Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE DOLPHINS OF THE MORAY FIRTH
The
Moray Firth
, a great wedge-shaped bay forming the eastern coastline of the Highlands, is
one of only three areas of UK waters that support a resident population of
dolphins
. Around
200 of these beautiful, intelligent marine mammals live in the estuary, the most northerly
breeding ground in Europe for this particular species - the bottle-nosed dolphin (
Tursiops
truncatus
) - and you stand a good chance of spotting a few, either from the shore or a boat.
One of the best places in Scotland, if not in Europe, to look for them is
Chanonry Point
, on
the Black Isle - a spit of sand protruding into a narrow, deep channel, where converging
currents bring fish close to the surface, and thus the dolphins close to shore; a rising tide is the
most likely time to see them.
Several companies run dolphin-spotting
boat trips
around the Moray Firth. However,
researchers claim that the increased tra
c is causing the dolphins unnecessary stress,
particularly during the all-important breeding period when passing vessels are thought to
force calves underwater for uncomfortably long periods. So if you decide to go on a cruise to
see the dolphins, which also sometimes provides the chance of spotting minke whales,
porpoises, seals and otters, make sure that the operator is a member of the Dolphin Space
Programme's accreditation scheme (
W
dolphinspace.org).
11
noon, 1.30pm and 3pm. When demand warrants it,
they also run a two-and-a-half-hour cruise to Fort
George (see p.420) and Chanorny Point (£25).
Dolphin Trips Avoch
On the northern side of the firth
in Avoch
T
01381 622383,
W
dolphintripsavoch.co.uk.
Hourly sailings from Avoch's harbour, at the eastern end of
the village, with trips lasting one hour (£14).
Ecoventures
Victoria Place, Cromarty
T
01381
600323,
W
ecoventures.co.uk.
Based on the Black Isle,
on the northern side of the firth, Ecoventures runs two-
hour wildlife cruises (£25) with the chance to spot
dolphins, harbour porpoises and grey seals.
BOAT TOURS
Trips with these accredited operators, most of which
operate between April and October, are especially
popular in July and August, so be sure to book them
well in advance. To get from Inverness to Avoch (20min)
or Cromarty (50min) with public transport, take
Stagecoach bus #26 from the bus station (at least
hourly); note that not all services run as far as Cromarty,
so check before boarding.
Phoenix Boat Trips
Inverness Marina
T
07703
168097,
W
inverness-dolphin-trips.co.uk.
Runs one-
hour trips (£16) from Inverness Marina at 10.30am,
Half a mile east of the battlefield, just beyond the crossroads on the main road, is the
Cumberland Stone
, thought for many years to have been the point from where the
duke watched the battle. It is more likely, however, that he was much further forward
and simply used the stone for shelter. Elsewhere, the restored
Leanach cottage
marks
the spot where thirty injured Jacobites were burnt alive.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE CULLODEN
By bus
Hourly Stagecoach buses run from Falcon Square near Inverness train station to the visitor centre (35min).
Cawdor Castle
Fourteen miles northeast of Inverness off the A96 • May-Oct daily 10am-5pm • £9.75; £5.50 for gardens & nature trails only •
T
01667
404401,
W
www.cawdorcastle.com
he pretty village of
CAWDOR
, eight miles east of Culloden, is the site of
Cawdor Castle
,
a setting intimately linked to Shakespeare's
Macbeth
: the fulfilment of the witches'
prediction that Macbeth was to become thane of Cawdor sets off his tragic desire to be
king. hough visitors arrive here in their droves each summer because of the site's
literary associations, the castle, which dates from the early fourteenth century, could
not possibly have witnessed the grisly historical events on which the Bard's drama was
based. However, the immaculately restored monument - a fairy-tale affair of towers,
turrets, hidden passageways, dungeons, gargoyles and crenellations whimsically
shooting off from the original keep - is still well worth a visit.
