of hunting, habitat loss and persecution have made Britain and Ireland among the most wildlife-scarce countries in the world. But while we have lost our bears and wolves, great auks and Irish elk, the British Isles remain remarkably rich in whales and dolphins. About a quarter of all known species of marine cetaceans occur in our waters. So when news recently emerged from Cornwall of a humpback whale trapped in fishing gear, it became clear that these enormous beasts are closer to home than we might think.
The idea of ocean giants around our coasts may be surprising, but the Cornish humpback whale was by no means an isolated sighting. “They are being seen in increasing numbers in Britain,” said Hannah Wilson of Marine Discovery, a boat trip organizer who helped free the Easter person. “We’re also getting a lot more dolphins because climate change is affecting food distribution, bringing the animals closer to the coast. Humpback whales have recovered since the end of commercial whaling, so it is likely we will see more as they repopulate their range.”
It’s not just in the Southwest that cetacean encounters are booming. “I grew up birdwatching on the North Yorkshire coast in the 1980s and I can’t remember anyone seeing a whale at the time,” says Richard Baines of Yorkshire Coast Nature (yorkshirecoastnature.co.uk). “Now we see minke whales on most of our seabird and whale adventure trips.”
With another operator, Farne Islands Tours (farneislandstours.co.uk), also flying along the east coast, sightings in the North Sea are becoming increasingly reliable. Other epicenters of whale and dolphin activity around the British Isles include Les Écréhous Reef in Jersey, the west coast of Ireland and the Celtic Deep in Wales. But the most productive cetacean sightings are in Scotland, especially in the north and west.
Here the Shetlands perform well for killer whales, with a semi-residential population expanded by Icelandic transients who migrate to hunt seals. Sperm whales, fin whales, pilot whales and minke whales are also frequent visitors, and an Arctic beluga whale was even spotted here in January.
The harvest is even richer on the scattered western islands. Their secret is The Minch: a channel between the mainland and the Outer Hebrides that attracts sea, 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 that ever lived – are no strangers here. Conditions are so ideal that it is also possible to spot whales from land, a prospect supported by the Hebridean Whale Trail’s 30-strong network of whale watching sites.
Calm, flat sea conditions from May through September provide optimal whale watching, when plankton blooms attract schools of fish on which whales feed. Could the British Isles one day rival Cape Cod, the Azores and other whaling hotspots? “Geography is against us,” says Hannah Wilson. “We lack the deep water gorges and nutrient upwellings that encourage large whales to linger, nor are we on major migration routes. So while dolphins are becoming increasingly common here in Cornwall, encounters with really big whales are likely to remain rare – but incredible – sensations.”
Five British dolphin and whale experiences
Land’s End leviathans
Cornwall’s Wild West (where the humpback whale was rescued at Easter) is a certified hotspot for marine life. Expect to spy dolphins, seals and basking sharks on a four-hour Marine Discovery trip from Penzance (from £57pp, marinediscovery.co.uk). Sailing on a catamaran provides stability and comfort on a journey that combines coastal habitats with the deep-water fishing grounds of cetaceans (actual routes depend on sea conditions and recent sightings). Nearby, stay in the rolling countryside at Rosehendra, a stone barn conversion between Penzance and Marazion. A week of self-catering in May costs from £892 (for four people; luxecoastal.co.uk).
Western Islands
Boat trips are no fun if you suffer from seasickness, but in Scotland whale watching from land can rival 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 self-drive tour of the Highlands and Islands with kayaking, hiking and paddleboarding to complete the experience. The 13-night trip starts and ends in Fort William and costs from £1,645 pp, 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).
All at sea
By maximizing the time spent in the animals’ environment, small ship cruises offer many whale watching opportunities. Hurtigruten’s nine-night voyage from Edinburgh to Iceland sails via the Shetlands (an archipelago known for its killer whale sightings) and Fair Isle and the Orkneys (departing June 29, 2024, from £3,390 pp with £300 onboard credit, mundyadventures.co .uk). Or go without flights on an eight-day Scotland’s Scenic Isles route, round trip from Newcastle on May 28 with Fred Olsen, taking in the Orkneys, Small Isles and The Minch with an expert from conservation organization ORCA to locate and identify species (from £1,199pp, fredolsencruises.com).
Immersion in wildlife
Whale watching is just one highlight on this week-long guided tour to the Isle of Mull Wildlife Extravaganza. As well as heading to The Minch to look for porpoises, minke whales and several species of dolphins, the tour (led by presenters Mike Dilger and Nick Baker) focuses on puffins, hen harriers, short-eared owls and both golden and white-tailed turtles. eagles (of which Mull may have the greatest density in Western Europe). Accommodation is available at Knock House on the 32,000 acre Benmore estate. From £2,295 pp, including half-board accommodation, guided excursions and return ferry from Oban (departs June 9, 2024; wildlifeworldwide.com).
Into the deep
Although intentional swimming with cetaceans is not allowed in Britain, these curious mammals do not play by our rules. During Celtic Deep’s trips to swim with blue sharks off the Pembrokeshire coast, dolphins regularly come to them for encounters on their own terms. The boat itself is a platform from which you can spy pilot, fin and minke whales, plus other ocean giants like basking sharks and bluefin tuna. The full-day tours are available from July to October and cost £195pp (celticdeep.org). Stay at Tŷ Milford Waterfront Hotel, whose overwater ‘floatel’ huts complement the maritime experience (two-night stays in July from £392, ty-hotels.com).